Synner Redeemed by Grace

LOST writing class # 17: Explosive, yet satisfying endings

2009-10-22T12:35:00.001-04:00

LOST Writing Class #17: Explosive Endings

Doesn’t it feel good to know your story is almost over? That all the hours of agonized hand wringing and plotting and making your hero miserable will soon end? That those beautiful words “the end” is nearing?

You’ve brought your heroine to the darkest moment of her life, but now it’s time to wrap up those loose ends and give an ending that satisfies. How do you do that? Very carefully.
Go back to your beginning. How did you start? With an image? Dialogue? Description? Maybe you started with a bang. Some of the best endings are ones that mirror the beginning of that novel. Think of “Gone with the Wind”. Scarlett begins the novel learning that her great love is about to be married to another and vowing to get him back. How does the book end? By being abandoned by her true love and vowing to get him back.

Think about “Twilight”. It starts with her leaving her known life in Phoenix to begin an unknown one in Forks. It ends with her wanting to leave her known life as a teenager and discover an unknown one as a vampire.

Can you use an image or dialogue to mirror the beginning? Can you bring your story full circle and thus satisfy the reader? If your first paragraph sells the reader on your book, your last paragraph sells them on buying your next one. Yes, it’s a temptation to rush to get to those beautiful words “the end”, but take the time to find the right ending that will leave your reader with a sigh of contentment rather than a desire to throw the book across the room.

Maybe mirroring the beginning isn’t feasible. Maybe you need something more explosive and unpredictable. Something like a cliffhanger which is basically twisting what the reader (or viewer) expects to happen into a startling new direction. Think of LOST. How many times does the last image set you up for next week’s (or next season’s) episode? Remember in “Two for the Road” (season 2, episode 20) when Michael’s actions left us speechless? Or when we discovered that the storytelling of the series was changing in season 3’s finale “Through the Looking Glass” (episode 22)? Or in “The Incident” (season 5, episode 16) when the screen went white?
However you end your story, leave the reader wanting more without pulling their hair out in frustration. You want to satisfy them, not build up your ending then let them down.

Next week, we’ll start looking at literary techniques to apply to your novel. First up: theme.

LOST lesson tomorrow

2009-10-21T19:10:00.003-04:00

Tonight's lesson is written, but I don't have access to it at the moment. I'll post it tomorrow afternoon.

LOST writing class resumes next Wednesday night!

2009-10-14T12:04:00.000-04:00

Hi all!

I'm sorry that I haven't had any new posts in a while. I've returned from Denver and the land of Disney, but the recovery from surgery is taking longer than I expected. I can't wait to feel "normal", whatever that is. LOL

Next week, I'll return to the writing class and discuss explosive endings. So tune in!

Syn

LOST writing class on hiatus until October 14th!

2009-09-23T22:27:00.002-04:00

I'll be taking some time off the next few weeks. I leave for Disney World in a few days then come back two days before my surgery. I promise to tell you how to end those wonderful stories you're writing as well as share things that I learned at the writing conference last week.

Until then, watch LOST dvds and find more examples of what we've been learning. There's nothing better (or more entertaining) than analyzing your favorite LOST episode until your loved ones start checking out local mental hospitals.

New LOST lesson posted later this week!

2009-09-15T20:20:00.002-04:00

Because of lost time (LOL), I won't be able to post this week's lesson until later.

I'll be winging my way to Denver early tomorrow morning where I'm attending the annual American Christian Fiction Writers conference. Debbie Macomber (one of my faves) is the keynote speaker, and I'm also attending the Early Bird session taught by writing craft guru Donald Maass (check out his "Writing the Breakout Novel" for fantastic advice on taking your writing to the next level). There will be workshops galore, appointments with agents and editors, and the fellowship with other crazies, I mean writers, is invaluable. In the upcoming weeks, I'll post what I learned and where I still need to go.

Hang in there for another LOST lesson in the meantime.

LOST writing class #16: The Black Moment

2009-09-09T21:00:00.000-04:00

All is lost. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel. And it truly is darkest before the dawn.

That’s what the Black Moment is all about. You bring your character to a time when he thinks that his goal is not only in sight, but he can brush his fingers against it then you TAKE IT AWAY. Yes, you love your hero, but you need to make it seem impossible for him to reach his goal.

This is a point of your story where your heroine needs to dig down deep and figure out if her goal is worth it. She needs to sift through her reasons for doing what she has and find the strength to keep going. Or if she finds her goal is not the right one for her, the strength to walk away from it.

Why would you do this? It’s all about the drama. Your reader has been on a roller coaster ride that you’ve created, but they need one last thrill before the grand finale. Give them a moment where they think there’s no possible way for a happy ending, and they will be even more satisfied when that’s what you give them. But don’t leave too much room between the black moment and the finale. Too much room gives the reader a chance to catch their breath too easily. You want them hanging on, not giving up.

How does LOST handle those black moments? Let’s take a look at another of my favorite Ben episodes, “The Man Behind the Curtain” (season 3, episode 20). Locke has demanded answers from Ben about the Island, so they travel to see Jacob who Ben says will explain everything. What is Ben’s goal in this episode? To control Locke and (potentially) get rid of him. What complications have we seen? Mikhail arrives giving Ben a perfectly good out, but Locke beats the Russian senseless and removes that excuse. Later, Ben’s own daughter gives his nemesis her gun (which means Ben’s plans for getting rid of Locke seem even more impossible). They finally get to the cabin where Ben is convinced that Locke will not only be very disappointed for not meeting Jacob but leave him with an opportunity it re-establish his control. So what happens? Locke hears “Jacob” and things go haywire in the cabin. Definitely NOT a part of Ben’s plan. This leaves him shaken and uncertain about what to do next. This is his black moment, the moment where he has no idea what to do or where to go (we learn later that he does come up with a plan and leads Locke to his “grave”). It takes him a little while but he is able to bounce back and come up with a plan to regain control and power over Locke. In fact, it’s the very next scene (again, not giving the viewer too much time to give up on the story).

Black moments are necessary. Not only for the plot of your story, but thematically it gives you the chance to highlight what the story is about. Use this as a means of pointing out why you’re telling the story. Make the hero’s struggle at this point where you can show the story’s purpose without being overhanded or melodramatic about it.

Next Wednesday, I’ll be flying to Denver for the annual ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference where I’ll be learning more about this wonderful craft of writing. But I’ll be posting about those grand finales and what makes an ending great.

LOST writing class #15: Act Three

2009-09-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

You're approaching the end of the story. The end is in sight! Woo-hoo! Time to break out the good chocolate. After all, it's all a breeze from here, right?

The third act is about coming full circle with the characters and plot. You want to leave the reader satisfied, not whining that they can’t believe they wasted time and money on your story. Make sure that your ending is like the last fork of chocolate cake: satisfyingly sweet and wanting more.

The last act is one of the trickiest to write. And in my experience, also the fastest. There’s a big rush to get to the last words and type “the end” with a flourish. However, you don’t want to go so fast that you lose sight of what you’ve built up since page one. There’s a lot of loose ends that need to be tied neatly before you can close the curtain on the story. My best advice for doing this is to read through the entire manuscript up to this point. You’ve spent a lot of time on this story, but you may read it with fresh eyes and realize that the phone call the hero’s been waiting for still hasn’t rung. Or that the green eyes he fell in love with on the heroine have suddenly changed to blue. (Don’t laugh. Almost every writer has done this).

How does LOST handle the third act? Let’s take a look at season four’s episode “The Shape of Things to Come” (episode 9). Not only is it from Ben’s perspective, but it also sets us up for the rest of the season. I LOVE IT! Act two ends with the murder of Ben’s daughter Alex right in front of his eyes. Ben has been given a choice: give himself up or sacrifice his daughter. He foolishly believes that he’s in control of this situation and that no harm will come to his daughter. Therefore, he chooses to stay where he is and watches his daughter die. This choice informs the rest of the episode. Ben then calls the smoke monster to attack Keamy’s team while he and the rest of the Losties seek refuge in the jungle and get as far away from them as possible. On an interesting note, Ben’s flashforward also has a murder as the second plot point. In this case, we see Sayid at his wife’s funeral procession. He sees and confronts Ben thus setting up the third act where Sayid eventually becomes Ben’s personal hitman. What loose ends are tied up in the third act of this episode? We see Ben say a touching goodbye to his daughter. We learn that Ben knows how to contact the monster though he doesn’t know what it is. We also discover that Hurley knows where to find Jacob’s cabin which makes him valuable to Ben and Locke. And at the end, we learn about the rivalry between Ben and Charles Widmore: they’re both trying to find the island again before the other does. Not only does this episode stand alone, but it sets the viewers up for the rest of season four. How can you not love it?

The third act is also the point where your hero/heroine reaches the black moment, a point where all seems lost. We’ll be discussing that in detail next week, then I’ll be off to Denver for a writing conference and Disney World after that. Woo hoo!!!

LOST writing class #14: The second plot point

2009-08-26T21:00:00.000-04:00

You’ve come to the end of your second act. Things are in place for the final showdown. Your hero is poised to take on the last challenges before reaching his goal. So jump into the third act, right?

Not so much. At this point of your story, you need to put another doorway or path in front of your hero. This time, his decision and actions will affect EVERYTHING that happens next in the story because the stakes are higher. This should not be the darkest moment before the dawn of the conclusion (we call that the black moment, and that will be discussed in a few weeks), but it’s pretty close.

What kind of doorways could they be? What if his goal is in sight but because of a wrong choice, it seems further away than it did at the beginning of your story? What if she can taste victory but it’s bitter? What if her biggest supporter is suddenly against her plans? What if he seems to be on the right path toward his goal and discovers he’s been wrong this whole time? Any of these are big doorways that affect how the hero will behave in the third act.

In one of my stories, this second plot point occurs when the hero pours his heart out on live television to the woman he loves and she rejects him. In another story, it’s when one sister discovers that the other has been lying to her for eleven years about their mother. This doorway is usually (but not always) about discovery and can change how the hero then pursues his goal.

Let’s use season 3, episode 7, “Not in Portland”, to illustrate what I mean. This is a Juliet centric episode and occurs just after Jack has cut Ben’s kidney sac during surgery. We get to see the how and why she came to the island. The first plot point (end of the first act) is when Juliet orders the Others to track Kate and Sawyer down before they can escape. She calls Jack’s bluff and insists he won’t let a patient die. Where does the second plot point (end of the second act) come in? When Juliet talks to Ben and agrees to help Kate and Sawyer escape. Notice the parallel between the first and second plot points: both are about Juliet’s actions towards Kate and Sawyer’s escape attempt. In the first, she wants to thwart them. In the second, she’s helping them. Why is this a significant point of the story? Her decisions (and the consequences of them) affect the rest of the story and the pursuit of her goal (to get off the island). She believes that she must do what Ben wants in order to appease him and earn her way off the island. And she makes a deal at the second plot point (that by letting Ben live then she can leave) in order to achieve her goal.

Plot points are nothing more than some of those tent poles we discussed last week: strong events that hold up the story at strategic places in the narrative. The stronger and more effective you make it, the more your story will hold together.

Next week, we’ll begin to look at the third act (conclusion) and what it means to tie up all those loose ends.

LOST writing class #13: Act Two

2009-08-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

If the first act of your story is about setting everything up, then your second act is about exploring and getting deeper. Think of it this way: in Act 1, you were planning the journey, studying the maps, making your budget. But now the second act starts with actually getting in the car and following the itinerary.

What does that mean for your hero? The second act is where he will face the most challenges to his goal in terms of number. The difficulty of those challenges will constantly be getting higher and the consequences more dire. Failure at this point may seem inevitable and even imminent. But he is passing those challenges, blasting away those obstacles.

How does LOST look at the second act? We often have “B” stories come into play. Minor characters (to the main plot) are enriching the experience, but they are not necessarily what the episode is about. Let’s look at “Left Behind” (season 3, episode 15). While the main action revolves around Kate and her struggle to figure out why her plans don’t resolve the way she wants (her mother turned her into the cops, her bringing Locke to the barracks results in the loss of the submarine and Jack’s ticket off the island). The “B” story is Hurley’s con of Sawyer. While the two stories seem unrelated, they are in fact linked. Juliet cons Kate into thinking they need each other to survive; Hurley cons Sawyer into thinking he needs the other survivors. Both Kate and Sawyer are baffled when their actions don’t result in achieving their goals. And the discovery of the con is met with acceptance rather than anger.

The second act is also about going deeper into the character. LOST shows more flashbacks in the second act to illuminate the POV character than in the first or final. It’s about exploring who the character is, what makes them tick and how they relate to the rest of the story.

What happens when your great plans for the second act fall apart? We often call that the sagging middle. Kind of like a tent where the pole is listing to one side, so is a story that lacks focus and a strong motivated character to keep the story up and moving. Make your second act tent pole strong and straight by making your hero strong and facing big obstacles. Don’t make it easy on him or your reader will lose interest and move to the next book in their “to be read” pile. Another way to avoid the sagging middle is to put in an explosion: a physical, emotional or spiritual blowout where the impact affects the rest of the story.

Does LOST avoid those sagging middles? I’d say so. In “Left Behind”, the second act starts when Kate finds herself handcuffed to an unconscious Juliet. The second act is about these two strong women trying to find a way to work together in order to survive. Ironically, this theme will play out in later episodes as well. That strong tent pole in the second act comes when Kate has to twist Juliet’s shoulder back into the socket. She must cause pain in order to heal. Much as she has her whole life.

So get working on those second acts. Find new ways to explore your character, her goals and motivations. Throw in bigger and more difficult obstacles.

Next week, we’ll look at the second plot point that leads to the black moment.

LOST writing class #12: First plot point

2009-08-12T21:00:00.000-04:00

Your first act is brilliant, but what do you do to get your characters from that point to the beginning of Act 2 where things really start cooking?

Plot points. Inciting incidents. These are both terms for what is basically a doorway that you force your character to choose and walk through at the end of Act 1 and Act 2. One of my screenwriting professors said it this way: put your character in a situation that forces him to recommit to his goal. You want to put your hero into a situation where he has to choose whether to walk away (and that would end your story, so don’t choose that) or he can choose to refocus his time and energy on the goal.

Let’s look at “Gone with the Wind” and Scarlett O’Hara. Her goal? Ashley Wilkes. Her first doorway is when she discovers he’s engaged to Melanie and then the war begins. Act 1 ends when she helps Melanie give birth to Ashley’s son, Beau. Why would she help her rival to give birth to the son of the man she loves and then do everything in her power to save Melanie? Because she knows that’s what Ashley would want her to do. And she’s still trying to earn his love.

What about our favorite show LOST? If we look at the series as a whole, the first act ends when the bags are placed over Jack, Kate and Sawyer’s heads and taken away by the others. They’re forced through the door into a new situation where their goals, motivations and even their alliances will be challenged.

Every episode also has a doorway that reinforces the hero’s goal or makes him rethink. In “All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues” (season 1, episode 11), Jack’s goal is to find Charlie and Claire. Act 1 ends when he goes off on his own to find them, even though Kate, Locke and Boone are trying to locate the trail. Jack’s determination to find them is challenged when Locke says they don’t need to lose the island’s only doctor. But nothing stops Jack. And he impatiently moves ahead when Locke and Kate don’t find the trail fast enough.

The end of the second act will also have a doorway. But the choice to continue or abandon towards the goal will be even bigger. And have larger consequences.

Next week, we’ll start on the second act which is the largest section of your story. We’ll also discuss how to avoid the sagging middles that plague most writers.

LOST writing class #11: Beginning the First Act

2009-08-05T21:00:00.001-04:00

You’ve got a great first line. A stupendous first paragraph. And your first five pages practically sing they’re that good. What’s next?

The first act or beginning of your story is all about establishing your characters, their problems and their destinations. Think of it like a vacation. This first part is about figuring out where you’re going, what to pack and who to take with you. You want to learn more about your destination, what you can see, how much money you need to get there. Maybe you discover that a beach vacation isn’t right for someone with fair skin. Your destination changes. Maybe you find that the time you want to go is booked solid. Your timeline changes.

How does this fit in with your story? Writing the first act is about flexibility. If you’re a SOTP (seat of the pants) writer, you delve into the story and write the first 100 or so pages without planning. It’s about discovery. Or if you’re a plotter, you know the character but this first part of your story is about learning where you’re going. Sometimes the character will do something that spins your story into a different direction. That’s okay. Follow it to see what happens. If it doesn’t work, that’s what the delete key is for.

The first act is also about setting things up for later. In the world of narrative, if you show a gun in the beginning, it needs to go off later. So find a way to show the gun. Introduce characters and possible journeys. Explore your setting. Start plot problems and suggest answers. But don’t tie those strings up. That’s what the last act or resolution is for.

So how does this relate to your favorite show and mine, LOST? If we look at the series as a whole, the first act is really the first two seasons. We’re introduced to the characters, the island, and the themes of destiny, redemption and salvation. We know a little about our band of survivors, but as the series goes on, we discover that we didn’t know all that much. We’re kept guessing about what the story is really about. Is it about them getting off the island? Will they ever leave that place? Will Kate and Jack ever hook up? And who exactly are the Others? No real answers are given because the writers need to keep us glued for four more seasons.

You can also look at a single episode. What is the beginning of “Man of Faith, Man of Science” (Season 2, Episode 1)? Jack and Locke are staring down a hatch into a void. The beginning is all about will they go in and if they do, how? We also see Jack trying to save Sarah in the hospital emergency room. We don’t know what happens when they go into the hatch at the beginning. We don’t know how Jack will save Sarah (despite the flashback from season 1, we know he will but we don’t know how). And we’re introduced to a character in the beginning images that we have no clue who he is or how he relates to the story.

Beginnings. It’s about first impressions. Introductions. The getting to know each other better comes in the second act.

Next week, we’ll look at the first plot point which spins the action of the first act into the second.

LOST writing lesson #10: The First Page(s)

2009-07-29T21:00:00.002-04:00

You will sell your book or script based on the first page. Harsh, isn't that? As writers, we crave the time to explore and explain. We've poured our blood into every written word, and as such they deserve to be seen and savored. But the reality of the publishing and production world is, those who buy stories don't have time to read thousands of hopeful writers' every precious word. Often, they will read the first page. If it intrigues them, they turn to the second. And only if you've hooked them so completely will they turn to the third.

So how do you craft an amazing first page? Or let's be generous and give ourselves the first five pages. (BTW, Noah Lukeman's book "The First Five Pages" is an excellent resource on how to craft an amazing beginning). What do you need to do in order to ensure that the reader will not put your story down or turn the channel?

I had a screenwriting professor who told us to start off with a scene that makes the hero state out loud what he wants for the rest of the script. Start him in a pressure cooker of a situation, and you'll be showing what kind of man he is, what he wants and hint at what he's willing to do to get it.

Let's say your story is about a plane crash on a mysterious island, and your hero is a man who has to fix things (Hmmm.... sound familiar? LOL). You need to establish some things first. The mystery. The hero's savior complex. The crash. How do the first minutes of LOST establish this? Jack (our hero for all intents and purposes) wakes up flat on his back in a jungle. A dog runs by. He hears screaming. He gets up and starts running, passing a white tennis shoe stuck in a tree. When he gets to the beach, everything looks calm. And then he turns to his left.

BOOM. We're into the story. Pieces of burning plane wreck litter the beach. A woman screams. People scramble, looking for their loved ones. Someone calls for help. What does our hero do? He immediately runs in to save. The first five minutes (or five script pages) is all about Jack running to help. He moves quickly from crisis to crisis, saving people. Because that's who he is and what he does. He doesn't state out loud, "I want to save these people and get them off this island" but his actions do.

On a side note, we get to see what this savior complex will cost him in the next five minutes. I love that scene where he leans against the fuselage and surveys the inside. We see a hand dangling down from the top of the scene (which always gives me the chills). And when Boone brings the pens, we also see that while Jack is one of the survivors, he's also detached from them. He can save these people, but he will never be one of them. The cost of leadership is going to be huge for this man.

You may spend a lot of time on that first sentence/paragraph/page of your story. You should. It's your first impression with the reader and can make or break the sale. But if writing that perfect first line is preventing you from writing the rest of the story, get something down on paper (or on your computer screen) and move on. You can always go back to edit and revise, edit and revise.

Do you need a burning plane crash to hook your reader? No. But put your hero in a situation that is intense (physically, emotionally, spiritually, whatever), get your reader to identify with your her, and make her state what she wants.

So you've got a great first page now. What's next? We'll explore first acts next week: what needs to happen and where do you go from there.

LOST writing class #9: Three Act Structure

2009-07-22T21:00:00.000-04:00

In drama, there is a lot of talk about the three act structure. In fact, Syd Field’s iconic book, “Screenplay” is based on applying the three act structure to create a strong script. It’s something I learned in my screenwriting classes, but it can be applied to the novel as well.

Basically, it comes down to breaking the story into three parts: beginning, middle, and end. Sounds easy, right? Oh sure. On paper, it is that simple. And it can be. Unfortunately, our imaginations, neuroses, what have you tend to get in the way of that simplicity.

The first act or beginning is all about set up. You’re establishing your characters, setting, goal, conflict, and story problem. It’s usually the first quarter to third of your story. Since I just watched the season 1 finale of LOST, I’ll use that as an example. The first act of that episode establishes the arc of the story being told. We find out that they have to launch the raft, that the Others are coming, and that they need to open the hatch. These three elements inform every part of the story from that point. The viewer is sent on those journeys with the characters. The end of the first act comes when your character faces a monumental event. He is given two choices that could spin the story into two opposite directions. This is also the point where he needs to commit to his goal or get out. (And if he chooses to get out, your story is pretty much over so you need to give him overwhelming motivation to commit). In the LOST episode, this would be the point where they try to move the raft but something breaks that could cancel the launch.

The second act or middle focuses on confrontation and complications. This is the largest section of your story (about half of it) where bad stuff happens to your character. No matter what she does, she can’t seem to get ahead. She may even question why she is pursuing this goal. That’s good. Because just like us, if she is blindly following a goal, the victory won’t nearly be as sweet as if she is tested and finds herself completely committed. The problems in this section have to keep getting bigger and the goal even farther away. And again, at the end of act two, there needs to be a black moment when all seems lost. When the character has moved to a point of no return and launches her into the final act. In LOST, this is when the raft picks up a signal on the radar, Sayid and Charlie find the abandoned fire, and the dynamite is set to explode the door off the hatch.

The third act or end of your story is about resolving the loose ends (the last quarter to third of your story). This is the time when your hero is thrust into the final showdown. His goal is in sight, but one last major roadblock stands in his way. And unless he overcomes it and/or the antagonist, then he loses. The thing that differs here between a novel and episodic television is that in a book, you get a clear ending. Boy gets girl. Man saves the world. Woman solves the crime. On a television show, especially a season finale that sets up the following season, there’s an element of surprise/shock that spins the series into a new direction. How does the LOST episode end? With Walt being kidnapped by the Others, and Jack and Locke staring down a long shaft where stairs only lead halfway down. The viewer is left not knowing what happens next. And for episodic television, that’s great. However, in novels, be very careful about leaving your reader too much of a cliffhanger. Yes, you want to be able to hook them into your next book, but leave too much open and you’ve lost that sale. Readers want a satisfying ending, so give it to them. That’s what sells your next book.

The simplicity of three act structure, right? Beginning, middle and end. Next week, we’ll look more at beginnings: how to start your story off with a bang that hooks your audience.

LOST writing class #8: Plot basics

2009-07-15T21:00:00.003-04:00

You know who your story is about now, but what IS it about? Any clue? Maybe it started as a what if question: what if a plane crashed on a special island? Maybe you came up with a character. Maybe you started with the idea of a character: Jack is a doctor who has a compulsive need to fix things and ends stranded on an island where he can't. Or maybe you got your idea from some other show/movie/book: Castaway meets Survivor.

Doesn't matter where you got the idea or how the story started, what matters is where it's going. If character is the WHO, then plot is the WHAT of your story. What happens? What obstacles keep the hero from getting what he wants? What is the beginning, the middle and the end of your tale?

You'll need to know some terms that we'll be using for the next few weeks.

The PREMISE of your story is basically who wants what and why and the obstacles they come up against (remember our talk about GMC?). That's your jumping off point.

The INCITING INCIDENT is the action that spurs the story into motion. It's the first doorway your hero has to pass through (whether his choice or not). In LOST, it's the plane crash.

RISING ACTION is when the obstacles get bigger and require even bigger solutions. It's climbing up the mountain to reach the top. Look at how much bigger the finales have come since the first season.

BLACK MOMENT is the point of your story when all seems lost. The hero sees no chance of reaching his goal and wants to give up. There's so too many to mention here. One of my favorites is Locke pounding on the hatch door after Boone gets injured by the falling plane.

CLIMAX is the high point of your story. The do or die moment. The final showdown. This is where we're heading in the next season. YAY!

RESOLUTION is the point when your story's central conflict has been resolved. The ends are tied up and the hero reaches his goal. I don't know about anyone else, but I've got a countdown and can't WAIT to see how this will all turn out.

SUBPLOTS are interwoven with the main plot, often reinforcing the focus of your story or acting as counterpoints. They often get introduced later and are resolved sooner than the main conflict. If the main plot is the Losties getting off the island, then DHARMA initiative and the Others are subplots. Jin and Sun's relationship. The love rectangle of Jack, Juliet, Kate and Sawyer.

Next week will look at the three act structure and how to plot out your novel. So come back!

Lost writing class #7: Backstory

2009-07-08T21:00:00.003-04:00

Backstory often gets a bad rap in writing circles. Probably because few writers are adept at handling it well. Most of us are okay when telling our characters’ histories but there’s always room for improvement.

Backstory is essentially everything that’s happened to your character before the first word of your book. It includes things like who their parents and siblings are as well as their relationships with them. Where they went to school and what they studied. Their first job and how they got along with their boss.

But it’s more than events and relationships. This is also about how those experiences shaped them into the person they are at the beginning of the book. How did their relationship with their father mold them? If it was a bad relationship, how does this affect her feelings toward authority? Other men? Herself? Our characters don’t live in a vacuum, so every experience affects them in some way. Why was his favorite teacher Mrs. So-and-So and how does that make him the driven surgeon he is now? How did her first pet die, and in turn how does she view death?

When you’re writing backstories for your characters, realize that ninety percent of what you come up with won’t show up in the book. Only what’s relevant to the character’s goal/motivation/conflict (remember those?) will be revealed. And don’t write ten pages (or ten sentences) of backstory. It stalls the action of the book, and your reader will yawn as they place it aside to (maybe) return to another time. And if anything, you want them to be up until three in the morning because they can’t put your book down!

How does LOST handle backstory? I think this show is an excellent example of how to write it.

Take Kate. In the first season, we discover she’s a fugitive who was caught in Australia and being brought back to face justice. But we don’t find out what she did for another season (What Kate Did, 2:9). We also discover that her own mother is so afraid of her that she’ll call for help rather than let her daughter escape, but the reason for that scene (Whatever the Case May Be, 1:12) isn’t shown until the third season (Left Behind, 3:15).

Let’s look at Locke. We discover he was in a wheelchair in the fourth episode of the first season (Walkabout), but don’t find out how he got into it until the middle of the third season (The Man from Tallahassee, 3:13). And we don’t know why Richard is so interested in him from birth (Cabin Fever, 4:11) until we see that Locke is the one who sends him on the quest to find him (Jughead, 5:3).

Why don’t the writers reveal everything at once? Because the fact that Locke is walking around is relevant to the story at the beginning of the series, but how he was paralyzed isn’t important until later. We don’t need to know about his father issues until it becomes relevant to the action of the current story. Think of your reader as being on a need to know basis. You could tell them everything, but then you’d have to kill them. Instead, weave it in when it becomes pertinent (and learn the difference of what is and isn’t).

If we knew all the secrets of the Island from the first episode, do you really think we’d still be glued every week for the last five years? Would we be counting down the months, weeks, days, hours until the last season starts? I doubt it. Give your readers something to puzzle out while you move your main story forward. Let them do some guesswork then reveal that they’ve been wrong about your character when you expose the fact that Ben was mentally and physically abused by his father (or some such thing) and caused his father’s death. Then turn that on its head when his father admits he thought he was going to be the world’s greatest father but life didn’t turn out that way. (On a side note, this is a great way of building sympathy for characters who are unsympathetic because no one (not even Ben) is all bad or all good).

Your character’s past is rich mining ground of ideas for plot. Next week, we’ll start diving into the wonderful world of knowing what’s going to happen in your story. Otherwise known as plotting your novel.

Lost Rewatch July Schedule

2009-07-03T14:04:00.004-04:00

For those following the Lost Rewatch, the following is the schedule for July:

July 6-12: Do No Harm, Greater Good, Born to Run (season 1, discs 5&6)

July 13-19: Exodus Part 1 & 2 (season 1, disc 6), Man of Science/Man of Faith, Adrift (season 2, disc 1)

July 20-26: Orientation, Everybody Hates Hugo, ...and Found, Abandoned (season 2, discs 1&2)

July 27-August 2: The Other 48 Days, Collision, What Kate Did, The 23rd Psalm (season 2 discs 2&3)

Happy rewatching, everybody!

And feel free to post your opinions of the episodes here. I love to discuss LOST ad nauseum.

Lost Writing Class #6: The Importance of Names

2009-07-01T21:00:00.002-04:00

Scrooge. Scarlett. Huck. Romeo and Juliet. Think of the characters whose names become history beyond the book, movie, show.

There’s something about names. Whether we like ours or detest the nickname we’ve been saddled with, they mean a lot. They become part of our identity.

So, too, it should be with our characters. You’re going to write differently about Ernie than you would about Tyler. Jennifer is different than Margaret. Names bring about their own definitions of who that person is. Yes, they’re based on stereotypes. But good or bad, those meanings are there.

When choosing a name for your character, look at it from different angles. What does it mean? Is there anyone famous associated with it? What kind of an image does it present? Is there an ethnicity associated with it?

On my current story about two sisters, I chose their names for very specific reasons. Ivy and Willow. Upon research, I discovered that both of these plants are adaptable and can grow in the harshest environments. So too my sisters. Ivy is also a plant associated with connections, intertwining with those around it. My character Ivy is the same way. Also, their names could be associated with nature, which their hippy mother would have loved. It's interesting to see that Ivy chooses names for her sons that are more traditional and very masculine: David and Matthew. She's trying to get away from her mother's influence not only in her personality, but in her family too.

Sometimes, you’ll name your character one thing and discover the name doesn’t fit. I once had named a character Jake when he was really a Mack. Jake didn’t fit what I wanted for the character, but Mack definitely did. I even kept typing Mack instead of Jake until I finally conceded that was the character’s name. I was just the writer. What did I know anyway?

Besides the names of your characters, look at what they call themselves. If their name is Roy but everyone (including himself) thinks of him as Buddy, find the reason behind it.

Let’s look at some of the names of LOST.

Kate (not Katherine, you’ll notice) is a good, strong name. One syllable. It also means “pure” which we know our Kate is not. How would it be different if Kate went by Katherine instead? We expect Kate to be more of a tomboy while Katherine is more feminine.

Ben is another strong name with one syllable. If you know your Bible stories, you’ll remember that Benjamin was the youngest and favorite son of Jacob. I don’t think the writers picked this name out of the air or because it sounded good.

Sawyer is another interesting name. Brings up images of a young prankster who has good intentions. Look also at how he appropriated the name for himself after the man who killed his parents. He’s become this man, in a sense, and so takes his name. Juliet is one of the few who calls him James. Not Jim or Jimmy, but James. It’s more formal than the nicknames and lends an air of respectability.

Sun and Jin Kwon reflect their nationality. As does Danielle Rousseau, Sayid Jarrah, and Hugo Reyes.

Walt seems like a grandfatherly type name for such a young boy. He’s named after his grandfather Walter, and the nickname suits him better.

And I’d still like to know the story behind Hurley’s name.

Shakespeare said that a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, but not when it comes to your stories. Let your character be their name, so choose it wisely.

Looking ahead to next week, we’re going to explore backstory. How did your character become the person they are in your story?

Stripes, anyone?

2009-06-30T12:52:00.002-04:00

So I've been having my own Ben/Lost marathon over the weekend. You know, the kind where I only watch scenes with my fave character Ben in them? Well, I noticed something reaaaaalllllly interesting: Ben wears a lot of stripes.

Now, it may mean nothing. It may be that the wardrobe manager likes stripes. But (and this is a big but), I think it has more to do with the character. The few times he doesn't wear stripes are either off island or when he's literally a prisoner (in the hatch during season 2 or once he's placed under Locke's authority in season 4). Even his pajamas are striped! And we're talking those vertical stripes that remind me of prison bars.

Which brings me to what I think it means: Ben may be the leader of the Others, but he feels trapped by Jacob's authority. Those prison bars are in some way restricting and controlling him.

Just a thought.

Or I could be reading waaaayyyy too much into this.

You decide.

Lost Writing Class #5: Character arc

2009-06-24T21:00:00.000-04:00

Character arc. Sounds like some kind of a boat. But it’s a necessary journey that your character must go through in order to reach their destination. It’s more than just strengths and weaknesses. This is about growth.

In fiction, if a character doesn’t change, we call them a static character. And if your protagonist is static? Don’t expect a sequel. You don’t want an infant to stay an infant. You want her to grow and mature. So it is with your characters. We like hearing stories about how circumstances changed the people they happen to. Maybe it makes us feel like what we’re going through has some kind of purpose. A reason for all the pain. Allow your characters to change because of the all the twists and turns in the road you’ve placed before them. Does the pursuit of his goals change him? Do the roadblocks you’ve thrown up change her?

How can you show character change? Make the conflict of your story act like a pressure cooker. Put your characters in situations where they are forced to change. Make him or her do the one thing they swore they’d never do. Then see what happens. What is your character most afraid of? Make that happen. Let the pressure or stress of the conflict reveal the true character of your protagonist. You can also use other characters of the story to mirror or oppose your protagonist in order to show growth.

How about some examples from LOST?

First let’s take Sawyer. In the first season, he is determined to be hated. He has essentially become the man he’s hated all his life and punishes himself by going out of his way to be the most hated man in the camp. Whether he’s hoarding needed supplies, lying about what he does or doesn’t have or using nicknames that hurt and demean, all of this is used to keep people at a distance. We are able to see some of his softer side, but he is very determined to keep that part of him under cover. By the fifth season, he’s one of the most respected members of the Dharma Initiative. He’s head of security (when before he was a con man) and is known for running a tight operation. How has he gotten to this point? Through the events of the five seasons, he’s been forced to grow up and assume leadership of those left behind. He’s confronted the man who caused the death of his parents. He’s watched people die and leave the island. And he lost the love of his life and gained another. I don’t know what the last season holds for him, but I’ll be glued to my set eager to see it.

What about Kate? When we first meet her, she’s a fugitive who was on her way back to jail when the plane crashed. Her “go to” response to conflict is to run away from the situation or the person. We’ve certainly seen her do that enough times throughout the five years of the show. At one point, Jack even asks her why she is the way she is but she won’t (and can’t) answer. She’s also defined by the men in or out of her life: her father, stepfather, the marshal, boyfriend/husband, Sawyer, Jack, even Aaron. She always has a man in her life, but the relationship is difficult and full of bumps, half-truths and obligations. It’s always complicated when it comes to Kate and her relationships. In this past season, how has she changed? Her growth hasn’t come full circle yet, so I’m sure there’s some surprises for next year. But one of the things I noticed this season is that she is no longer running FROM problems, but running TO solutions. Whether it’s returning to the island or trying to stop Jack from what she believes is a huge mistake, she’s not trying to get away anymore. She’s willing to confront the problem and find a solution.

It will be interesting to see what happens after this final season and how the characters will have grown.

So look at your own characters. Are they growing?

Next week, we’ll look at the importance of names.

LOST Rewatch in effect!

2009-06-22T11:26:00.002-04:00

In order to prepare for the final season of LOST, millions of fans worldwide (or at least the thousands of us who are DEDICATED (not crazy)) are rewatching every episode of the series. It actually started June 1st, so I'm a little late on jumping on that bandwagon, but I've jumped on!

For those who are curious, here's the schedule for June:

Week of June 1st: Pilot (part 1 and 2), Tabula Rasa and Walkabout (disc 1 of the season 1 DVDs).

Week of June 8th: White Rabbit, House of the Rising Sun, The Moth, and Confidence Man (disc 2)

Week of June 15th: Solitary, Raised by Another, All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues, and Whatever the Case May Be (disc 3)

Week of June 22nd: Hearts and Minds, Special, Homecoming, Outlaws (disc 4)

Week of June 29th: ...In Translation, Numbers and Deus Ex Machina (most of disc 5)

I've gotten through the first two weeks of shows and am amazed at how good the program really is. Not that I didn't know before, but it just strikes me again how great everything is: acting, writing, music, directing, etc. Plus, I get another chance to sift for clues.

It's the summer of LOST, baby! Sign up now!!!

LOST writing class #4: Goal Motivation Conflict (GMC)

2009-06-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

Goal. Motivation. Conflict. GMC, for short. If you know nothing else of your characters, you should know those three things.

Goal: it’s what the character wants. And it has to be more than a new pair of shoes. We’re talking the big stuff: love, revenge, home/family, etc. If you were to ask your character, what do want most in this world, what would they say?

Motivation: it’s why the character wants what he/she does. And make the answer big. She wants to find love because she grew up in a home without it. He wants to seek revenge for his dead daughter because she was the only person he ever loved completely. And sometimes, the first answer is not the real motivation. Probe your character to find out why.

Conflict: the person/thing that stands in the protagonist’s way. And again, make it big. If the obstacle is too easy, you’ll have a really short (and boring) story. If it’s a person, make him stronger than your hero so that when the hero succeeds, the victory is sweet.

GMC is not only a physical thing, but can be emotional too. Go back to the woman wanting to find love because she grew up in a home without it. She’s going to have some emotional needs related to this too. She needs to be loved. Why? Maybe because she doesn’t feel real without love. Or special. Or needed. Or any of a million things. The best stories are ones where the character is given an outer/physical goal as well as an inner/emotional one too. And goals change, as they do in real life. You may discover that what you want isn’t what you need after all and pursue something else. So may your characters.

Let’s take a look at Jack from LOST. What is his outer goal? To get everyone off the island. Why? Because he is driven by the need to fix things. (and again, you could ask why is he driven to be a fixer?) Who/what stands in his way? Ben certainly does. So does Locke. What about an inner goal for Jack? He needs to be a savior (notice how this ties in with his outer goal of getting everyone rescued). His motivation for being a savior? That’s tough. I think he’s wired to be the one who tries to rescue. But I also think it’s more than that. His need to fix things has to stem from some inner/emotional need. Maybe to prove his father wrong. And the conflict for being a savior? He’s a hero who doesn’t always do heroic things. So he stands in his own way. Plus, circumstances are beyond his control and sometimes people die. Remember how hard he took not being able to save Boone in the first season?

If you look at the series as a whole, Jack has a certain GMC but then each episode that centers around him (and even those that don’t) has its own GMC for him. In “White Rabbit” (season 1, episode 5), he has an episode specific physical goal: to find his father. But notice how that goal ties in with the bigger series goal of saving everyone: he finds the fresh water supply and makes his infamous “live together, die alone” speech. In “Something Nice Back Home” (season 4, episode 10), Jack is the one who needs to be fixed: his appendix is about to rupture and he needs surgery. He tries to remain awake and supervise the surgery (trying to fix himself, no doubt) but is eventually knocked out. In the flash forward, his relationship with Kate is the thing that needs fixing, and Jack tries to fix it with pills and alcohol. Again, he has this recurring goal of fixing something whether in the first season or three years after the crash, and that often comes to play in throughout the series.

GMC is a starting point for getting to know your characters. It’s the minimum of what I need to know before I can write word one of my story. Next week, we’ll look at character development and how the character changes through their journey.

LOST writing lesson #3: Protagonists and Antagonists

2009-06-10T21:00:00.000-04:00

USA Network’s motto is “Characters welcome.” And I think that part of what makes a good story great is exactly that: characters.

As I said at the end of last week’s lesson, I need to know who I’m writing about before I can start the story. Does that mean I know every little thing about the character’s life before, during and after the story? No. Part of writing is about discovery, and I let the character takes me where she wants.

Funny side story: one time I had written an outline of what I wanted to happen exactly when during a book, but the main character had a mind of her own and changed it on me. I wrote a scene and all of a sudden, the character took over and did something that wasn’t supposed to happen until the next chapter. I was so angry with her that I left the room until I could go back without erasing everything I had just written. When I did return and reread that section, I realized that the character was right and what happened was exactly what needed to happen before I could move to the next chapter.

So before we go too much further, you need to learn some terms.

Protagonist is the character your story is centered around. Oftentimes, we call him the hero (or her the heroine). Even when he doesn’t do something heroic (and good heroes aren’t always good), he’s still the hero of our story.

Antagonist is the character that puts obstacles in the way of the protagonist. Sometimes, he is called the villain. BUT in some stories, the antagonist can be the love interest as well. If you’re writing a romance, your two leads are often butting heads over some issue because if they weren’t then they’d be in love and all is right with the world. If your reader is going to invest time with your story though, don’t get them together too soon or you’ll lose that sizzle that keeps them interested for 300+ pages.

Let’s look at LOST with these terms. Who is the protagonist? Over the entire series, it seems to be Jack. He is our hero who hurries to help people from the moment he wakes up in the first episode. He is also the leader (though reluctant) who is determined to get them off the island. The antagonist changes over the course of the series. In an overall sense, it is the island itself that throws up those obstacles that blocks our merry crew from getting what they want. And Ben seems to represent the island more than any other character (even if we don’t get to meet him until halfway through the second season).

However, it’s interesting to note that especially in the first few seasons, each episode was more focused on one of the characters. In “The Moth” (season 1, episode 7), the episode focuses on Charlie and his struggle with drug addiction. He is the protagonist of that episode. Who is his antagonist? I’d say John Locke. What does Charlie want in this episode? His drugs. Who’s keeping them from him? Locke. In “The House of the Rising Sun” (season 1, episode 6), Sun is our protagonist. It’s from her point of view that we watch the story of her marriage unfold. And the antagonist? Her husband Jin.

One thing to note about protagonists/antagonists before we move on. The best characters are not black and white. The shades of gray are what keeps them interesting. So let your protagonists do things that make them less heroic (just wait until you’ve made the reader like them first). And let your antagonists (especially your villains) do something that make them sympathetic. By doing so, you’ve made them human. Made them real. And the reader will stay with you to the end of your story.

Next week, we’ll look at GMC. And I’m not talking cars. I’m talking Goal, Motivation, and Conflict. It’s a great way to get to know the basics of your character as well as looking at ways to brainstorm your plot.

LOST writing class #2: Research

2009-06-03T21:00:00.001-04:00

I know of very few people whose eyes light up when the topic of research comes up. If you’re one of those, great. If not, join the crowd.

Why research? You’re writing a fictional account of something, so why in the world can’t you make up all the details? Yes, as writers we deal with imaginary worlds filled with imaginary people. In order to keep our readers with us, however, we need to be sure to get the details right. Research is needed to make things realistic. Otherwise, our readers are jarred out of the story and the journey stops.

What kinds of things do you need to research? Well, that varies. You should know your setting. Your characters’ world. Your characters’ lives and jobs and families and histories. Certain medical and legal aspects needed for plot. The key is to do more research than you’re going to put into the story. You want to flavor your novel with details. You can find out what you need online, in books, from experts or even your own experiences.

Research can spring plot ideas. Maybe you find out that the time and place your story is set in also had a daring true-life rescue. Can you use it? Or mirror it? Maybe you learn that the tea house you use in your novel was originally a brothel. How does that affect the current storyline? But research can also put up roadblocks and obstacles. Maybe the technology you need wasn’t invented yet. Or the town you describe as being north of the river is actually southeast. Learn to use research and then use your imagination in tandem to create wonderful plot twists.

Avoid the information dump. While you may learn all the necessary ins and outs of tropical fish, for example, your reader’s eyes will glaze over if you give them every detail you learned about their sex lives. Know more than necessary but don’t reveal it all. Also the more technical you are, the more readers you’ll lose. Tom Clancy is known for his attention to detail but he likes to give information overload. Keep a balance between too little and too much research in your story.

On LOST, what kinds of things did they need to research? Airplane crashes. Tropical islands and wildlife. Currents. Survival skills. Medical terms and procedures. U.S. marshals. Electromagnetism. Time travel theories and mechanics. Anything revealed in the details of the characters’ lives. The writers also looked at religious and philosophical views to flavor the story. Even the characters’ names.

So you’ve got an idea. You’re going to start researching it. Where do we go from there? Next week, we’ll start looking at characters. There are some writers who start with plot, and that works for them. Me? I need to know who I’m writing about before I can figure out what. So we’ll begin the process of exploring the characters for our stories. And determining why in the world we’d want to spend hours and hours with these people.

LOST writing lesson #1: the Idea

2009-05-27T21:00:00.001-04:00

Every good story starts with an idea. You know, those “I wonder what would happen if…” kind of things. But how do you get those ideas (besides waiting for lightning to strike) and how do you know if it’s any GOOD?

LOST started with the idea of combining the popular show SURVIVOR with the movie CASTAWAY. An ABC exec had the idea and asked some other people to develop it.

So what do you do to get those ideas? They’re all around you. If you don’t have any ideas, it may be that you’re not observing what’s going on in your world. Listen in on conversations. Write down your dreams (it worked for Stephenie Meyer). Keep track of music lyrics or titles that tug at your heart. Or maybe you do have a bunch of ideas but don’t know where to go from there.

First of all, keep 3X5 cards or a small notebook handy. When you get those snippets of ideas, WRITE THEM DOWN. You may think you’ll remember them later, but chances are you won’t. People also type up those ideas in a file on their computer so they can go back and refer to them when their idea well is dry. You might also want to brainstorm (either alone or with friends) all the kinds of stories you could write. Set a timer for sixty seconds (or 5 minutes if you want) and write down everything that comes into your head. Some ideas you’ll discard as soon as you write them down, but keep going. Empty your head on to the paper and see what comes out. Your great idea probably won’t be the first one, but that’s okay. Just keep writing.

Most ideas will start with a “what if” question. What if most of the world’s population died from a superflu (THE STAND)? What if a teen girl fell in love with a vampire (TWILIGHT)? What if a plane crashed on a special island (LOST)?

So now you’ve got an idea. What’s next? How do you know if it’s any good? Well, if you’re a writer then you should also be a reader. Has anyone else written this idea? Or if they have, what’s the unique spin that you can give it? Look at your motives for telling the story. Why THIS story (versus all the others you wrote on your paper)? What makes this story special?

Randy Ingermanson talks about the snowflake method. I’ve modified it for my own purposes to see if an idea is worthy of 75,000 words or not. I write the story in one sentence. Then four (goal, conflict, climax, conclusion). Then four paragraphs (expanding the four sentences into their own paragraphs). Then finally four pages (each paragraph gets their own page). Does the story idea hold up to that? Sometimes, mine don’t. And why waste precious time writing 300 pages on an idea that can’t last four?

Look at your idea again. Is it interesting? Unique? Who is your audience? What kind of genre does this story fit (romance, mystery, sci fi, etc.)? Is it a big enough idea to last hundreds of pages? Is there a reason it needs to be told? And why are you the perfect writer to tell it?

Sometimes inspiration will bring a fully formed idea to you. Most of the time, you’ve got a fragment of one that will need to be developed. How to do that? Next week’s lesson will look at research. Hold your groans. I know it’s not exciting, but for a writer it’s necessary.

Until then, start writing down those ideas.

LOST writing class starts Wednesday!

2009-05-24T20:08:00.002-04:00

I love LOST. Big surprise, huh? I also love writing and discussing writing. I've decided to combine these into a writing class here on my blog.

Since we won't have any episodes of LOST until next year, I'm going to post a new lesson every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. EDT where I'll discuss different aspects of writing and use examples from your favorite show and mine, LOST. Topics will include: ideas, research, characters, plot, dialogue, setting, GMC (goal motivation conflict), symbolism, theme, and anything else I can think of.

Even if you love writing but don't like LOST, I won't hold it against you. You'll be able to apply the lessons to any television show, movie or book. And if you love LOST and don't write, that's okay too. I love discussing the show with anyone and everyone (just ask my family).

So join me every Wednesday night. I've got big plans...

My thoughts on the Lost season finale

2009-05-22T12:49:00.001-04:00

IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE SEASON FINALE OF “LOST” YET, GO READ SOMETHING ELSE.

I’ve rewatched the season finale of LOST. Wow! What a show, huh? You never know what to expect when it comes to one of their season finales, and this year was no different. I saw a flair button on Facebook that said something to the effect of “after last year’s finale, we thought OMG John Locke is dead! After this year’s finale, we’re saying OMG John Locke is dead! Only on LOST.”

I think one of the pivotal scenes for me was the cab ride with Jacob and Hurley. Here poor Hugo’s been thinking the numbers have cursed him, making him crazy by seeing and talking to his dead friends. Jacob comes along and asks, “What if you’re not cursed? What if you’re blessed?” Hmmm… Talk about putting a different spin on things. And then Jacob asks Hurley to come back to the island but emphasizes that it’s his CHOICE whether he does or not.

Go forward to another scene where Jacob tells Ben the same thing. And Ben asks, “What choice?” I think there's something there in both of those scenes that we need to hold on to for next season.

I think next year is going to be interesting. I have theories about what will happen, but they’re mere shadows compared to what the writers have in store. They always surprise us. Some times disappoint us too, but I’ve learned that what happens does so for a reason.

Only thirty-five weeks to go until the new season!

LOST finale and writing course coming soon!!!

2009-05-19T10:09:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine emailed me to ask when I was going to blog about the season finale of LOST. I'm currently in the process of rewatching the episode in order to catch anything I missed the first time. Trust me, I have a lot to say!

Also, I'm planning on discussing different writing techniques over the summer and using my fave show to illustrate it.

So stay tuned!

Spring Cleaning

2009-04-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

I've been spring cleaning my house for about two weeks now. And the one room that I can't seem to get organized? The guest bedroom which is also my writing room. It's cluttered and full of half-finished projects (winter clothes that need to be put away, boxes that need to be put into recycling, craft project that I keep putting off). But I keep finding something else to do, some other priority that clamors for my attention. So the writing room stays cluttered.

Wouldn't you know my writing life is the same way? I've got half-finished WIPs that need attention. A writing schedule that gets put aside to focus on other priorities. And books and MP3s on craft that I keep meaning to study.

But the biggest thing that needs to be straightened up in my writing life? My attitude. The Lord laid it on my heart four years ago that I was to write for Him, but the thing He wants most IS my heart. He wants my attention and time. He wants me to hear His voice rather than the distractions of this world. So I'm cleaning out my attitude so that there's more of Him and less of me.

Easy to do? No. But worth it? Oh yes.

God's power available to do ALL things

2009-04-22T08:01:00.003-04:00

In my devotional "The Frazzled Female" this morning, I read Ephesians 1. It says that the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead is available to me and every Christian. Wow. I mean, there are some days I could use more energy sure, but that kind of power?

Cindi Wood went on to say that the power of God is available to do all things. Including standing in line, buying groceries, driving to work, etc. I've never thought of it that way. Why would I need God to help me do those things, right? I can do them on my own. But if God wants to be a part of everything in my life (and He does) then I need to tap into His power for everything and not rest on my own strength.

So what does that mean? I don't know. Maybe I'd have more energy and my day would run smoother. Maybe I wouldn't be so exhausted at the end of the day by running on my own strength. This is something I need to dwell on some more.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

Why I Love Benjamin Linus

2009-02-27T20:55:00.003-05:00

One piece of writing advice that I've heard over and over is that each character thinks that they're the hero of the story. Even the villain believes this.

Nowhere else can I think of a perfect example of this than Benjamin Linus from "Lost". Played perfectly by Michael Emerson, Ben believes that he's a good guy, working for the betterment of his people. And if you were to ask him, I'm sure he'd tell you that he's the true hero of "Lost". He may not be perfect (and what hero is), but he really thinks that everything he does is for the good of the island. It's those other characters like Locke, Jack, even Richard Alpert and Charles Widmore, who are trying to stop him from reaching his goals.

However, he also has his issues. He's lonely and has few (if any) friends and no family. He goes to extremes to keep others from trying to take what is his (especially when it comes to leadership/power) which often leads to an "ends justify the means" kind of thinking. And he can let his emotions override his good judgment with disastrous results.

Why I truly love Ben is that he is "an enigma wrapped in a mystery." There are debates online whether he is "good" or "bad". Personally, I don't care. He's too much fun to watch. I never know what he's going to do next, and that is a huge appeal for me. I stay tuned in because I'm still trying to figure him out. And I hope I never do. Because what would be the fun in that???

True, I also love Hurley and Sawyer on the show. But if I had to pick one favorite, my vote is for Benjamin Linus.

And I can't wait to see what he's up to in next week's episode!

I'm a Lost Dork

2009-02-26T09:51:00.003-05:00

My family knows that I am a dork when it comes to the television show, "Lost". I usually watch the episode when it airs and again the following weekend. I own all the DVDs and have watched them through at least four times (I'm starting the 5th this weekend). I dissect each episode, searching for clues about the future direction of the show. I play "Lost" trivia online and seek out websites where the show is discussed. The characters are like my friends because I've spent so much time with them, not only watching the show but talking about it with fellow fans.

This season has been fun because many loose ends are being tied up while new questions being asked. Also because the people who spent four seasons trying to get off the island have now returned. The viewers have also seen certain events that took place long before our Losties ever arrived but had been alluded to by other characters. I told one friend and fellow fan that this season is like a love letter to fans. We're being rewarded for sticking with the show and given small gifts each episode.

Last night's gift? Abbadon's reappearance in Locke's life. Abbadon even referred to it last night. The original scene happened in season 4 after Locke was pushed out of an 8 story building and survived. Abbadon was the orderly that recommended that Locke go on a walkabout to find himself. He also told Locke that when they saw each other again, he would owe Abbadon a favor. Thus setting off a chain of events that led to Locke's plane crashing on the island. I don't know about anyone else, but I've been waiting for Abbadon to contact Locke aka Jeremy Bentham. And to discover he's with Widmore? Don't get me started (although I called it back when Abbadon visited Hurley in the hospital).

Another of my gifts from last night was the appearance of the plane on the Hydra island. I speculated that the runway that Kate and Sawyer helped the Others build in season 3 was for the plane that the Losties returned on. BINGO! Guess where they are?

I think we've been given the set-up for the remaining episodes. Widmore said that a war was coming, and Locke needed to protect the island. Ben and Widmore have been struggling for who controls the island for many years, and I'm excited to see what happens next. Because who really is the villain on this show? Ben and Widmore eagerly point their fingers at the other and claim they only want what's best for the island. You've got to wonder if they really know what that is when they're so concerned about their own power.

I've said it before. I'll say it again. I LOVE THIS SHOW!

Post your ideas here if you want to discuss. I love talking about the show almost as much as I do watching it.

And now for something completely different...

2009-02-22T10:22:00.003-05:00

I told a friend this week that I don't live an exciting life. There's no tons of money, clothes or (gasp!) sex going on in my life, so it would make for a really boring reality show (if I were lucky enough to have one on TV). I even said something like I should make stuff up when people ask me what's new because the answer ("uh... nothing") is getting pretty stale.

So in that vein, I'm going to create a new life for myself.

What's new with me? Well, it's hard to know where to start.

First, I got offered a three book contract with MegaPublisher based on a dream I had. I only have a sketchy outline, but my Editor thinks it holds real promise. We're talking Harry Potter kind of numbers. There's talk about a book tour, appearance on Oprah, and even a possible movie deal (which I'll write the screenplay for, naturally).

And speaking of movies, I found out that a glitch in the Oscar voting system made my unproduced screenplay "She's Got AWay" eligible for an Academy Award this year. Had to run out and buy a dress this week just for the awards show. I doubt I'll win, but it's an honor simply to be nominated.

And the buzz about my Oscar nominated screenplay has been making my phone ring off the hook. Apparently, Dominic Monaghan saw my name and looked up my Facebook page. He wants to set up a date after the awards, but I'm reluctant. I mean, he's gorgeous and all, but do I really want a Hollywood romance?

And since we're on the topic of romance, all my exes are now calling with pleas to give them one more chance. But I've learned my lessons in the past, so my answer is a big NO.

So that's new with me. What about you?

(PS - See, Mom? I'm writing again).

Woo-Hoo! I Did It!

2008-12-01T12:47:00.002-05:00

I finished my 50,000 word marathon Saturday morning with plenty of time to spare!

Lessons learned?

1. Saying I can't do something usually means I won't. But if I say I'll try, it can get accomplished.

2. Any huge task can be broken into 15 minute increments and seem doable. That's how I wrote my book (and kept my condo clean and the clothes washed). 15 minutes at a time.

3. I don't need to watch television. (Note that I didn't say WANT to watch. Just that I don't NEED to. DVRs are great for going back and watching my favorite shows without commercials).

So now the first and very rough draft is done. Editing and revising and rewriting is up next. My goal is to take a scene at a time. Focus on that scene and the 5 W's (who, what, when, where and why... and how). Look at goals, motivations and conflicts of each character.

Then in January, I'll look at the big picture things: do I accomplish telling my story? Is the theme clear? Did the plot fall flat at any point? My critique partners will also get the book at this point to mark it up in red. Their advice really helps me to see things I normally wouldn't.

In February, it's contest time. I'll be entering the first chapter (or is it the first 20/25 pages? I forget.) in American Christian Fiction Writer's Genesis contest. It's a great way to get even more advice and criticism so that I can write the best book possible.

So NaNo 2008 is over. I can rest one day, then it's back to work!

40,000 WORDS!!!

2008-11-25T20:17:00.003-05:00

AHHHHHHH! It's Tuesday night. There's only 5 days left. And I have 10,000 words left to reach my goal. With Thanksgiving on Thursday, that leaves 4 days. And I'm spending most of Friday with family too. So that leaves 3 days. And I work tomorrow and have a concert tomorrow night. So that leaves 2 days. And Sunday is church, lunch out and shopping. So that leaves one uninterrupted day to write 10,000 words.

But then again...

I did write 1000 words before work. So I could do that Wednesday. And I have a few hours Thursday and Friday morning to write another 2-3000 words. And I still have tonight after work for another 1000. Well that's half of my 10K right there.

Maybe I can do this thing.

I've promised to buy myself a pretty new top for Christmas if I reach my 50K goal.

Thanking God During the Storms of Life

2008-11-23T16:10:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving is coming quickly. I can't believe it's this Thursday which means we're nearing the end of the year. Where did it go?

This time of year, we spend a few moments to list what we're thankful for. A list of blessings, if you will.

My pastor spoke on giving thanks today. Even in the storms. Especially then. This thanksgiving is a time for my family of giving thanks during the storms.

So what am I thankful for this year?

I'm not thankful that my father died. But I am thankful that I had the time to spend his last days with him. I had hours with him that no one else was able to share with him. I had conversations with him that I will forever be grateful for. Even while I railed at the storms, I was thankful that the Lord was in control, no matter the outcome. I didn't have to worry about what happened because He not only knew but He was there beside me. Never leaving me. Never putting me off by saying, "I don't have time for you because there's a problem in the Middle East I'm working on." No, He not only controls it ALL but He can handle it all. I'm glad I don't have that job!

I am also thankful that my dad is no longer sick or in pain. He's living a very charmed life right now. I read a passage in Psalms today that talks of the wonderful place that Heaven is. In fact, the psalmist writes that he would rather scrub the floors of God's house than live in the finest place on earth.

I'm thankful that my family could come together in a way that we hadn't before. We supported each other through the difficult minutes, hours, days because we HAD to. We were a family through our grief and loss.

I'm thankful that I have a job. A roof over my head. And plenty of food to eat (too much sometimes). I'm thankful that I have family and friends. I'm thankful for even the coworker who drives me crazy. I'm thankful that I can spend time with loved ones this week and throughout the holidays. I'm thankful that even though I'm not married, I'm never alone. Even when I want to be. I'm thankful that I have the ability and the freedom to write what I want here. I'm thankful that I live in America. I'm thankful that I can profess my love for the Lord without fear.

I'm thankful...

I'm thankful...

I'm thankful...

And that's the best way to outlast a storm.

Writing update!

2008-11-19T12:52:00.002-05:00

I passed the 34000 word mark yesterday, so if things continue the way they are I will make my deadline of 50000 words by November 30th (if not earlier).

But I've run into a snag. I know what my hero and heroine want (besides each other), but I don't know WHY. What's their motivation? Why does she want security (in terms of her bank account) rather than love? Why does he want a wife and family so bad?

Plus, they keep wanting to kiss each other. And they can't! Well, at least not yet. I've got many reasons to keep them apart, but they're bound and determined to get together. They just have to wait a little longer though....

So how is everybody else doing?

Stay warm!

2008-11-12T07:54:00.001-05:00

Haven't had a picture posted in a while, so I decided to put this here. My sister Litt looks like she's ready to snuggle up in front of a fire and stay warm while we face snow flurries.

Yep, it's November but Michigan is expected to see some snow this coming weekend. All I can think is "already???"

Do you have a tradition for the first snow in your area? Mine is to watch "Charlie Brown Christmas" and drink hot chocolate. Mmm. Maybe I will pray for snow after all.

Now 46% More!

2008-11-11T10:46:00.003-05:00

Woo-Hoo!!! I passed the 23000 mark on my WIP (work in progress. Cute, huh?) That means if all goes according to plan, I'll pass the halfway mark by tomorrow night or Thursday morning. That's well in advance of Saturday's deadline.

There's something in writing a book called the sagging middle. I'm not talking about how your clothes feel as you write and subsist on chocolate and coffee. It's the point of the book where the plot seems to fall flat. You know where the story's going, but you're not sure how to get to that happy ending.

There are ways to avoid the sag. If you're writing a mystery, this is a great time to kill a character off. In romance, you might have them kiss or bring in a third person for a triangle. If it's a thriller, a murder plot or some kind of monkey wrench is thrown in so that the hero/heroine struggles through the last half of the book to get back on track.

So how am I avoiding the sagging middle in my WIP? By bringing someone from the hero's past to mess with his mind. Bwahaha! (rubbing hands evilly... wait, is that even a word?) He's going to have face his past mistakes so that he can move forward in his relationship with the heroine. Which isn't even a relationship yet.

Now aren't you dying to read my story?

Sorry. You'll just have to wait. I still have 54% of it left to write!

18622 Words!

2008-11-09T20:36:00.003-05:00

Well, it's day nine of NaNo, and I've passed the 18K mark. Which is a good thing considering that I'll be out of town this coming weekend. I need to get ahead of the daily counts in order to make up for the lost time.

Lost time. A concept that makes no sense. How can you lose time? Time exists whether you're aware of it or not, but we become arrogant enough to think that we can 1. control it and 2. hang on to it.

I've got an idea for a time travel novel that would look at the concept of time and destiny. If we could travel back in time and change history, does that mean that destiny doesn't exist because it can be altered? Is time flexible enough that travelling back and forth is possible? I have no clue but I do believe that things happen for a reason. We may not understand those reasons, but they have a purpose. That's the true theme of my idea: bad things that happen to us do so for a reason. And going back and changing those things alter the person we are to a point that we can't recognize ourselves.

See, this bad thing happens to a couple so the husband decides to go back in time and change it by making sure he and his wife never meet. As a consequence, he goes insane for awhile and she feels as if a part of her has died. Of course they meet up again in this alternate timeline, but because they're not the same people that they were before, they can't fall in love. Or can they?

Maybe I'll write it someday. Maybe not. For right now, it's just filed as "IDEA" in my memory file. It's also based on a dream I had.

Anyhoo, I'm churning out my other new story (tentatively titled "True Love") this month. My hero and heroine are attracted to each other, but a house full of women just arrived to keep them apart.

Isn't romance grand???

Look at that hair!

2008-11-08T14:02:00.000-05:00

I can't believe my niece is six months old, and I haven't posted any pictures of her yet! Well, there she is above only a few days old. Yep, she was born with all that crazy hair. It looked white blonde on top, red on the sides and dark in the back. Crazy. Maybe all that hair dye my sister has tried herself has finally caught up to her.

Now, of course, my sweet baby has reddish blonde curls that definitely have a mind of their own. I wonder if she'll be like that too: independent and willful. My sister may have a problem on her hands when she gets to be a teenager. Sorry, Litt! But it could be payback. I'm just saying...

She's a cutie patootie and a half! This Christmas will be her first, and if my nephew's birthday was any indication, she'll be ready to rip off the wrapping paper on her presents. She's brilliant (of course) and a genius to boot. Not that I'm prejudiced or anything.

So there's my joy for today: gushing over pictures of my niece.

Missing my dad

2008-11-07T13:49:00.004-05:00

I miss my dad today. I organized the mountains of paperwork he left behind, finished that then moved on to going through pictures for my new frames that I want to hang up before the holidays get here. I found a photo album my grandma gave me of my dad's pictures from when he was in school. This is one of them.

Did I mention that I tried calling him on the phone a couple of weeks ago? I wanted to let him know I got home safe and had the phone in my hand about to dial the numbers before it hit me (again) that he's gone.

His voice is the man on my answering machine. I have a suspicion that my sister calls sometimes when she knows I'm not home just to hear his voice.

I know I'll see him again in heaven, but I wish he was here right now. We'd go see a movie, have some lunch. Just hang out. Tell him about my plans with grandma to go up north to see his brother next weekend or about my progress on the new book (14K words!). Tell him I love him. More than anything else, I hope I'd tell him that.

Maybe it's because the sky is so cloudy and gray out, but I'm in a contemplative mood. I hope you hold your family and friends close today. Don't miss a moment to tell them how much you love them.

Passed the 11K mark and closing in on 12!

2008-11-04T16:59:00.003-05:00

I have more than 11400 words written in my new book. And I'm writing it all without pixie dust!

And I voted today! Did you?

I've passed the 1/5 mark!

2008-11-03T22:31:00.002-05:00

As of tonight, I've written 10203 words on my new book! It's amazing to think that I didn't have time to write before, yet I've done more in 3 days than I have all summer. I guess it just goes to show that if you can find the time, you can write the story.

I'm posting another picture of my dad here. I think he looks so cute with his little curls! My niece has hair just like that, now that I think of it.

Isn't he adorable?

I passed the 9K mark!

2008-11-03T13:38:00.001-05:00

Instead of spending the first half hour after I wake up on Facebook, I wrote in short segments of about 15 minutes each. Voila. I'm up to 9000+ words and 27 more days to do it!

Hopefully I can keep this pace up.

GO FORTH AND VOTE!

2008-11-03T08:46:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Election Day. And I'm not going to tell you who to vote for, only that you should go and have your voice be heard by voting.

I think everyone should make up their own minds based on what they believe. What I believe is what Joshua told the Israelites in his book of the Bible. He told his fellow citizens that they were being given a choice: they could choose life or they could choose death. Then Joshua stood and said, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

I am choosing life. I am choosing those who would also choose life and for those issues which honor life. I am making choices based on what I believe and on what the Lord stands for.

I am also choosing to have my voice be heard. If I don't vote, then I'm not saying anything or choosing what to stand up for. Instead, I want to be heard and encourage all of you to go out and vote whether I agree with your politics or not. That's one of the great things about our country that too many take for granted. Don't let your voice be silenced. Speak out. Speak up.

Go forth and vote!

It's that crazy November again

2008-11-02T21:00:00.005-05:00

So NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) began yesterday at 12:01 a.m. (Not that I was up at that time with my fingers on the keyboard. No, I waited until the afternoon about three or so to get started.) And the next 30 days mean carving out time to write 50,000 words by 11:59 p.m. on November 30th.

50K words in 30 days works out to about 1667 words a day. More if you miss the previous day 0r skip one all together. Sound easy? Only to those who have never tried it.

I'll be attempting again this year to reach that golden 50K number. In fact, on my second day I'm over 6K in. Good beginning, but this is a marathon not a sprint.

Can I find the discipline to write every day? To find the muse every night and type the stories in my imagination? I hope so. I've done it before.

But this year has changed me. I took a break from writing to care for my dad, then another to grieve him. Part of me thinks I'd stop writing altogether if I could. But I can't. Not because it's like breathing as it is for some people. And part of it is because I can't NOT write. I'm always thinking of stories for people I see or imagine the scenes happening in various hospital rooms or homes with their porch light shining. But this time, I'm writing because my dad believed in me. He wanted me to pursue this. I hope to write a story he could be proud of. No. I hope to write a story I can be proud of. One that I yearn to share beyond the small circle of critique partners that read my stories. Because my dad would be proud just in the fact that I was writing and pursuing a dream. That I believed there could be something more.

So my NaNo challenge this year is dedicated to my dad, Rick Hawkins, who never doubted I could do it.

Speaking of my dad, here's one of my favorite pictures of him:

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Guest Blogger Grandma Sakai!

2008-10-22T09:11:00.001-04:00

Five Dream Questions meme
By Grandma Sakai

1) Where would be your dream vacation?

In Paris. Touring the city, staying in a luxurious hotel, and surrounded by my 200 grandchildren. (An old woman can dream, can’t she?)

2) What would be your dream job?

I actually had it. My dream job was wife to my husband, Mitsuharu Sakai, as his help-mate and right hand woman. When he died, I was devastated, but I determined to take the reins of his bank and make him proud, make his children and grandchildren proud.

3) What’s your dream birthday?

In Paris. No, let’s be more creative. Italy. Touring the city, staying in a luxurious hotel. And did I mention I want 200 grandchildren?

4) What’s your dream Christmas present?

My 200th grandchild.

Barring that, a Tiffany diamond necklace would be nice. But it always seems like Venus’s mother, my daughter Laura, is the one coming to me for gifts of jewelry. Sigh.

5) What’s your dream home?

Someplace grand, elegant. Maybe a mansion along the California coast. With lots of room for my 200 grandchildren.

Grandma Sakai is the fictional bane of Camy Tang’s life. Camy writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away ten boxes of books and 30 copies of her latest release, SINGLE SASHIMI.

Thank you, Grandma Sakai! Now go out and buy Camy's book, SINGLE SASHIMI! What are you waiting for?

Special guest blogger tomorrow!

2008-10-21T15:07:00.002-04:00

I'm having a very special guest blogger tomorrow. She's cranky. She's old. And also completely fictional.

Intrigued? Well, stop in tomorrow morning and meet Grandma Sakai from the Sushi books by Camy Tang (who is nothing like Grandma in looks or personality. See above picture for proof).

I'm IT

2008-10-09T19:49:00.002-04:00

So Cheryl tagged me on her blog. I have to tell you five things that are strange/unusual or not well known about me.

1. I got a full scholarship to attend Central Michigan University that included a semester of study in Edinburgh, Scotland.

2. During my college years, I was part of Disney World's college program and worked there for six months.

3. I got saved at age six but had a 12 year rebellion period where I didn't attend church and questioned my faith starting when I was eighteen.

4. I'm allergic to cats (watery swollen eyes, stuffy nose) but think they're cute and wish I had one.

5. I get headaches when I don't have a cup of coffee in the morning.

Now I'm supposed to tag five other people but the only ones I know who have blogs already were tagged. So anyone can post their five things here.

Finding JOY in an ordinary day

2008-10-09T11:01:00.002-04:00

"Why is everyone hungry for more? I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees." Psalms 4, The Message

SO, I'm working my way through the Psalms and stopped on these verses today. That got me thinking: I've been searching for joy in the extraordinary, but God is showing that He can provide joy in the ordinary here. More joy in an ordinary day than you can find at the local department store.

Hmm... Is that what I've been doing? Looking for joy in new clothes or new things for my condo? Have I been spending money hoping that will bring me joy when the Lord provides it in the ordinary. Probably even in the things I already have sitting in my closets, cupboards and drawers.

I'm just sending this thought out there in case there's someone like me who longs to find joy. God says to find it in the ordinary.

Are you with me?

Joy in handwriting

2008-10-02T08:57:00.000-04:00

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I've felt the need to say it for about two weeks now:

I love some people's handwriting because it looks like they were smiling as they wrote.

Crazy, huh? Some people (my friend Mary, for example) have a knack for beautiful writing that looks cheery. Mary is a cheery kind of person as it is, so I guess it follows that her handwriting would reflect that. She loops her y's and p's. Her o's are round as if a smiling face. She doesn't dot her i's with hearts, but it's almost implied. I love to see her handwriting because it makes me smile.

Can you think of anyone who has cheery handwriting? Does their writing alone bring a smile to your face? Maybe it's because it's familiar or just maybe it's because the joy in their heart overflows on to the page. Kind of like that "my cup overrunneth" part in the 23rd Psalm.

Now it's a small thing, but today I'm finding joy in handwriting. And maybe I'll start experimenting by changing how I form letters to show that I'm finding joy in everyday life.

A Promise to my Miracle Baby

2008-10-01T12:50:00.002-04:00

I promised my Miracle Baby that she'd have her picture on my blog. Especially since I had her sister's up a few days ago. So here she is.

She finds joy in dancing and singing. My sister and I are predicting that she'll wind up in the Drama club at school. And she's already quite the actress! She just needs to learn to cry real tears when she's "crying".

She's one of the joys in my life. Oh, to have her spirit of wonder and determination!

Joy in a smile

2008-09-29T09:53:00.000-04:00

I love this picture of my niece. This past July, she visited Florida for the first time. Her excitement was barely containable as she lasted the two weeks before my sister and her family left. Every day she told me where she was going and what she'd see. Every day she counted down until the time they were to leave.

This is my picture of joy for today. My sassy girl found joy in traveling to a place she'd never seen and exploring what she'd only imagined. She was even able to go to Disney World for a day (our big trip is next year). And this is what she looked like after:

I want to live like that. So full of joy that I use it up and fall asleep exhausted but satisfied.

I miss my dad

2008-09-28T21:36:00.002-04:00

Tonight, I miss my dad so much. I've been feeling like I need to change the focus of my blog. I feel the need to change my life. I want to add more joy into my average day. To look at things that make me smile rather than dwell on those that bring tears.

So on that note, I'm going to mention one of the things that makes me smile: the TV show "The Office." I said before to my family that it was this show that helped me those first few months when grief clogged my throat and haunted my dreams. I think I watched my DVDs everyday until I could find my smile again. And it was a wonderful way to distract me from all the little details that put the period on a life.

If you haven't seen the show (and I hope you'll check it out Thursday nights at 9 on NBC), it's about the employees of an office led by one of the most inept bosses of all time. I'm sure there are many of you that could disagree that your boss is the worst, but Michael Scott epitomizes a bad leader. He's been described as a 10-year-old in a 40-year-old man's body. He does view life from a very immature place and that colors his actions. He's annoying, self-centered, prejudiced, and yet possesses an innocent soul who wishes life was played on his terms and doesn't understand when it doesn't (don't we all?). Steve Carell does a wonderful job portraying this manchild who has been thrust into a position of authority in a failing company. Then you have dual office romances with the uptight Angela and even more uptight Dwight and the very likable couple of Pam and Jim (PB&J). Then there's the situations we've all dealt with at work: discrimination in the workplace whether it's of gender, race or sexual orientation, threats of downsizing and loss of employment, sucky health insurance plans, workplace injuries, HR initiatives, conventions, team building, and free pretzel day. There's humor and there's pain with more emphasis on the first. This is the place we'd like to work at but fear that it may be too close to our reality.

This show has been one of the things that brings me joy.

So what brings you joy?

What are you afraid of?

2008-04-11T09:40:00.004-04:00

Today, I'm going to do something a little different.

Fear is a strange phenomenon. Hearing a noise in the middle of the night can cause your heart to pound, your palms to sweat and your breath to stop. And the things we fear can be even stranger.

For example, I'm afraid of spiders. Not the "ooh get the thing away from me" afraid, but the screaming and running in the other direction afraid. When I was younger and under stress, I would have nightmares about spiders attacking me. My dad would find me sleepwalking in my room trying to kill all the spiders. I even did this on a youth missions trip and freaked out my bunk mates because they thought I had really seen the spiders I was trying to kill.

But I guess spiders aren't my only fear. Needles (though not as bad as I once was), doctors and hospitals, even heights can make me pause what I'm doing and make me consider whether I'm being smart by going up that high. Not that these fears are all that strange or unique.

So what about the more unique phobias? My friend Cheryl is afraid of Popsicle sticks. I don't know why, but she has that fear. I have another friend Rod who is afraid of the word "crotchety". He doesn't like the way it sounds and he will physically leave the vicinity if anyone uses that word. My cousin Kelly is so afraid of injections that it takes a doctor and three nurses to hold her down.

So what does fear have to do with anything? 2 Timothy 1:7 says that "we have not been given a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of sound mind." We don't have to be afraid because that's not how we were made. We were made to be strong, disciplined and to love.

Does that make me like spiders? Uh, no. But I don't have to let my fear cripple me. We can all be strong and conquer the fears that have been holding us back if we ask God to help us. Is fear holding you back from sending in that proposal? Is the fear of being rejected again keeping you from that dream you've been straining so hard to reach? Don't let the fear keep you back. Because God did not give you this fear. Instead He wants you to be strong and to love Him enough to trust Him with the next step on your journey.

Unfortunately, this is not a lesson I've yet learned. In fact, this post is probably more for me than anyone else. There are many fears holding me back from so many dreams. So maybe it's time for me to embrace the spirit of power and love that God has given me and take that leap of faith. After all, it's my Heavenly Father who will catch me.

So what are you afraid of?

That loud Asian chick with her new book

2008-03-28T09:02:00.002-04:00

Today, my friend Camy Tang joins us for a little Q & A. She’s the loud Asian chick with two books out and a third on the way. I reviewed “Sushi for One?” here on October 4th and will post my review of her latest, “Only Uni” (definitely on my “You Have to Read This” list), later today.

What's your favorite quote?
Camy: My most-recent favorite is:Sometimes you're the windshieldSometimes you're the bug--"The Bug" by Mary Chapin CarpenterI've got more quotes here:http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/2007/10/some-favorite-quotes.html
Syndi: Hmmm… I’d have to say my current favorite quote comes from the TV show “The Office” (one of my new favorite shows). With all the craziness in my life these past few months, all I can say is “Congratulations, universe. You win.”

What's your favorite ice cream?
Camy: My favorite changes day by day. Most recently, it's Baseball Nutfrom Baskin Robbins.
Syndi: I have to agree that my favorite changes daily, but chocolate usually is part of the flavor. Today, my favorite is Chocolate Peanut Butter. YUM.

What's your favorite article of clothing in the winter?
Camy: Socks! Socks! Socks! Warm woolen ones with split toes so I canwear them with my indoor flip-flops!(http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/2008/02/geta-slipper-socks.html)
Syndi: Socks, huh? I think my favorites are sweaters. Wool, cotton, cashmere, whatever. I love to throw on a sweater (or two) and cuddle up in my reading chair with a good book and hot chocolate.

What's your favorite article of clothing in the summer?
Camy: Cotton boxers. I hate being hot and the thin cotton lets me staycool in the middle of 100-degree weather (and that's INSIDE the house,mind you!)
Syndi: I love pretty camisoles that I can wear underneath something at work. They make me feel feminine.

What's your favorite soft drink?
Camy: I have an unnatural addiction to Diet Coke. Regular Coke is toosweet for my taste, and I don't taste the aftertaste in Diet Coke thatpeople tell me is there. All I know is, I NEED ANOTHER ONE.
Syndi: Oh man. This is a hard one because I really don’t have a favorite. But in a pinch, Cherry Coke.

Thank you, Camy, for joining us today. And don’t forget to go out and get her latest book, “Only Uni” available in stores now.

Camy's bio:Camy Tang is the loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick lit. Sheused to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her churchyouth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runsthe Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives awayChristian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolousthings like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (noresemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anythingelse that comes to mind. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away five boxesof books and 25 copies of her latest release, ONLY UNI.

My Dad

2008-02-20T08:49:00.001-05:00

Richard Allyn Hawkins

1/22/1946 - 2/17/2008

My dad died this past Sunday after almost two years of fighting cancer. And fight he did until his last breath.

My dad’s heart was the last thing to stop. Even after the rest of his body had shut down, it kept beating strong and steady. But that’s the kind of guy my dad was. Strong. Sure. Steady. And possessed a good heart in more ways than one.

My dad was the kind of friend you’d call up because you needed an extra hand for moving day. He was the office worker who showed up with bagels and doughnuts just because it was a Monday. He was the kind of son who dropped everything to help out his mom. He was the kind of grandpa who babysat his grandkids by taking them to McDonalds so they could eat nuggets and run around in the play yard. He was the kind of dad who never told us we couldn’t achieve our dreams as long as we worked hard and kept believing.

One of my dad’s favorite songs is Josh Groban’s “You Raise Me Up.” It’s a song that describes my dad so well. My dad was above all else an encourager. Whether he was a girls’ softball coach, a boys’ basketball coach, a Sunday School teacher, a teammate, a co-worker, a friend, a son, a brother, a grandfather or a dad, he cheered us on even against tough obstacles. He didn’t believe in the word “can’t” but knew that more people were defeated by the word “won’t.” He believed there was no impossible dream, but realized it could take time and a lot of work to get there. Last year when he couldn’t play softball because of his illness, my dad would still show up for his team’s games to cheer them on. Though it hurt him that he couldn’t be out on the field, he realized it was important to be there to encourage his team. He worked hard to raise up his daughters when we were discouraged. Even when we didn’t believe in ourselves, he believed for us until we could do it ourselves.

The song also describes my dad’s relationship with the Lord. Despite the trials and difficulties in his life, my dad believed that God was in control and would get him through those times. He knew that trials came to make us stronger. My dad persevered because he knew he wasn’t alone. He had the power of the Almighty God on his side to raise him up to become a better, stronger man than he could on his own. I don’t think any of us doubted that my dad loved the Lord. We knew because we could see it in his life.

Though I’m glad my dad’s suffering is over, I’ll miss him. I’ll miss the phone calls. The movie and dinner dates. The shoulder to cry on. But I have hope. I will see him again one day. Until then, I know he’s quietly encouraging me to keep dreaming, keep believing, keep hoping.

That’s his legacy.

Living with my dad

2008-02-02T11:39:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know, I've moved in with my dad on perhaps a permanent basis. He's fighting lung and kidney cancer, and we found out about three weeks ago it had spread to his stomach. Less than a week later, he had surgery to remove his stomach. Did you know that you can survive without it? Me neither. But it's amazing the things that I'm learning about the human body lately. So now I've moved in with him to help care for him since there's so much that he can't do for himself.

In the Bible, James says to "count it all joy" when trials come (and they WILL come). So how am I counting it all joy right now? By enjoying each day that I have left with my dad. Yes, some days are harder than others but at least that's twenty-four more hours I've had to spend with my dad. When he's gone, I'll be able to say that I didn't waste a day that I had with him. He knows I love him, and I know he loves me. Because we TELL each other. It's nice to say it out loud.

And when he does go home to heaven, I'll know that I did all that I could.

Prayers are appreciated and encouraged. So if you feel the need to go to our Heavenly Father to pray for Rick Hawkins, I thank you.

PS - I'll hold the drawing for the free book on Valentines Day so get your name in NOW.

WIN A FREE BOOK!!!

2008-01-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

I’m proud to announce the publication of my good friend Cheryl Wyatt’s book, A Soldier’s Promise. She’s joined us today for an interview about writing, ministry, and (of course) her new book.

What's the best writing advice you ever received?

Once when I went to a conference, two wise people told me to "Go praying like breathing" and "Go with a heart to serve others."

I have carried that over into all aspects of my writing.

That’s good advice! How long does it take for you to write a book?

People might hate me for this, but on average, seven days. That's rough draft from opening hook to The End. But I use data from years and years (5-20) of research which is ongoing, so it's frontloaded. The character development and the layering that I do later takes a few weeks if I'm in a rush. All in all, I average five to seven category length books a year, and that's writing at leisure. About two months per book including rewrites and revisions. I have all these completed manuscripts that have been piling up for years. LOL!

Two months for a book? Wow! Where do you get your ideas? And what stories do you feel called to write?

I see story ideas in nearly everything I see and hear around me. I have to fend ideas off with a vengeance or they'll take over my mind. LOL! I don't really have fiction stories that I feel called to write yet. As far as non-fiction ideas, I have felt God nudging me to work on a couple of projects in the future. One has to do with persistence in prayer and contending intercessory prayer. The second idea is also impartation of gifts as far as passing the mantle to others. The third idea I feel Him nudging me to tell the stories of some close friends of mine who have lost children. I have been avoiding that project because I don't want to have to think about what going through what that would be like. I'm not sure I want to be the one qualified to write it. I did lose a nephew and know how that can devastate a family. So I'm not sure how that book will pan out or how I'm to help those women get their stories out. I do know He keeps putting me in the path, for whatever reason, of women who've lost their children. I pray my guts out for them and try not to succumb to fear that it will happen to me to. So it's a battle. I also know the title is supposed to be Tippy Toes and I get vague images of it having to do with how little feet are sometimes only on this earth for a short time. And how death of a loved one can help us keep an eternal mindset rather than temporal one. Tippy Toes is symbolic of how half of our feet can be touching the earth but the other half always lifting toward Heaven. The concept sounds strange as I am typing it but hopefully you get the gist. I do feel called to write stories that bring attention to the needs of orphans.

Regarding fiction, though I hate agenda-driven romance, I do feel called to orphans among other things. I often write about orphaned children in my books. Kind of like being their spokesperson through parables.

Tippy Toes. I like that. A lot of writers talk about branding themselves and their stories. Do you have a brand, and what is it?

Well, if I had to put it in a nutshell...

Inspirational Action Romance

Branding is tough for me because I almost think my brand will find me and not the other way around. LOL! I keep changing my brand tagline LOL! It used to be MORTAR, she wrote. (Military Ops Romance, True-faith Action Reads.) when I was writing romantic suspense. But my suspense is more the action-driven kind rather than the murder/mystery/mayhem kind. I'm not even certain I could give you the definition of a red herring. LOL!

But essentially, currently, I write Inspirational Romance with action heroes, adventurous heroines, and stories with strong emotional velocity.

Action-and Faith-driven romance. High-Caliber Romance, High-Octane Faith.

If someone can come up with a better brand to encompass all that, I'm game. LOL!

Some writers talk about viewing their writing as a ministry. Why do you see your words as ministry to others?
Firstly, because God asked me to write as worship, so (I pray!) it ministers to Him.
Secondly, because of reader letters, telling me how much the book touched them, encouraged them, made them know God would work out their own life struggles, or made them genuinely laugh when nothing else had for awhile. Until I got those letters, I wasn't sure how God was going to use the books. He certainly surprised me. I can remember when I'd bomb in a contest, or get a rejection. He'd whisper words to my spirit like a balm, "Just wait. Wait until your reader letters start rolling in. Just wait."

Now I know and there are just no words sufficient or qualified to describe the feeling that God reached through the pages of your book and applied your words to another human heart like a soothing balm, or like good medicine to cause a person to receive a much-needed laugh. Really humbling and makes me beyond grateful to Him for giving me the ability and the gift and the gumption to do my part. He definitely does His.

Anything else you think we should know?

I think I've covered it unless anyone has questions they'd like to ask.

Also, I'd like folks to pick up book two in my Wings of Refuge Series (A Soldier's Family-Manny's story) in March. I also encourage everyone to visit my Web site and sign up for my author newsletter. I will be giving away lots of fabulous prizes for my newsletter subscribers. They can input their email address in the yellow space provided on my Web site where it says: "Join Cheryl Wyatt's Author Mailing List."

Thanks for doing this!

Thanks for helping me get the word out about my books. I can't wait to return the favor!!!!!

If you’re intrigued by Cheryl’s book, leave me a comment here and you could win her book FREE!

Writing Tip #14: Writing is a craft, so write passionately and from the heart

2007-12-18T12:14:00.001-05:00

This tip comes from Rebecca Germany of Barbour Publishing and reminds me of a line that I heard in the movie "A Christmas Without Snow". In one scene, a woman is chastised for trying to be a diva and bring attention to herself during a choir rehearsal. In a huff, she storms from the room and calls them all amateurs. John Houseman, who plays the choir master, assures the choir that being an amateur is nothing to be ashamed of. A professional will perform because he is being paid for it, but an amateur performs for the sheer pleasure and love of doing it.

So if writing is a craft (and it is), are you writing for your enjoyment? Are you writing stories that capture your heart? Or are you writing for money? I have to admit that I've lost a lot of my passion for writing lately. I've been taking care of family, and that saps my time and energy. But I care for them because I love doing it. I like to be needed by them. Writing, unfortunately, has been something that I've felt obligated to do. I've been writing perfunctory sentences, paragraphs, pages, but they lack the passion because it's not coming from my heart. My heart is engaged elsewhere right now: my family. And this may be a season where I don't write.

So look at your stories. Do they engage your heart? Then you're on the right track. The story of your heart can draw attention because if you're hooked, then your reader will be too. They want to go on this journey with you, but if you divorce yourself from your emotions then they will feel detached. And if there's something a writer wants it's an engaged audience. So write from your heart. Write with passion and abandon.

At least in your first draft. The detachment of editting and revising can come later.

Free book giveaway coming in January!!!

2007-12-13T12:27:00.000-05:00

Like books? Like to win? Then I have a chance for you to win my friend Cheryl Wyatt's new book coming out January 1st. I'll be interviewing her on January 21st, so stay tuned for your chance to win her book, "Soldier's Promise". For a little taste, here's the back cover copy:

"My name's Bradley. I'm eight and have cancer. I want to meet a Special Forces soldier more than anything. Well, almost anything. Having a family would be nice."
U.S. Air Force pararescue jumper Joel Montgomery promised to make a sick child's wish come true. Well, not the family part—not with Joel's past. And so despite vowing never to set foot back in Refuge, Illinois, Joel parachuted onto the boy's school lawn to a huge smile. But another smile unexpectedly stole Joel's heart: that of Bradley's beautiful teacher, Amber Stanton, who was trying to adopt the boy. And trying to show Joel it was time for new vows.

So stay tuned. You won't want to miss this book!

Book Review: Home to Holly Springs

2007-12-13T12:12:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that I'm a Jan Karon fan. And when she announced that she wasn't writing any more Mitford books, I. . . okay, I didn't CRY but pretty close. I was teary as I read the last pages of her last book. I kept thinking, how could she just stop writing? Why?

And then I heard that she was starting a new series about Father Tim, the main character from the Mitford books. HURRAH!

Well, the first book came out last month. "Home to Holly Springs" marks the return of Father Tim. In this novel, he returns to his hometown of Holly Springs, Mississippi because of a letter with two words: COME HOME. And so he does. Along with his faithful dog, he does just that. He returns to the ghosts of his past. The book is mixed with scenes from Father Tim's childhood and his present. He chases down old friends, old photographs and even spends a few nights in his old home. But the book is less about the past and more about what happens to make us move forward to the future. Father Tim could easily blame his past for his current circumstances, to hold grudges and justify his behavior as many are wont to do in our celebrity culture. But instead, he realizes that it is grace that has brought him thus far and will continue to see him through the rest of his life. He can either wallow in the past or he can forgive and move on.

I love stories about family, and this book is no exception. Though the definition of family changes throughout the course of the novel, this is a book about loving and forgiving those you are most vulnerable to: your family. An excellent addition to an already wonderful line of work from Jan Karon.

Writing Tip #13: The Publishing Industry has a Long Memory

2007-12-11T12:18:00.001-05:00

Here's another tidbit gleaned from the editor panel at the conference this past Saturday.

Deadlines are important in the publishing business. They determine things like publication dates, marketing campaigns, and how you're perceived as a professional. Once you sell your manuscript, you'll be given several deadlines: the first edit, line edits and the final copy. When you meet those deadlines not only affects the book you're on, but it also impacts your future relationship with that publisher. If you are constantly late with getting your book in, an editor is more likely to pass on your next manuscript. Also, if you're difficult and demand that it's your way or no way, an editor may let that influence whether they buy your next book.

So if you're just starting out in the publishing business, meet those deadlines. Be a professional. And make sure that the relationship you have with your editor is a positive one. Because you're not only influencing your current book and publisher, you're also making a name for yourself. Wouldn't you rather have that name be one that brings a smile rather than a grimace?

Happy Saturday!

2007-12-08T08:48:00.001-05:00

Yikes, it's been so long since I posted anything (besides the reason that I've been missing for a while). And I think I need to start off the next few blogs with a blessing.

May all of my readers be blessed this Christmas season and embrace the wonder of it all. To think that the Lord God Almighty gave up everything to become a baby is amazing. He was God yet He gave up His majesty to put on human skin. He journeyed from being all powerful to completely dependent. It never stops to fill me with awe.

This Christmas, I hope that each of you will ponder the humanity of Christ.

MIA

2007-12-05T10:41:00.001-05:00

Okay, I haven't posted in a while due to internet problems from home. Hopefully that will be fixed by this weekend and I'll be posting here regularly. So be patient and be ready for some exciting things coming in the next few weeks including chances to win free books!!!

Writing Tip #12: Know your brand

2007-10-23T09:35:00.000-04:00

I’ve been having internet problems, so I hope that this goes through…

Unless you're in a writing group that has been discussing this (and discussing and arguing and...), you're probably thinking "Brand? Of what? Toothpaste?"

Brand in writing circles refers to the way that you are perceived by your readers and what they expect from your books. For one author, her brand might be a romantic suspense with a happy ending and a pet. For another, it could mean a bite your nails suspense with unexpected twists and turns. For someone else, it could mean a mystery with a wisecracking heroine who destroys her cars. Basically, brand means how your writing is different from everyone else's.

When you know your brand, a publisher can use it for marketing your work. If they know that you write sweet prairie romance, they know who your audience is and how to appeal to them. If your brand is chick lit romance with a feisty heroine and her crazy relatives, they have a different audience for that and can focus their marketing efforts on reaching them. With a brand, you have a built-in audience and marketing plan which publishers love to hear.

Knowing your brand also means you have a focus in your writing. If you know that your readers want a cozy mystery with an eccentric old lady sleuth, then you know what to write. You may have great ideas for suspense, romance and fantasy novels, but your publisher would find it difficult to market all of those under your name. You can keep a folder with those ideas, of course, but focus your efforts on your brand. The readers want to pick up a book by Janey Smith and know that if they liked her other books, they’ll like this one too. Think about your own favorite authors. Do they have a brand? Do you choose their books based on that?

But branding can be touchy. Some feel that it means a writer is pigeonholed into a certain kind of writing for the rest of their life. That you’re basically being given a cookie cutter of what your novel should like. There are some writers that bristle under such confinements while others need that focus to make their books better.

When an editor of a big publishing house tells aspiring writers to know their brand and write to it, however, you know that this is an important step in your writing career.

So how do you find your brand? It’s like trying to find your “voice” in writing. . . Practice, practice, practice. Examine your stories. Do they follow a certain pattern? Does the importance of family consistently show up in your stories? Do you always have a dog for a pet for the heroine? Or maybe it’s a certain flavor in your writing. Do your books take place in the bayous of Louisiana? Or on the plains of Texas? Maybe you have a certain recurring character or you typically stay within a certain genre.

If you’re trying to break into publishing, know your brand. Know what it is that makes you unique to every other author out there and what you have to offer the readers that they haven’t read before.

Writing Tip #11: Don't just think outside of the box. Blow it up!

2007-10-16T09:14:00.000-04:00

What are the stories that stay with you after you've closed it? Are they the predictable ones that end like you think they would in the way you thought they would? Or do they have an ending that surprises you? Even if it's a romance and you know that the guy will end up with the girl, is there a way that they come together that you didn't expect? And who makes all these rules of how a plot is and is not supposed to go?

One of the editors at the conference says that it's no longer okay to think outside of the box. There are thousands of writers doing that very thing. To get noticed and stand out (thus making sales), you need to blow the box up. What does that mean? Basically, write the story as it needs to be told not because you have to follow the rules and do A then B then C. Sometimes your story requires to start with B then touch on A before leaping to C. And sometimes it means you skip A through C and focus on X Y and Z.

Being unique in a three act structure sounds impossible. After all, every story has a beginning, middle and end. There's no getting away from that. Every romance follows a boy meets girl, loses girl and finds girl again structure. Every mystery has a crime being investigated and eventually solved. Even the Bible says there's nothing new under the sun. But (and this is a big but) you don't want your book to be like every other book out there. That's the first tip off that the editor will put your proposal back on to the slush pile. Instead, you need to bring something different to your story. Is it quirky characters? Unique setting? A twist ending? What makes you different?

Then take that difference and blow it up. Don't make it over the top, but make it uniquely yours. Make this YOUR story that only YOU can tell. Be daring. Be different. Search for what makes this story a burning desire in you to share. Then don't lose sight of that.

Attitude of Gratitude 16-20

2007-10-14T20:17:00.000-04:00

16. NyQuil: Let me tell you how thankful I am for this medication! On nights when my allergies or cold is keeping me up (which has been often this past ten days), there is nothing that will put me to sleep except this. Doesn't matter if I'm hacking out a lung or my nose drips or my fever is high, taking a dose of this knocks me out for a full night's sleep and I usually wake up feeling better than I did the night before.

17. Quiet afternoons: Today I spent the afternoon at my mom's house just sitting on the couch and talking, glass of iced tea in my hand. Neither of us had anywhere that we had to be. There was no pressure to do anything, so we didn't. I don't get many of these, so today was nice.

18. Inspiration: I love getting an idea for a story out of something that seems so small, but as I mull it over in my mind becomes so much bigger. Last week I had this idea as I was taking a shower. For the past few days, I've been turning that idea over and over until characters and plots start to form. Nothing may come of it or a book may be born. It's amazing to think of things that can create a chain reaction to form ideas.

19. Soft bed and pillows: Last night, I was lying in bed thinking, "Man, this is sooooo comfortable." It's no wonder that I hate getting up in the morning. I'd rather stay in the warmth and comfort of my bed. There are homeless people that go to sleep each night without that. I hope I never forget how nice it is to have a comfortable bed to sleep in.

20. Cream-filled doughnuts: I've been craving one of these the last four days since I started reading a book that takes place in a French bakery. Whether it's chocolate, vanilla or custard, I think these are my favorite doughnuts. I've even been tempted to drive the half mile to Tim Horton's to get one and sink my teeth into it's doughy, creamy goodness. Ahhhhhh. . .

In Between Review

2007-10-11T10:38:00.000-04:00

I've been reading a lot of books outside of my usual genres lately. Over the summer, it was historical fiction which I loved as a kid (remember the "Little House" books? Yep, devoured those babies!). And this week's book review is on a YA (young adult) novel by Jenny B. Jones. I picked it up at my writing conference because I had heard good things about it and the writer. She just signed a multiple book deal which is rare in today's publishing world unless you're a big name. So I knew there must be something there.

"In Between" is about a foster kid named Katie Parker who is sent to live with a new foster family in In Between, Texas. Her dad's been gone a long time, and her mom is in prison for selling drugs amongst other charges. She's not sure what a real family is because she hasn't experienced it. But she's shipped off to live with the Scotts who she later discovers has a huge dog named Rocky and the father is a pastor. She's ready to head for the hills or do anything to make them send her back. Slowly she settles into life there but gets mixed up with the wrong crowd that may accept her as she is, but hardly has her best interests at heart. Katie wants nothing to do with "churchies" and resists at all costs. Eventually, she has to find her place in this family, her school and the town.

This synopsis doesn't really do any justice to the book, but it is as real to what being a teenager today is like without having to actually go back in time and live through it again. Katie is a normal teen girl with real insecurities and struggles. She's just got more to deal with than the average teen. I enjoyed this book because it didn't gloss over the clique world of high school or the fears of feeling unwanted. Katie keeps her sense of humor throughout the book despite being handed a life that few would sign up for. She keeps going and that's what makes her so endearing. You want her to make it despite all the obstacles. The pastor's family is not the Disney version of what a family is. They have their own problems and doubts and worries. But they are real, and the reader can identify with them without putting them on a pedastal like we see in many books and movies. This is a real family with real struggles.

If you have a teen reader but don't want to see her being corrupted by all the Gossip Girls or Clique novels, this is a clean read with a message: find yourself by being yourself. And don't let doubt or fear or circumstances keep you from staying true to who you are or who God made you to be.

Writing Tip #10: Wow with a great opening

2007-10-09T09:20:00.000-04:00

Think about the way you decide if you want to read a certain book. Is it the author? The back copy that gives a brief synopsis? Do you pick up the book because you like the cover? Now think about what it is that makes you buy that book (an all important aspect of the publishing business). Go to a bookstore and you'll see people open the book to the first page and read the first sentence, paragraph or two. How many people do you see put the book back on the shelf and how many will take it to the cash register?

The key to getting your book sold whether it's to the agent, editor or the reader, is to have a great opening. Unfortunately, this is easier to say than to actually do. And often, this is the best place to get your crit partners involved. You may be too close to the book to have some perspective on your opening sentence. Listen to what your friends are saying. Is it weak? Does it lack punch? Does your story really start in chapter two? Or are they bowled over by that first sentence? Do they salivate after you've sent the first chapter because they have to find out more?

When you're in the first draft stage, don't worry too much about the first page. If you spend all your time on perfecting it, you'll never get the manuscript completed. Instead, write the story then go back and make that first sentence, paragraph, page shine. You may discover after the book is written that you start in the wrong place or with the wrong character or a million other things. Or you may discover that the end really sings and grabs a hold of the reader and you need to match the beginning to the end. Sometimes things come full circle in a story and you'll need to add elements to the beginning that mirror the ending. That's the beauty of revision. Once you've typed something in, it's not etched in stone. There's a wonderful key on your computer called "delete" that has a purpose.

To get a wow beginning, brainstorm ten different ways that your story could begin. Find one that really strikes you and makes you eager to write. Throw that out then come up with ten more ideas. Often, that first one is good, but there's something better inside you.

Remember that first impressions are important, and that the first page has to be the best you can make it. Otherwise, your book will end up back on the shelf while another book is sold at the register. Don't give your reader a choice. Make them HAVE to buy the book because they can't be left hanging after the first sentence, paragraph, page.

Sushi for One? Review

2007-10-04T08:55:00.000-04:00

I am so, so excited about this book because this is the first published novel of someone I know! I met Camy Tang on the Steeple Hill message boards about three years ago, then in person at the Nashville ACFW conference in 2005. She is an amazing, sweet (and sassy) woman who I have had the pleasure of knowing.

Before I get to the book, I want to let you know about her blogs. She's been writing "Camy's Loft" at blogspot for awhile now. She loves Christian fiction, and as such gives away at least two books a week to promote it to other readers (free stuff, COOL!!!). Before she got known as a published author, she's been building a fan base on this blog and also her "Story Sensei" blog that is aimed at writers. A built-in audience for her new book series. Check them out and you could win something.

Okay, to the book "Sushi for One". This is the first of a three (maybe four) book Sushi series. The Oldest Single Female Cousin is about to be married, leaving four women (Lex, Trish, Venus and Jennifer) with the title. First in line is Lex, a volleyball powerhouse who watches ESPN like some women watch Oprah. Grandma threatens to take away her funding of Trish's volleyball team if she doesn't have a date by her cousin Mariko's wedding. Suddenly, she's going out on blind dates and getting set up with every one of her brother's friends (and even strangers he's just met). Her job sucks, so she pours her life into coaching a volleyball team for at-risk teenage girls as well as an intramural volleyball league. But this is threatened when she's injured and may not be able to play volleyball ever again. Enter the cute physical therapist who spurned her cousin Trish's advances. Together, Lex and Aiden try to put her body back together again, but he might be fixing her heart in the process.

This is chick-lit at it's best. We have all the elements of a romance but there's a sassiness that pervades the entire book. It's less about Lex finding a date for Mariko's wedding and more about her finding herself and what she really wants. . . and needs. Aiden is a stand-up guy who also has to come to a point and realize that he needs more than what he has and the One who is offering everything to him. This book is about journeys that we must all go on, sometimes alone but usually with the help of family and friends. Asian flavor is sprinkled throughout the book (the family is Japanese American after all), and Camy even provides a glossary at the end of the book for some common phrases, foods and traditions. I got so hungry for Chinese food while reading this book!

I read this book in two days while I was at a writing conference despite how busy I was running between seminars because I was HOOKED. Go out and buy it now because you will be too.

Writing Tip #9: Have your characters tell the story

2007-10-02T10:11:00.000-04:00

This is another tip I picked up from the editors' panel at my writing conference.

Author intrusion is when the reader picks up that the story is coming from the author's point of view rather than the character's. For example, if you're writing a romance and all of a sudden the heroine starts expounding on the dangers of smoking, that's not coming from the character. The author is intruding on the story to preach rather than the character living out a life that shows the dangers of smoking.

We've all heard the "show don't tell" adage when it comes to writing. This especially is true in this case. Your characters, if you've gotten to know them and developped them well, have a story they want to act out. Trust them enough to show your message rather than you interrupting the plot to preach.

This is definitely a sign of an amateur writer, though published authors can also fall into this trap. If you have a message that you want to share in your story, there's nothing wrong with that. But put those words in your character's mouth, in your hero's life during the story. Trust the character to get the message across but also trust the reader enough to pick up on your theme.

All stories have something to tell, but leave the sermons to the preachers.

Attitude of Gratitude 11-15

2007-09-29T13:09:00.001-04:00

Time to continue the list:

11. Opportunities: A friend of mine was talking about a movie that she'd seen recently, "Evan Almighty". In it, God tells a woman that He doesn't just hand out blessings, but He bestows opportunities. When you pray for a job, He doesn't hand you the job. But He opens a door to find a job. Or if you pray for a better family life, He gives you the opportunity to spend more time together. I love this idea because it means we're partners with God in our lives. Of course we want to live out His will, but He doesn't dictate the particulars. He gives us opportunities and expects us to do the rest. I've had a lot of opportunities in my life, some taken and some wasted. But I'm grateful for each and every one of them.

12. Imagination: I love how the mind works. How it seeks out alternatives and imagines what those must be like. I like to drive down neighborhood streets and imagine the lives of the people living in them. I like watching a movie or reading a book and think, "What an imagination this person has to come up with this!" I love that the God of the universe bestows each of us a chance to think "what if" much like He must have when creating the world. Because it took a lot of imagination to create a portion of the things we see. But it took so much more to work out the tiniest details like blood vessels and nerve endings and the petals of a rose.

13. Birthdays: My oldest nephew turned 7 this week. I asked him if he felt different now that he was a year older, and he answered that he did, but he didn't know why. Just like sunrises and sunsets represent chances to start over, so do birthdays (and New Year's Days and Sunday mornings and so on and so forth). Birthdays are a chance to reflect on the previous year and imagine where you'll be in the following year. They're a time to celebrate yourself because you have grown and changed and can never be the same person you were 365 days before. Plus, you get the cool presents.

14. Rainy Days: I know there are a lot of people who prefer warm, sunny days. I'm not discounting those, but there's something about a rainy day that I enjoy. I love the cooler air and the tap of raindrops on my window. I like to be able to cozy up under a quilt with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. I want to splash in puddles and lift my face to the sky so that the rain washes over me, but unfortunately I'm a "grown up" now and am not supposed to do those things. But I want to.

15. Fried chicken: Every year on our birthdays, my mom would cook us our favorite meal. For years, mine was fried chicken with mashed potatoes and corn. I like biting into a crisp piece of fried chicken, the juices dripping off my chin. I like to peel back the skin and have steam lift off the meat. I'll eat it hot or cold, breakfast lunch or dinner. Even a snack. At church potlucks, this is the dish I gravitate toward. This is definitely on the list of my favorite foods.

TV Show Reviews: Psych and Friday Night Lights

2007-09-27T18:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I usually do book reviews on Thursdays. However, I've really been enjoying this show "Psych" that airs on the USA network and "Friday Night Lights" on NBC.

I checked out the first season of this show on DVD, and if you're looking for something original, this is IT. Basically, it's a detective show but it's so much more than that. The detective in this case is Shawn Spencer (played by James Roday) who was taught keen observation by his cop father (played by Corbin Bernsen). However, the police department have a hard time taking his word based on these observations, so he adopts the persona of a psychic in order to be believed. Dule Hill (of "West Wing" fame) plays his best friend Burton "Gus" Guster, and the two of them have GREAT chemistry. Think Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd from "Moonlighting", and you'd be close. These two play off of each other so well, spurring each other on to solve the case. They get so excited when they do solve the case, they jump and cheer and hit fists. This is a fun show meant for entertainment.

On the other side of the coin, I've been watching "Friday Night Lights" also on DVD. (gotta love the person who put them out there without commercials). This is definitely a more serious show that deals with issues of identity, community, winners (and losers), race and socioeconomics. Again, the chemistry between the two leads (Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton) is amazing. They play a football coach and his guidance counselor wife who often find themselves on opposite sides of an issue. But this show is more than just them. There's a talented ensemble who play football players, cheerleaders, the coach's daughter and the talented QB who got paralyzed on the first show and now has to deal with an uncertain future. There's also a spiritual thread that weaves in and out. These are people who pray before games and when a player gets hurt. They go to church. And guess what? They're not perfect. Not a one of them. These are real people trying to live lives that have purpose and meaning but fail just like us. There's a warmth and compassion to this show that is very rarely seen.

Check out both of these shows. "Psych" just finished it's second season (can't wait for the DVD to come out!), and "Friday Night Lights" starts up it's second season tomorrow night on NBC. These are two shows that can tickle your funny bone and give you the tinglies.

Humor and warmth. Now that's something I can write about.

Writing Tip #8: Find your hook

2007-09-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm back from conference!!! I had a GREAT time, so stay tuned for some updates but I won't do an info dump (one of the many things I learned this past week- give out info chunks at a time rather than all at once).

On Thursday night, there was a panel of editors from different publishing houses. They were asked what was the one piece of advice writers should know. I wrote them down so I could share them with all of you. Interestingly enough, I've covered three of them on here already (tips #1, 4 and 5. . .read, write and finish the book). So for the next few weeks I'll share another tip I learned straight from the horses' mouths.

This week's tip is to find a hook. Think of readers like fish. They need to see a worm dangling in front of them, and not just any worm but one that makes them salivate. Look at your story. What's the worm on the hook? And is it tempting enough to make them not only read the first page, but the first chapter, second and so forth.

Also each chapter should begin and end with a hook. You want your readers to not stop at the end of the chapter, but be compelled to read "just one more" until they've finished your book. You end with a hook, they'll stay up all night til they "get 'er done".

So look at your story. How does it start? How does the first paragraph sound? What do you have that no other writer has? Quirky characters? Compelling plot? Snappy dialogue? A heartwarming tale of family love? You should ideally have a hook that appeals to your core audience: those readers who will buy all your books because they know what they can expect from you (this is another tip I'll expand on in later weeks).

This has definitely got me thinking about my own stories. What hooks do I use? Are those worms attractive enough or do I need to find some new ones?

Writing Tip #7: Attend a Conference

2007-09-18T07:41:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, I'm leaving on a jet plane for Dallas where ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) will hold its annual conference. I can't wait for several reasons: seeing friends that I only email the rest of the year, the atmsophere of prayer and worship, meeting with an editor and an agent to pitch my books, and learning more about how to write.

There's something to be said about attending writing conferences. They plunge you into the world of writing which is often a solitary pursuit. Just you and your computer (or pad of paper or typewriter or whatever you use to put your thoughts down). But a writing conference forces you to network with others who you will pleased to discover are very much like you. They too have these characters that talk to them. They know what it's like to be plotting someone's death and researching things like poisons, weapons and police procedures. They understand you even when your family and friends still scratch their heads at some of the crazy things you do.

The cost of a conference can be high, but you will gain so much in other ways. Networking, making professional contacts, even meeting with an agent who requests that you send your book proposal. Plus there's all the classes and chances to go deeper into the craft of writing. If you're pursuing a book contract, this is all part of your job in writing a book. You can even claim the cost on your income taxes.

If you've been considering attending one, just do it! There's regional conferences as well as the huge national meetings that draw a couple thousand writers. Check out the internet or your critique partners or writing organization. Also look up conferences in publishing books. These can be a great resource of information.

I'll be heading out tomorrow and won't return until Sunday. So this will be it from me until then. Have a great time while I'm gone and keep up that writing!

No One's Perfect

2007-09-16T18:11:00.001-04:00

“For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do --- this I keep on doing.” Romans 7:19, NIV

You ever intend on doing something good, but end up doing the very thing you promised that you would never do? Paul in Romans raises his hand high in the air and says, “I do!”

It seems like we’re all full of good intentions. We all want to love each other better, forgive one another, be a better spouse or parent, live a life that is worth something more. But too often, we fail at it. We keep falling into the old, hurtful habits that we long to be free from.

Paul struggled with his own frailty. He railed against the strictures of the law he loved because no one could be found innocent. Not one person could live up to the expectations of what God expected. Paul wrote that all have sinned (Romans 3:23) since we can’t live by a perfect law that expects perfection.

Well, actually there was One who was perfect. And not only did Jesus live a perfect life, He took on the punishment for anyone who ever messed up or would ever mess up their lives. God knew we couldn’t be perfect so He sent Someone who was to pay the price.

Lord, Thank You for sending Jesus to pay the price on my head and on all of us. Thank You for buying us at such a great price because You love us so much. Help us to do what You want us to do and to ask for forgiveness for the things that hurt Your heart. Amen.

Attitude of Gratitude 6-10

2007-09-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

I'm continuing my quest to develop more contentment in my life. Here's the next five things that I'm grateful for:

6. Finishing a first draft! Okay, I know that I celebrated this yesterday, but I'll be basking in the afterglow of completion for a few days. There's nothing like working hard on something and getting to the end of it. Granted, I'll be going back to it in about a month to begin the arduous task of editing and revising. But for now, I'm grinning and doing my Snoopy dance!

7. My crit group. I have to give a shout out to my best writing buds Michelle, Danica, Pam and Cheryl. They are part of the reason that I keep writing. They encourage me, pray for me and kick my butt when I need it. They read my words and help me make them better. They are my sisters, my cheerleaders and the ones to pass me the tissues when things don't go the way I think they should. They are amazing women who I hope to grow up to be like.

8. Going to my writing conference. I am blessed to be a part of an organization that meets annually to network, teach, worship and connect. This year, we're in Dallas again, and I can't wait! I'll get to see people that I've only corresponded with online. I'm rooming with one of my fab crit partners. I'll be meeting with authors, editors and agents. I've learned something new every year, and with all the changes in my life this year, I'm not sure what to expect. I'm packing an open mind, teachable heart and a willing spirit for whatever the Lord has planned.

9. Sunrises and sunsets. Though I much prefer seeing sunsets (why do sunrises have to come so early in the morning???), there's very few things more beautiful than the sun beginning or ending each day. And with each one, there's a promise of renewal and reflection. We all get a chance to start fresh each morning. And hopefully, we end the day knowing we tried our best.

10. The laughter of children. This one is prompted by an email I received last night. I had to describe my favorite sound. For me, there is nothing like the sound of a baby giggling. You have to smile when you hear it. Kids are so unguarded with their emotions that they let their laughter wash over them and, by extension, us. Kids don't learn to censor their feelings until they near the teenage years. I love to hear my nephews and nieces laugh. I call them my little lights of joy because they can get me out of a bad mood faster than chocolate, which is saying a LOT.

Woo-Hoo!!!

2007-09-14T22:47:00.000-04:00

The first draft of my WIP (work-in-progress) "Unwanted" is done! Celebrate with me!!!

Courting Trouble Review

2007-09-12T23:54:00.000-04:00

Courting Trouble
By Deanne Gist
Genre: Christian/Historical/Western/Humor/Romance (sort of)

This book blew me away. I thought it was going to be another Christian Historical Romance with some humor added in for flavor. And that is the way it started. This is a story about Essie Spreckelmeyer, a "spinster" at thirty who decides that the Lord is taking too long to send her a husband and family, so she decides to make it happen herself. She writes a list of the eligible bachelors in town, adds their individual strengths and weaknesses, closes her eyes and chooses the name of her future husband. Sounds like the typical prairie romance, right? Well, keep reading it because this is anything but.

The romance in this story is unlike anything I've read before mostly because this isn't a love story between a man and a woman. Instead, we get to follow the foibles of Essie as she attempts to create her own romance. However, she doesn't always succeed. Just when you think she's reached her goal, Ms. Gist throws a barrier in the way that makes everything seem impossible and hopeless. How can Essie be happy with the way things are working against her? How can she possibly get her Happy Ending?

I'll tell you why I loved this book and plan to not only buy it next week when I'm at my writing conference, but also get it signed by the author: because I identify so strongly with Essie. She's fun, independent, free-spirited and headstrong. She knows what she wants but often fails in knowing how to get it. She eventually learns she's unwilling to compromise certain things about herself in order to obtain her goal of marriage, but it's a hard-learned lesson. I cheer for Essie to succeed in the end because I know what she's thinking and feeling. I understand it. And I want that Happy Ending not only for her, but for me too.

This wonderfully written book has surprises in it that I don't want to get into in case you decide to pick it up and read it (which I definitely urge you to do!). But rest assured, this book is a keeper that will you keep guessing to the very last page.

So what are you waiting for? Go read it now!!!

Writing Tip #6: Know who you're writing about

2007-09-12T07:48:00.000-04:00

We've all seen characters on television and in movies and read them in books where they fall flat. They just don't ring true. We've also seen truly memorable characters that jump off the page and screen. They were developed so well that you could walk into a nearby grocery store and perhaps expect to see them because they were so real.

I'm currently reading a book called "Getting into Character" by Brandilyn Collins about using techniques employed by actors to understand your characters better. You might call it "method writing" since the advice is based on method acting.

Essentially, the book says you have to know your characters inside and out. It's okay to know your hero's hair color, eye color and goal, but do you know what makes him tick? Can you pinpoint the emotional drive that makes him do what he does even if he doesn't realize it? Is your character real or merely cardboard?

I taught an adult education class on screenwriting about five years ago. One of the week's lessons was to be able to describe their character going out to dinner with the student. What restaurant would they choose and what would they order? What would they wear and talk about and not talk about? I wanted my students to know their main character so well that they would not only know all the answers, but also come up with the questions to ask their heroine and get to the nitty gritty of what makes that character do and say what she does.

I know some authors that "interview" their characters to get to know them. Some write the first three chapters of the book then go back to see what the hero is really about. Truth is, you won't know who your character is unless you spend time with them. Maybe taking them out to dinner much like the example from above. Or putting them in an imaginary hot seat while you get down to the essence of who they are. Or doing your own technique. Whatever you do, don't rely on stereotypes or you'll end up with flat characters that your reader doesn't care about. The people who read your stories want to like your characters (or hate them, depending on their role in the plot).

The point is this: Just like Shakespeare told us to "know thyself", so should a writer know the people who play out their stories. Otherwise, it won't matter how many cars you crash or hearts you break. Plots that rely on that are soon forgotten. But give them a character who makes them swoon or cry, and they'll never forget.

In Memoriam

2007-09-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

*In honor of today's date, I will be posting my writing tip tomorrow instead.

People talk about where they were when they heard JFK had been shot in Dallas. Since I wasn't around then, the only thing I have to compare this too is the events of September 11th.

I had "Good Morning America" playing on the television and was on the phone with my sister talking to her about her baby boy who was about to turn one in a few weeks. I think we were discussing plans for his birthday party. We stayed on the phone, both of us glued to our television sets even as we watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center.

I'm really unqualified to write anymore about the heroes and victims of September 11th. So I'll leave you with a quote and a request.

Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

My request is this: Don't forget the sacrifices made by those who stood up and did something so that evil could not win. And given your opportunity, do something. You may save countless lives by doing what is right rather than what is easy.

Don't want to settle for the VW?

2007-09-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:11, The Message)

The future I hoped for when I was about ten is not the one I'm currently living. I figured that by the time I was thirty, I'd have everything all figured out. I'd be married with kids, have a job I loved, and know all the answers to everything. Well, I'm past thirty and I'm still waiting for that future to arrive.

The reason that this verse speaks to me is that it doesn't guarantee a perfect life. Sure, God says His plans are not to harm us. But when is the last time we've lived our lives exactly according to His perfect plans? I can name several times this last week alone when I've been following my own plans rather than His. So can I blame God for my not-so-perfect life?

But while the verse doesn't guarantee a perfect life, it also assures us that God does have a plan for our lives. He's not only in control (when we let Him), but He knows the amazing things He wants to give us. He can give us exceedingly more if we ask Him, but often we don't. It's like that joke where a man without a car keeps praying for the $500 rusted-out VW he saw in the paper. Everyday for a week, he asks God for that VW. At the end of the week, God shrugs and says, "Well, I was going to give him a new SUV, but he's got his heart set on that VW."

How many times have I settled for wanting the old VW when I could have held out for the new SUV that God had in mind for me? His plans are for us to have a good life. And not only good, but one full of abundance (see John 10:10).

This week, ask God to reveal His plans for your future. You may be surprised to see the life He has planned out for you.

Heavenly Father, reveal Your future plans for each one of us. Help us to cling to that hope of Your abundant life even if it means stepping out of our lives of complacency. We don't want to settle anymore. We want what You want, a life of prosperity and hope, a life with a future planned by You. Amen.

Attitude of Gratitude 1-5

2007-09-08T22:18:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to learn to be more content with my life. Part of this is developing an attitude of gratitude for what I have, things I can be thankful for even when it's not November. So in keeping with that, I'm going to post a list of five things I'm thankful for over the next few weeks. They might be huge things (like my family) or small (like eating chocolate chip cookies still warm from the oven).

I am thankful for. . .

1. My family (even though they know how to drive me crazy at times). I can't imagine what my life would be like without them. Hopefully, I won't have to.

2. My job at the library. The women at my church prayed me into this perfect position at the library. Though I have days where I want to pull my hair out, I also realize that I still like my job and there's something to be said for that. The chance of almost losing it last year made me realize how lucky I am.

3. Paying off my debts. A few years ago I was over $10,000 in debt. Through the grace of God and a strict budget, my credit cards are paid in full and I have an emergency savings account so I won't be behind that eight-ball again.

4. Chocolate chip cookies still warm from the oven. Okay, I had to put this in there. I can resist most desserts, but cookies (especially those with chocolate in them) are my downfall. When I'm trying to lose weight, I even buy those 100 calorie packs of Chips Ahoy so I can get my cookie fix without completely blowing my diet.

5. Jesus. I had to put Him on this list too. He should probably be #1, but this list isn't ranked by importance. I'm constantly amazed by the sacrifices He made for me. To give up all of heaven and become human only to get brutally killed? And He did this for me? If you think Jesus was just a good man, rent "The Passion of the Christ" and tell me why a good man would suffer through that willingly. He was much more than just good. He's amazing. And I'm proud to call Him mine.

Anyone else want to share five things they're grateful for?

Petticoat Ranch Review

2007-09-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Petticoat Ranch
By: Mary Conneally
Genre: Christian/Historical/Western/Romance/Humor

Okay, I have to talk about this book. I've been looking for it a few months ever since I'd heard a few colleagues in my writing group rave about it. I finally found it last week on the shelf of my church library. And believe me, when I'm through telling people about it, it won't be on the shelf for long.

First of all, I'm not a huge fan of historicals in general. I read them when the mood strikes (which to be honest has been fairly often this summer, but that's for another post). I even have a good friend and crit partner who writes historicals. So I don't go out of my way to read them like I might a good chick lit. Second, westerns aren't on my list of must reads either as a general rule. However, I was completely won over by this book.

The book begins with a man being chased by a vigilante posse over a ravine. They can't find him in the dark storm, so they leave him for dead. Enter Sophie and her brood of four daughters who not only rescue him but hide him in their barn when the posse shows up to ask if they've seen this stranger. Sophie convinces them that he's not there. When a lantern is brought in so Sophie can tend the man's wounds, she gasps at the sight of his face: it's her husband who she buried two years before. Turns out the husband had a twin brother he never mentioned. Plausibility aside, this is the beginning of a wonderful romance between Sophie and Clay as well as establishing the relationship between Clay and his new four daughters when he marries their mom. Clay and Sophie are determined to hang on to the ranch that he buys back from the bank despite the fact that Clay thinks Sophie can't do anything and she knows she can since she did for years while her husband was fighting in the Civil War. But the vigilantes threaten their hold on the ranch and each other. Clay and Sophie need to learn to trust each other.

I think my biggest surprise with this book was the humor in it. Clay and Sophie each have their own views of how a ranch is to be run and protected, unfortunately not the same way. They also have different views of how to raise the girls. For one thing, Clay is used to the strong, silent mountain man type. He's not accustomed to the squabbles, tears and giggles that little girls can get into. He makes a rule that there is no crying to which Sophie only rolls her eyes. The relationships between Clay and the girls are touching and real, and the humor only makes it more precious. I also enjoyed the way Ms. Conneally showed the way two people can go through the same experience and see it two completely different ways. Clay may think that it's the best day of his life while Sophie is convinced it's the worst day of hers. She thinks that she's being the compliant wife while he wonders why she isn't listening to him. It's great stuff and worth the read.

Would I recommend the book? Uh, definitely. It will make you laugh while it warms your heart. This is a great first outing for Ms. Conneally, and I've already written her name on my booklist to find future books by her.

Writing Tip #5: Finish the first draft

2007-09-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's been awhile since I've done one of these. But keeping to my new resolution, I'm going to dive back into a regular blogging schedule. You can expect to see regular posts on Tuesdays about writing, Thursdays about book recommendations, weekends about something or someone I love, and Sundays on a verse to contemplate for the following week.

In keeping with this schedule, this Tuesday I'm going to talk about the biggest defeat of all writers: quitting before you finish the first draft.

There's a million excuses for giving up: It's too hard. I don't have time. I lost interest in the story. My family needs me more. I've used all of these and more. But to truly become a writer, you need to have a finished manuscript. Notice that I didn't say PERFECT manuscript (mostly because there is no such thing).

The point is this: you won't get published if you don't have something with "The End" typed on the last page. Agents and editors aren't interested in the great story you have half-written. They want to hear about the great book that you can ship off to them in a moment's notice. They need to know you have what it takes to stick to something and complete it. Otherwise, they're going to spend wasted time and energy on an almost finished story written by an almost writer.

One of the best pieces of writing advice I got was this: keep your butt in the chair. That's the only way you're going to get your book written, by sitting down and plugging away at it day after day, night after night. It doesn't have to perfect because that's what editing and revising are for. It's like I've said before: you can't edit a blank page. So just write.

Besides, there's nothing like the feeling of typing "The End" on that last page. Trust me. Better than chocolate.

Goals for a new school year

2007-09-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

There's something about the start of a new school year that makes me want to buy school supplies, new clothes and get a new haircut. There's this feeling that the year is starting over, and anything is possible. Forget the resolutions that were made on January 1st (most of them are long forgotten as it is). This is the time to reassess what's been going right and what needs to change.

So on that note, I've realized that I need to look at goals made and broken in the last year. I need to find more discipline after a long, breezy summer. With the beginning of September, I crave to make a new beginning even here on this blog.

2 Corinthians 8:11 says, "So now finish the work you started. Then your doing will be equal to your wanting to do. Give from what you have." The Message puts it this way: "You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't."

Wow. What an indictment of how I've spent this summer! I had planned to finish one manuscript by the middle of last month as well as written one-sheets for the writing conference I'm attending in a few weeks. I wanted to have my apartment cleaned and organized. Well,. . . don't ask. I'd intended on losing twenty pounds by now instead of the ten I did lose. My wanting hasn't matched my doing.

So this is my resolution for the new school year: to make goals and stick to them.

After all, goals are like promises we make ourselves. And if I can't keep those, how can I expect to be loyal to doing what I've promised my family and friends?

So what are your goals as this new school year starts?

Lessons Learned

2007-05-08T11:55:00.000-04:00

Below is a copy of the eulogy my mother gave at Grammy's funeral on behalf of herself and my Aunt Jan. After I heard it, I knew these were lessons that we could all use.

Lessons My Sister and I Learned from My Mom:

* Put on clean underwear every morning.

* Reading is a great way to spend your time.

* Say you're sorry when the situation calls for it - and sometimes when it's just the right thing to do.

* Fight for the underdog.

* It's okay after the age of 40 to start a new career.

* Nothing is so horrible that it can't wait until tomorrow to think about. . . And you may be able to put it off indefinitely.

* Play nice with your sister and brothers.

* You can count on your friends and neighbors for help when you need it.

* "Wait until your father gets home" and "I hope your kids grow up to be JUST LIKE YOU" are effective threats.

* Jello is an acceptable dessert. Add a can of fruit to make it special.

* Never kiss a boy on your first date.

* When you have a job, sometimes you have to take the blame for something you didn't do.

* Family is always important.

* Old friends are a treasure - and be sure to make new ones.

* Practice forgiveness. Love others and yourself.

Grammy

2007-04-17T07:08:00.000-04:00

Thoramae (Milam) Layher 5/14/1925 – 4/15/2007

If you want to know only one thing about Grammy, it’s that she loved my grandfather with a love that would not fade.

They met as teenagers at church, and from what I understand Grandpa was quite a ladies’ man. In fact, there’s a picture of him surrounded by a group of about six or seven girls. “His harem,” Grammy called them. I asked where she was in the picture. She’d sniff and say, “I didn’t want to be in the picture.” She wanted to be Grandpa's one and only.
They dated off and on for several years. When World War II began, Grandpa was sent to Japan. Grammy told me that they had a big fight before he left and she told him she didn’t want to see him again. That lasted until the letters started, and they kept up a correspondence during the war. Home on leave one March, Grandpa proposed and Grammy accepted. But he didn’t want to get married before he left again. He didn’t want to leave her a widow in case he was killed.
The war ended, and Grandpa came home. On June 20, 1947, they were married. And by September 1948, kids were starting to join the family. They had four: Bob, Pat (my mom), Jan and Mark. While family was important to Grammy, her life revolved around Grandpa.
Grandpa and Grammy loved to camp and travel. Especially after they retired, they’d take off in their trailer and visited every state in the continental U.S. We have dozens of photo albums that hold pictures from their trips. They’d travel with family, friends or on their own. They joined the Christian Family Camping Association (CFCA) here in Michigan and camped with them one weekend a month from May through October every year. We had family campouts in the summer where all the kids and grandkids would descend on my aunt and uncle’s place and spend three days swimming, eating and laughing a lot.
When Grandpa died five years ago, a light went out in Grammy. She missed him everyday and often looked at pictures of him to reminisce. But she also knew that because Jesus was the Lord of both of their lives, they’d see each other again. If there’s comfort to found be in Grammy’s death, it’s that she and Grandpa are together again. They’re probably walking hand in hand along the streets of Heaven, catching up on the last five years. Perhaps their mansion is really a travel trailer that they can move around the glassy sea and explore the expanse of God’s kingdom.
I realize that my grandparents’ relationship was far from perfect, but they were there for each other through the good times and the bad. They loved each other in life and even after death.
Grammy, we love you and miss you. Give Grandpa a kiss and hug from me.

Please pray

2006-12-21T14:38:00.000-05:00

I apologize for not being on here recently. My dad was back in the hospital for his lung cancer about two weeks ago. They did release him but with the condition that he have someone stay with him for a little while. Since I'm the single daughter without kids, it made sense for me to step in and do this. We've been having fun hanging out, but some things have gone by the way side while I help care for him. One of those things is writing this blog.

So until I am home again, please pray for my dad in his fight against cancer as well as for the family as we help him out.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Duh Duh Skeleton

2006-12-05T21:44:00.000-05:00

My nephew is obsessed with skeletons. I don't know if anyone knows the reason why, but he does. He even insists on putting a skeleton on the Christmas tree and wonders why everyone doesn't have one on theirs. He's got skeletons on his clothes, his belt, his blanket, his car window ... Anywhere he can put one, it's there. He even came up with his own nickname (and I hope I spelled it right).

What I think I love most about him is that he loves to entertain (not unlike his older brother). He loves to tell jokes and laugh. He likes to tell stories about anything and everything. While he may not perform musically like his brother, he's shown an aptitude for dramatics. A couple of weeks ago, he wrote, directed and editted a short film starring him, his brother and his dad. I was privileged enough to see a copy of the movie on Thanksgiving. He was so proud of the work he'd done from writing the script to choosing the title and the music in the background. He's also informed me that it's only the first film in a trilogy, so I have two more masterpieces to look forward to.

Do you remember what it was like as a kid to love something just because you love it? You may not have known why, but you loved it with your whole heart. That's my little skeleton nephew. When he loves something, it's a passionate affair. As we become adults, we get jaded and forget what it's like to love something so completely. I know I've lost that in my life.

Lord, watch over my nephew. Help him to continue to live life with a love and passion that won't dim. Keep him in Your care and protect his heart from crushing pain and loss. Amen

The Reason for the Season Bible Verse

2006-12-03T21:53:00.000-05:00

"But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent His Son, brong among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that He might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as His own children because God sent the Spirit of His Son into our lives crying out, 'Father God!' Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversations with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance." (Galatians 4:4-7, The Message)

When people ask you what the reason for the season is, how do you answer? My Sunday School teacher pointed to this verse as his answer to that question and a favorite Christmas verse.

Why did Jesus come? Because He wanted us to have the privilege of having a relationship with God. And the only way to do that was to be given as the ultimate Christmas gift. He came to redeem us or as The Message paraphrase above says, to set us free.

What do we need to be set free from? We live in a nation of plenty, surrounded by every pleasure we can imagine. How about being set free from the sins of this world? There are so many laws about how to live that there is no way apart from God to keep them all. We can never be good enough for God because we are slaves to our selfish natures and desires. If you don't believe me, check out your credit card bill statement at the beginning of next year. You are a slave to that debt until it's paid off.

But Jesus offers us a way out of the need to be "good enough" for God. He wants us to live abundant lives through adoption into the family of God. He wants us to be His little brothers and sisters. How cool is that?

Jesus came to earth because He didn't want us to miss out on being called a child of God. That's the reason for the season. Or as Charlie Brown would say, the true meaning of Christmas.

End of November

2006-11-30T10:03:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of November which means there are thousands of writers scrambling to finish those last few (or few thousand) words of their book. This is the last day of NaNoWriMo and the 50, 000 word challenge.

I'm proud to say that I made it! I was writing at Panera last night so I could cross that finish line today. I ended up with 53, 421 words altogether.

What did I learn from this experience? That I can accomplish the seemingly impossible by breaking down the task in smaller pieces. That I can write and find time for family, cleaning, and the occasional meal. That the first important part of writing a book is the actual writing (the next important part is the editing SIGH). That with God as my co-writer, the story will follow plot lines that I hadn't even thought of but make sense in the end.

So what happens now? Well, Jenny's story has a good start, but I still have about 26, 579 words to go before I reach the 80K mark that is recommended by most publishers for a standalone novel. I ended this month on a turning point in the novel which sets up the last third of the book, so there's still more to do.

But I think I'm up to that challenge.

Writing Tip #4: READ, READ, READ

2006-11-28T10:12:00.000-05:00

A good writer is also an avid reader.

I learned to read when I was four and have been in love with words ever since. My mom used to force me to go outside in the summer because I'd rather be holed up in my room reading a book. I did venture outside, but I brought my book with me. Libraries were one of my favorite places in the whole world alongside bookstores. There's nothing like the smell of paper and ink when you first walk into the library. Sometimes that smell was combined with a musty odor, but that just made the books all the more precious. I learned to write because I didn't want the story I was reading to end. I wanted the characters to live on and keep having adventures. I read the dictionary because I knew there were words I didn't know, and the encyclopedia because there were so many things I had no idea about.

If you want to write well, you need to read.

Read in your genre to know what's selling as well as who. Look for how the author uses characterization, setting, plot points, and climaxes. See what stories hook you, then figure out why. If you have a favorite author in your genre, examine the techniques the writer uses to suck you into the story.

Read outside of your genre. If you write mystery, read romance or science fiction or literary fiction. Determine what story elements work for that particular genre and see how it can be applied to yours. If your manuscript lacks passion, read a romance to see how the author accomplishes it. Need to figure out how to create a setting that lives and breathes? Read science fiction or fantasy. Read what's on the bestseller's list as well as the little known books that your friends and family recommend.

Read nonfiction books that apply to your story. Is your heroine a doctor? Then you better bone up on some medical terms and procedures. Does your hero have a rare disease? You'd better know all the ins and outs of it. Read psychology books to know what makes your characters tick. Research is essential to make your story come alive. Know the world your characters live in as well as their occupations, behaviors, and current events.

Most of all, read for the fun of it. If you're serious about the writing business, then you need to love words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters. You should savor a book like a wine enthusiast enjoys a glass of Bordeaux. Drink in those words others have written even as you dream about the day you hold your own book in your hands.

Changing tapes

2006-11-26T21:44:00.000-05:00

"Be careful what you think, for your thoughts run your life." (Proverbs 4: 23)

I've been journaling my way through Proverbs lately, and this verse struck me last week. Because I know how true this is.

Dr. Phil McGraw talks about we all play tapes in our heads that repeat what we think of ourselves. We cheat on our diet ("You knew you weren't going to lose weight anyway") or we don't get that promotion at work ("You'll never get ahead now"). We fight with our friend ("She never really liked you anyway"). Anything that happens in our daily life, there's a certain tape that plays in our head. Maybe you don't hear the messages like those. But if you do, it's time to change those tapes.

Our thoughts run our life. They choose how we live out our daily routines and react to minor and major crises. If we're always thinking negatively, we're going to find ourselves in lives that are dull, lackluster and really missing out on what we want. But if we change those tapes in our head, we can live more productive and happier lives.

Let's take those examples from above. You cheat on your diet and instead of thinking you'll never lose weight, start telling yourself, "Okay. This is one day. One battle. But the war's not over yet." Or if you don't get that promotion at work, change the tape so it tells you, "Next time, I'm going to nail that interview" or even "I like the job I'm in right now." After a fight with your friend, think "I need to go talk to her right now and make this better."

Change those tapes so they reflect how God sees you. Does He see you make one mistake and think, "Well, she wasn't that great to begin with"? Or "That's it for him. There's no hope he's going to make it"? No. He's thinking, "My precious child, I still love you. Get back on your feet and we'll get it the next time." God NEVER NEVER NEVER gives up on us. Even when we give up on ourselves, He is still there cheering us on.

So what are the tapes in your head playing? Is it time for a change?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2006-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Spend sometime today thanking God for the blessings He gave you this past year. Better yet, begin a journal and write down something you're thankful for every day.

Writing Tip #3: Join a Writing Group

2006-11-21T10:19:00.000-05:00

If you're serious about writing, there's a cost that's involved. Not just in time spent glued to a chair or missed opportunities to spend time with your family, but also in dollars. In order to grow, you need to learn. And a writing group is one of the best places to do it in.

By writing group, I'm not talking about a local meeting with other writers who are in the same boat as you. As nice as it is to know that you're not alone in this endeavor, you need to stretch your writing muscles beyond this local group. What I'm referring to is a national writing group like RWA (Romance Writers of America), Sisters in Crime (female mystery writers) or ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). There are others of these out there in every genre you can probably imagine. These are nationally recognized and known groups of writers who band together to promote their work, themselves and each other. They also offer online support groups, critique groups, and writing classes. They have annual conferences as well as local chapter meetings that you can get involved in.

I joined ACFW almost two years ago because a group of women that I corresponded online with had nothing but good things to say about it. They talked of the conferences they attended, friends they met, and the opportunities that were there. I joined and attended my first national writing conference in Nashville in September 2005. The things I learned could not be found in a college class, local writing group or in a (gasp!) book. There's something to say about a conference for Christian writers that is part learning, but also part spiritual retreat. I have never seen so much evidence of prayer in one place. People would pray at meals, before and after appointments, in the hallways. There was even an entire room devoted to prayer. The classes that were offered were incredible, insightful and taught by people who were in the biz. They knew what they were talking about because they'd lived it. It was fun, uplifting, and life-changing.

While the ACFW conference is an amazing experience, there's also something to be said about the online support that's offered. I receive daily emails from other writers in various stages of publication with requests for research, comments on the writing life or just a word of encouragement. There's the e-zine with articles for improving craft, interviews with first-time published authors, and even an article meant to make you giggle. There's online classes, message boards, and over a thousand members who like you are trying to figure this thing out. This has changed my writing life as well as my spiritual life.

Joining a good writer's group helps you to do several things. First of all, it connects you to a world of writers just like you. Second, it helps you learn the craft of writing so that you're constantly getting better at it. Thirdly, it keeps you in the loop of what is happening in the publishing business. I could keep listing reasons, but I think the number one benefit of joining a writer's group is that you can no longer say "Someday I'll write that book". Joining not only costs you an annual fee, but it also motivates you to write and keep writing. You have fellow writers who will ask you, "So how is that first (or second, third, etc.) draft coming? What do you mean you haven't written anything in two weeks?" You will have to come out of that protective bubble of thinking someday and start living in the today.

I know you can do it!

Apology, Update, and a Little Lesson in Commenting

2006-11-17T22:53:00.000-05:00

First of all, I need to correct some information that was in my post last week about my Sassy Girl. After talking to my brother-in-law, I discovered that it was a counselor, not the birth mother, who contacted my sister first about the adoption. Also, she was eight months old when the adoption was finalized, not six months as I had written it. So I apologize for those mistakes.

Secondly, I have an update on my NaNoWriMo progress. Today's day #17, and I passed the 35,000 mark tonight. That leaves only 15, 000 words to go and almost two weeks to do it. I think I'll actually make my word count this year!

Lastly, if anyone would like to leave a comment, here's what you do: Press the bottom part of the post that says "comments". This will take you to a separate screen where you can type a comment in the box. Then it will ask for your name. Since many of you are not bloggers yourself, you can choose either the "other" designation or the "anonymous" one. Once you have chosen that, you will see a box below that with letters in it for word verification. This is used to keep sp8mmers from clogging up the message boards. Type the letters in the box where it says word verification then press OK. This will let you leave a comment on that day's blog or previous days if you go back further. Thanks to all of you who are taking the time to not only read these, but also to those who tell me that you've read them. I appreciate all of you.

Music Man

2006-11-17T22:42:00.000-05:00

Remember when you were little and you were so excited about one thing that it was all you could eat, sleep and breathe? For my nephew, that's music. He sings, dances and puts on concerts with his microphone which could be a pen to you, but it's the best microphone in the world to him.

He's my little music man. When I spend time with him, he loves to sing while he plays with his action figures. And it's often with an opera voice that amazes me. He likes rock music and often drums out the rhythm on his thighs, the kitchen table, any flat surface available. He can play the air guitar like no one else in the biz to songs that he makes up on the spot.

I miss that passion in my own life. Again, it's a case of settling for the road travelled than exploring the one not taken. I have my writing which is great, but I don't eat, sleep and breathe it like my nephew does with his music.

Of course, in a six-year-old's life, music can turn to basketball in a wink of the eye. Or baseball. Or movies. But the important thing is that my Music Man is embracing life and exploring it. Especially to the beat of his own air guitar.

Lord, watch over my nephew and help him to grow into a man who is not afraid to live life. Grow his passion into a life that is pleasing to You. Protect him from those who would try to stifle his creativity and joy of life. Amen

Straight Up

2006-11-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

Anyone who thinks that Christian fiction is where nice girls go to sip tea and ponder the mysteries of the universe in a cotton candy world has not read Lisa Samson. This is a woman who looks at real issues of real life without blinking or wincing. In "Songbird", she tackled depression and the main character's belief that if she really believed in God, He would heal her without having to resort to medication. In "The Church Ladies", she looks at the lives of diverse women married to the clergy and how their lives are not all peachy keen but wrapped up in angst and frustration as any married woman's is. In "Club Sandwich", she not only explores what it means for a woman to be caring not only for her elderly parents as well as her own kids, but flirts the line of infidelity. These are hardly soft issues.

I just finished "Straight Up" Monday night. This is an unflinching look at alcoholism and wasted potential. Georgia is an organist who has been playing for the church when her real love is jazz. Fairly is a young widow who focuses on decorating people's houses and living in a very surface life. These cousins are about to look at who they are supposed to be rather than what society says they should be. Georgia's father and Fairly's husband both die at the beginning of the book which sends them on a journey not for self-discovery, but rather they wallow in self-pity whether it's in alcohol for Georgia or in a going nowhere relationship for Fairly. Each of them doesn't like the other but when their Uncle Geoffrey (UG) invites them to his place in Kentucky, they have to start dealing with each other. And that comes with disastrous results for one and a life changed for the other.

"Straight Up" is not a fun kind of read to be honest. It's a look at what women do to screw up their lives. Do we cling to a bottle or a man to find meaning in our lives? Do we deny what is our God-given talents because we want to live mediocrity where it's safe rather than risk it all to find true happiness? The ending is satisfactory, but hardly happy. Because that's the way life is. Georgia and Fairly have to figure out what makes them happy because they certainly aren't finding happiness on the paths they have chosen. It can be something as simple as giving a child a cookie and juice. Or playing the music of your heart. Or finding the perfect piece of fried chicken.

Lisa Samson is an amazing writer who knows how to turn a phrase so that it leaps off the page and begins to echo in your heart. Her characters are so real that you recognize your friends, family and neighbors in them. If you haven't read her, go to the bookstore or library now and find one of her books. She will change the way you read from page one. And you will never be the same.