Sherri the Writer - Into the Rabbit Hole (Blog)

Writing Advice I Ignore

Sun, 27 May 2012 12:27:21 -0800

I was just on Goodreads and found a discussion thread on "the best writing advice you can give." The discussion was interesting because on it, many writers attest to the fact that the common advice writers are given usually doesn't work. I agree with this. I've been writing for over 11 years, and I can tell you for a fact that much of what's out there is a dud. For example, here are a few tidbits I've been offered that I either ignored completely as impractical or that I tried and they just didn't work:

You must write every day to be a "real" writer. Oh, please. Do you go to your job every day? Absolutely not! You expect weekends and holidays, don't you? Well, the same applies to writing or really, anything else in life. We all need breaks, even from things we love from time to time. The truth is that sometimes the well runs dry, and the only way to replenish is is to allow the groundwater to refill by giving it a break. Forcing yourself to write every single day doesn't give your muse time to absorb the world around you and generate creativity from it. Simply put, forcing yourself to write every single day turns writing into work, which breeds contempt, which makes you hate it. While it's true that you need to practice to improve, don't do it to your own detriment. Write when you have something to write. When you don't write read, or study up on building the skills and knowledge you need to become a better writer. But don't just write for the sake of logging in your word count every day. Then, it just becomes a chore.

You must have an agent to get published. I'm living proof that you don't. In fact, I chose the epublishing route because I didn't like the idea of turning over the potential success (or failure) of my creativity to a third party that has no interest in it, save financial. There are some things you can't fix by throwing money at it, and this is one of them. You can pay an agent to beg to get you published, but that doesn't guarantee an offer, or that they'll keep you, and I can tell you for 100% sure that they'll NEVER care about your writing as much as you do. Do you trust the boss at your day job 100% to look after your best interest and to ensure your success throughout life? Or better yet, are you where you're at in life right now due to the work of your superiors, or your own work? I believe my point is made. You're better off getting behind your work and pushing. Because other people always have their own agendas, and they will look after their own interest first every time.

You need to retreat from life to write well. Have a special place, or take a weekend at an exotic location to take time out to devote 100% to writing. I tried this one time. I participated in National Novel Writing Month in 2010 - that's an online event where writers sign up to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. So I signed up, had all my ducks in a row, and informed everybody that other than work and basic necessities I was not available until this novel was done. Surely, they would understand and respect my creative endeavors, right?

Wrong. To say that all hell broke loose would be putting it kindly. Things spun out of control, everything in the world that my hand was supposed to be on went wrong, they were pissed off, it was my responsibility to make it right, and I needed to quit being selfish and get back to setting all right with the world. I emerged from that experience to literally find everybody I knew at war with one another because they determined that self control was for stupid people if I wasn't going to be around to "reign things in." And there was not 1 person in my life not guilty of this - not a single one. I did get the novel done and completed the challenge, but I also realized that, bad attitudes notwithstanding, I have a lifestyle way too active and busy for me to cordion it off to "just write." I've whittled out a lot, but the Lord has put many things to me that I simply can't (and in some cases, won't) cast away or even put on hold, like marriages, home, family, and a job. It's a nice fantasy, but it doesn't fit the reality God gave me. While I have a job, a home, church, friends, both families nearby - yes, writing will have to fit in where I can. And I am finding as I work on my current novel that it is much easier to just fit it in where I can instead of trying to shut out the world. In fact, I've found that keeping one eye open on life around me is actually feeding my muse and helping me by inspiring the plot.

On this advice, I tried it and it failed, but I also learned a lot. I see how this can work for others, and I encourage it if there's a way to do it without ripping a hole in the space-time continium like I did. But if there's no way around time paradoxes, alien invasions, and that little thing called Thanksgiving that tends to happen every November when NaNo is in progress, then you simply must do what you can and be patient with timeline of your progress. My solution was that I will never ever Ever EVER participate in National Novel Writing Month again while I'm employed full time. It just can't happen. For now, I need more than 30 days to draft a novel - I know and accept that now. But if you can safely withdraw from the world to write your masterpiece, by all means do it. It might well work for you.

You must attend a writer's conference to break into the industry. And I would have done that very thing if any were offered in my area, but alas, they aren't. While there's an active arts scene where I live, it's not focused on writing (it's more visual arts or music). I know this is ironic because I live in a college town and you'd think the opportunities would abound, but they don't because the schools in this area don't focus on the arts (it's more of a business focus here). Attending a conference would require traveling, which harkens back to the last item I discussed and the same limitations apply to this that apply to that. I've filled in the gap with online groups and educating myself through reading books, participation in social media, and the occasional online class to bring me up to speed on how to become a better writer.

Write what's popular right now and you're guaranteed success. Ok, was the person that offered this advice on crack? Seriously, what planet are they from? There's absolultely no way this can work and here's why: Trends are always changing, and publishers (along with everybody else in the entertainment industry) are looking for "the next big thing." Unfortunately, nobody knows what that is or when people will catch on to it, so it's an inexact science. It's like the thing I heard someone say about publishers always know a bestseller six months later. The whole entertainment industry is based on their best guess on what will sell, and publishers are in that boat with everybody else. So if you write what's popular right now, then you're already behind the curve. A better piece of advice is write what's in you and the audience will follow. Even if you don't hit the "big time" you can find a great niche market, and you'd be surprised at how successful you can be in that area. It's not New York Times best seller fame, but you can get recognized and respected as a reputable author and have a more moderate success as a writer, if you're willing to redefine your definition of "success."

This isn't to say that all of the advice I've been offered is bad - these are just examples of things that didn't work or that I simply couldn't try. In my next entry, I'll offer up some tips that have worked for me, and things I'm trying as I carve my own path through the jungle of being an independent author.

Have a safe Memorial Day all. Take care.

Bye!

At That Point

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:40:39 -0800

Yes folks, I have arrived at that point in the novel writing process. Control of this story has officially shifted from me to the characters and let me tell you, I've already found more twists and turns than the Smoky Mountain Parkway.

Funny really, when you consider that this story takes place in the Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee!

It always happens. You start writing a novel with our outline in hand and your plot planned. Then comes that moment when you're writing and all of a sudden, the unexpected has happened. You get in a flow and when you come back to consciousness you look over it and say "wait a minute, I didn't plan for THAT!" And that's when it really takes off. You're in that world, and you have to see what will happen because heck, you're the writer and even YOU don't know. I've pounded out 8 chapters since Sunday. That's right, 8. I've been writing every chance I have a minute. I've even been carrying the laptop to work with me so I can write during my lunch breaks.

Yes, I'm at that point. The story has taken over my brain, my hands, and my laptop. The only thing stopping me from going back to it right now is that I'm at another crossroads point where I'm trying to figure out how to deliver what comes next. Or rather, I'm waiting for the characters to let me know, because this week, THEY took over the story. And that's exactly what every writer lives for. That moment when the world they created comes to life. That moment when it becomes real (at least to them). That moment when they know they're delivering a new creation to the world, and they're consumed by it. That moment when at least 50% of their brain seeps into that world and isn't coming out until the story's done.

Yes indeed, I am at that point, and I love it. This is why we write. This is the joy. This is the purpose.

That's all today. Happy Friday to you tomorrow and I hope you have a good and safe Memorial Day weekend. Remember those who have died so you can enjoy your life and freedom.

Bye!

Season Finale Roundup

Sun, 20 May 2012 17:38:52 -0800

Hi everybody, sorry to be away for a while. I spent a lot of last week catching up from being sick week before last - and before I knew it, it had been over a week since I blogged. Oops! I certainly didn't mean for that to happen.

Today, I'd like to carry on a tradition that I started with my last blog at Writing.com. In late May of every year, I'd do a "season finale roundup" of the television shows I had watched that season. My purpose was to give my overall impressions of how the season as a whole struck me as a fan. Not that I think the TV executives are ACTUALLY reading my humble blog, but it's a nice way to connect with other fans of the shows. Don't worry - this won't be excessively long. As a general rule, I can only keep up with 2 shows at a time. My 2 shows this season were Supernatural, which I've watched since it started in 2005, and The Secret Circle, which ran it's first and sadly only season on CW.

Supernatural - Another gut punching ending for the Winchester Brothers! I felt that this season was better than last season. It seemed Sam and Dean has more purpose in hunting the levithan, and they were certainly not a cliched foe. It was nice to get a break from angels, demons, monsters, and things that go bump in the night. I felt, at least, that the show returned somewhat to it's original purpose this season. I did, naturally, have a couple of gripes. First and foremost - you killed Bobby! You bastards! Bobby was one of my favorite characters and I hated to see him die, twice actually since they purged his spirit in the finale. Now who's going to call them igits, help them pose as Feds, and drag them out of messes? I don't know because Frank had a very short run (I didn't like him at first, but saw that his character had potential. A shame it wasn't developed). My other gripe was that Castielle was largely absent this season, except for the very beginning, where he was screwed up, and the very end, where he was nuttier than Chinese Chicken Salad. I want out old Cass back and frankly, I think the Winchesters need him back because, as Elrond put it so eleoquently in "The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring," "our list of allies grows thin." They've killed off so many characters that it's going to be necessary for them to completely reconstruct the case to keep going. But then again, alive and dead are relative states on this show. This is, after all, urban fiction.

Personally, I'd like to see a return of angels and demons. They're our old standbys and frankly, they're more interesting. The levithan's, while a nice change, were largely predictable and just out to "help American's live longer and taste better" (I got a kick out of that line in the "There Will Be Blood" episode). Angels and demons are definitely NOT predictable and you never know what they'll pull - Crowly in the finale being an excellent example. They have their own agenda, you're never exactly sure of what it is, and THAT'S what keeps you comign back week after week. I'm hoping Season 8 will bring back some old favorites, with the old Cass being #1 on that list.

The Secret Circle - This show had potential but sadly, isn't being given a chance to work it out. I came into this one about mid season, so I had some catching up to do, and I'm still not sure if I'm 100% "caught up." It seemed to have a solid plot and a good bit of the complexities in relationships that kept you wondering who had what motives and will they stick with the plan - whatever that might be - or blow it to smithereens. It also had an interesting premise and I think, as I said, that this was a show that could have really fleshed out and become solid given one more season. The one major problem I had with this show, though, was flat characterization. I felt like the characters weren't real. They went on and on about their powers and binding the circle, but who were they besides being witches? Did they have an identity outside of that? It was like watching a puppet show, or winding up a music box with moving parts and watching the pieces move around one another without understanding how or why they're moving like that. Perhaps the show writers didn't realize that viewers really need to be able to connect with the characters to become hooked on the show. Take Supernatural, for example. We know that Dean likes pie, that Sam hates clowns, and that Bobby thought everybody was an igit. The little things do matter, and in fact it's those little things that connect viewers to the show. They need to feel like they're part of this world, but The Secret Circle offered no such invitation to it's viewers. Remember that the point of television, books, movies, video games, and other forms of media is to take the person out of their own life and reality and offer them an escape by bringing them into the world you created. The Secret Circle didn't do that. They opened the curtain and let you take a peek, but didn't really invite you in. You dove right into the plot and didn't really learn about the characters - nothing of their history or of where they came from to become who they are. Sure, there was a lot of talk about their parents and how they came to be born, but nothing of who the characters themselves were. And I think that two dimensional approach to characterization is what drove this series to extinction in it's first season.

As we go into the 2012 - 2013 season this fall, I can assure you that I will continue to watch Supernatural. I've been with them since the beginning and will stick through to the end. I just love this show. As for a second show, I saw a preview for a series called Arrow while watching the finale of Supernatural that caught my interest. It's about Oliver Queen, aka The Green Arrow. Not my favorite superhero but a superhero nonetheless, and it did get my attention. I'll definitely give it a try on Wednesdays this fall. Plus, we named our budgie, Ollie, after Oliver Queen on Smallville. So a show about his namesake is interesting. He's expecting great things from it I'm certainly willing to give it a chance. In fact, I was their 28th "like" on Facebook today.

So that's my season finale roundup for the 2011 - 2012 season. Fans of the shows, let me know what you think. I'd be interested to hear your take on Supernatural and The Secret Circle, and to know what you plan to check out this fall.

Take care all, and I hope you have a great week.

Bye!

Another Snippit from "Move"

Sat, 12 May 2012 15:11:25 -0800

Hi everybody, I made great progress on my novel, Move, this week. I thought I'd share another sample chapter with you today. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Ruby sat at a picnic table at the park Saturday afternoon, enjoying the cool breeze blowing through the trees. It was much more crowded than it had been for the company picnic Thursday afternoon but then again, this event was open to the entire town. Tanger Falls hosted a spring festival every year during the first weekend in May. Although the event was open to the public, it was held as more of a local celebration for the permanent residents to celebrate the slower summer season. Tanger Falls, like many other mountain towns, got the majority of their tourism during the fall and winter, when the area was at it’s peak with changing leaves, holiday season celebrations, and the winter ski season. The spring festival was Tanger Fall’s way of celebrating “getting their town to themselves” for a few months.

“Wow, it’s so nice out today!” Denise said, sipping a milk shake. “The weather is perfect!”

Ruby nodded. “I’m glad the rain held off. I was afraid we’d be stuck inside after all.” The forecast had been calling for a chance of storms that day but so far, it was sunny and clear. “Do you want to hike one of the trails up the hill? I can find us an easy trail if you want.” Ruby loved to hike. In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for her to hike the trails in the National Forest after work and on weekends during the long spring and summer days. She knew every trail on their side of the forest and many in the Gatlinburg area.


Denise shook her head. “I went jogging every day this week and frankly, I’d like a day off from strenuous activity.” She looked around at the people milling about. “I’d like to see some of the art exhibits at the convention center.”

“Now Denise, you told me I need to get out and you want me to be cooped up in the convention center? I thought we were supposed to forget about work over the weekend. All looking at that stuff would do is remind me of all the meetings and deadlines we have next week.”

“I know, I know, but I love it.”

Ruby peered at Denise over the rim of her sunglasses. “Do you love it, or are you keeping an eye on the local competition?”

Denise rolled her eyes innocently toward the sky. “Um, ok, maybe both.” She sighed. “I tell you what. Why don’t we part ways for an hour or so? You can hike one of the trails, I can scope out what the local artists are up to, and we can meet back here and decide what to do next.”

“I guess that’d be alright. I didn’t dress for a strenuous hike today anyway so maybe I can hike one of the lower trails. It’s been a while since I did the foothills trail back there,” Ruby said, pointing toward the entryway to
the forest.

Denise smiled and stood. “Thanks! I’ll meet you back here in an hour. And I promise we’ll do whatever you suggest for the rest of the day.”

“Yea, alright,” Ruby said, standing and stretching. She really wanted to hike one of the longer trails, but could see that Denise wasn’t interested. Oh well, Denise was compromising for her by cutting her artistic musings to only an hour, and a shorter trail would be alright with her. She knew she could hike the foothills trail at the entryway of the forest in about half an hour and be back well in time to meet Denise. She wound through the crowd toward the forest entryway, trying not to bump into people. Every now and then she would see
people from work, who would smile and nod, or share a brief greeting. As the got near the trail entrance, she nearly bumped into Cheyenne, who was tugging her son behind her. She was going to speak, but Cheyenne avoided her eye and turned away quickly, tugging the young boy through the crowd and snapping something
about hurrying up.

“Geeze, I hope she didn’t sprain anything trying to ignore me,” Ruby mumbled.

“I hope she didn’t either,” a voice said behind her. She turned to see a man about her age with slicked back, shoulder length, black hair and piercing blue eyes.

Ruby blushed. “I’m sorry, I must sound crazy mumbling to myself. I forgot, my friend isn’t with me.”

He smiled. “No worries. I think everybody talks to themselves from time to time.” He extended his hand. “Hi, my name is Bryce.”

Ruby took his hand and shook it. “I’m Ruby. Pleased to meet you.”

“Actually, I should apologize. That was bold of me to butt my way into your musings. I just saw that interaction and it seemed curious to me. You obviously know each other, but she went to great pains to avoid you. Do you have a bad relationship with her?”

“I wouldn’t say a bad relationship. I mean, she’s my boss.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Well,”Ruby stammered, “we haven’t been getting along lately. We used to get along better but some things have happened at work and …” she trailed off and blushed. “I really shouldn’t burden a stranger with this.”

Bryce motioned to a “Psychic Readings” booth next to the forest entrance. “Actually, it’s my job to help people with their problems. I’d be glad to help. Why don’t you come in?”

Ruby glanced at the booth. “No offence, but I really don’t believe in that stuff.”

“None taken. Come on, have a seat. Tell me about one thing troubling you with your work and I’ll see if I can advise you on how to make it better. No charge.”

Ruby raised an eyebrow. “No charge?”

Bryce smiled. “A free demonstration. Come on, you can take it or leave it. No charge, no obligation. Just
one thing. Give me a try.”

She sat in one of the two plastic chairs in the booth. “Ok, fine. How does this work. Don’t you look in a crystal ball or draw tarot cards or read a star chart to get my fortune?”

He laughed and pulled his plastic chair so he was facing Ruby. “No, I don’t work like that. I do psychic readings. All I need is to hold something of yours that you wear a lot to focus on your energy. I’ll share some of what I sense. If you still want my help, all you have to do is ask.”

“Ok, what do you want to hold?” Ruby asked.

“Something with metal works best. Metal holds energy better.”

“What does energy have to do with it?”

“Everything that happens, every experience that we have, is energy. Energy is never lost. It’s just redistributed. Every experience you have becomes part of your energy. Objects that you carry or wear frequently store the most energy because they’re with you through most of these experiences.” He motioned to her right hand.“What about that ring? Do you wear it every day?”

Ruby looked down at the red ring on her right ring finger and slid it off. “Yes I do. This is the ruby ring my mother gave me when I got my associates degree.”She stared at it. “I always meant to go back for my bachelor’s and get a real class ring but never did it. I guess this kind of became my college ring.”

“How long ago did you graduate from tech school?”

“Ten years ago.”

Bryce reached for the ring. “That should do. Let me hold it for a moment.” He put the ring in the palm of his right hand, covered it with his left hand, and closed his eyes. He sat still for several moments; long enough that
Ruby wondered if he fell asleep. She was fixing to poke him when his blue eyes sprang open and he handed her the ring. Ruby shuddered as she took back the ring. It was ice cold. She glanced at it a moment, but didn’t see anything wrong with it. She slid the ring back on her finger and it warmed up again quickly.

“So?”Ruby asked.

Bryce stared at Ruby. “I’m sorry, it was almost overwhelming. You’ve been through a lot. I see that the past ten years haven’t been easy for you. You’ve experienced a lot of broken relationships and a lot of loss.”

Ruby looked around. “No more than most people, I suppose.”

“Actually for your relatively young age you have lost a lot. I see your mother passed away in a lot of pain a few years ago, and your father is no longer a part of your life. You have no family close to you.”

Ruby looked down. “Mom died of pancreatic cancer five years ago.” She sniffed. “It was awful. Mom, she was my best friend. Sometimes I still can’t believe she’s gone.” Ruby wiped the tears forming in her eyes and looked up. “But she’s in a better place, you know. She’s not in pain anymore and I’m glad. I miss her, but I’m glad she isn’t sick or hurting anymore.”

“What about your father? Who’s this woman he’s with now?”

Ruby grunted. “Dad married Katrina nine months after Mom died. She was a medical assistant with the Mom’s doctor. This woman …”

“You stepmother.”

Ruby glared at Bryce. “She’s earned no title in my life.”

Bryce leaned back and spread his hands innocently. “My apologies.”

Ruby stared at Bryce a moment. “I believe she had her sights set on him the day Mom was diagnosed. I don’t know if anything was going on between them while Mom was sick. I suspect it could have been. Anyway, she convinced him that he needed to leave Tanger Falls and get away from this place to start over. They moved to Atlanta right after they got married. He’s never come back.”

“Have you gone to see him?”

“Once or twice, during the holidays,” Ruby said. “Katrina changed him. I don’t know him anymore. He used to be hardworking and down to earth, but now all he cares about are material possessions and social connections. He’s shallow and superficial, just like her.”

Bryce leaned forward. “Perhaps the pain of losing your mother was so great that he developed this new life to protect himself from grief.”

“Or perhaps he’s selfish jackass,” Ruby hissed. She twisted the ring on her finger.“It doesn’t matter. For all intents and purposes, you’re right. I’m an orphan. My mother died and the father I knew is dead too. I had no siblings and my cousins live all over the southeast and I’m not close to them. So yea, I have no family. All I have is my work and my friend, Denise.”

“What about boyfriends or lovers? I didn’t see any men in your life. I mean, other than your father and people you work with.”

“Tanger Falls isn’t a social hotbed.”

“When’s the last time you went on a date?”

Ruby laughed. “A real date?  It’s been so long that I can’t remember.” She looked down and twisted the
ring again. “I had a boyfriend in college. We dated for a year. He wanted to get married.”

“What happened?”

Ruby sighed. “He decided to join the military and I didn’t want to be a military wife. All that moving around – there’s no stability in that kind of life and that’s not for me. My place is here. My roots are here. He wasn’t
willing to settle here and I wasn’t willing to leave, so that was it. We broke up.”

“Do you know what became of him?”

“He’s stationed in Texas, where he lives with his wife of 6 years and their two kids. Their third child is due in the fall.”

“How do you know? Did you keep in contact?”

Ruby smiled. “Social media.”

“Ah.”

“I’ve dated a few people but nothing’s worked out. I guess I’ve given up.”

“That’s too bad,” Bryce said, “you’re a beautiful woman.”

Ruby brushed the hair out of her face. “I was school beauty queen my junior and senior years. Head cheerleader and prom queen my senior year. Voted ‘best looking’ senior superlative. For all the good that all did. All of my classmates are married and have families and I’m still single with no one in my life but my co-workers and my best friend in the apartment next door.”

“What about your co-workers? Any prospects there?”

Ruby shook her head. “All married.”

“How about online dating?”

Ruby snorted. “Please.”

“Ok,”Bryce said. “I saw this friend you’ve mentioned a couple of times. So there is someone you’re connected with in a good way in life?”

Ruby nodded. “Yes, Denise. She moved in the apartment next door to me just after Mom died. She’s a graphic designer at the firm where I work. We’re best friends.”

“Then you’re not completely alone. That’s good. Perhaps you’re good for each other. You can inspire and encourage one another in creating a better life.”

“I’m not doing so good in that area, as you probably saw.”

Bryce nodded. “I saw a recent disappointment that stung you. It was something at work. Were you passed over for a promotion?”

“I was.” Ruby sighed. “I don’t know what happened. I thought I’d get it. I’ve been working there for eleven years, since they opened. I know the place and the clients better than anybody else. My boss even offered to give me a reference, but when it came time to hire for the position they decided to hire somebody from out of town. They hired a woman from Sevierville, and she’s been awful. She’s changing everything and she’s mean to me.”

“I’m sorry to hear this,” Bryce said. He stared off for a moment. “You said that woman that passed by you a moment ago was your boss?”

“Yes, Cheyenne.”

“And she promised to give you a reference for the job?”

“Yes.”

Bryce turned his gaze to Ruby. “I hate to tell you this, but she lied to you. Not only did she not give you the reference, but she helped this other woman get the job.”

Ruby gasped. “How do you know? I mean, how were you able to see that by holding my ring?”

“I can see people that are connected to you in a limited way. But I didn’t see this by holding your ring. That woman, Cheyenne, she bumped against me in the crowd back there. I sensed deception from her. Holding your ring helped me pull the pieces together and see more clearly.” He closed his eyes. “This other woman that got the job – what’s her name?”

“Millie.”

“Yes, I see. Millie is a friend of Cheyenne’s. They went to school together.” He furrowed his brows as if concentrating. “They are going through similar trials and Cheyenne wanted to help her friend. I see they’re both single parents?”

“Cheyenne is getting a divorce. I don’t know about Millie.”

“She has children but never married the father. Something happened – I can’t see it clearly but it seems he left her. There was deception.” He blinked and stared at Ruby. “It seems you’re surrounded by liars.”

Ruby slumped in her chair. “See, this is what I mean. Everybody has an excuse for why they’re doing what they’re doing and keeping me stuck in place. So they’re single moms and I’m supposed to roll over and play dead so they can get ahead?”

“Ruby,”Bryce said, “I’m not telling you how to perceive this information, I’m just sharing what I see. Remember, I asked you here so I could help you.”

She sighed. “Ok, you said you could help. What should I do? What help do you have to offer?”

Bryce leaned back. “I understand your frustration. You’ve seen a lot of grief and loss in your life, and you deserve better. And you’re right in that their misfortunes are no excuse to mistreat you or anybody else.” He closed his eyes again. “Millie manipulated Cheyenne into helping her get that job. I believe that Cheyenne fully intended and expected for you to get it, but Millie was desperate and wouldn’t let it go until Cheyenne did what she wanted. That wasn’t right. There were plenty of other places where she could have secured just as good a job or even better. She looked to Tanger Falls to run from her problems instead of staying in Sevierville and working them out, and now you’re paying for her mistake. That’s not right.” Bryce opened his eyes, and they flared with anger. “In fact, making others pay for your mistakes is the greatest injustice in life. Millie will pay for this one. I say be patient. By this time tomorrow she will know the error of her ways and it will be set right.”

Ruby stared at Bryce. “Ok, how?”

“What do you mean, how?”

“You said you’d help me. So how is this going to happen? What am I going to do?”

“You aren’t going to do anything. You’re going to go about your life and leave this to fate.”

“Ok, so how’s that going to work by this time tomorrow?”

Bryce smiled, but something about the smile was frightening. “There are many possible solutions. But I will tell you this. Millie is being mean for the sake of being mean. There’s no ulterior motive for it. She’s just being spiteful. She feels like the world is mistreating her and she has a right to mistreat it back. But she’s wrong.” Bryce reached for Ruby’s hand again and held it. “Don’t worry about it, Ruby. Fate is a funny thing but it always acts appropriately. I can see that she’s about to move out of your life permanently.”

Ruby shuddered and pulled her hand away from Bryce’s cold grasp and glanced at her watch. “Look, I promised to meet my friend back at the festival and I’d better go before she comes looking for me. What do I owe you?”

Bryce shook his head. “I said it was free. You honored your part of the bargain by accepting my offer. I’ll honor my part. But please, don’t worry. Things will move in a better direction for you soon.”

Ruby smiled stiffly and waved. “Thanks for your time. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure was mine,” Bryce said, kissing her hand and walking away into the crowd gathering for the children’s afternoon play.

Ruby rushed through the crowd back to the picnic table, where Denise was waiting. Denise stood as she saw Ruby approach. “Hey girl, how was the hike?” She pulled back. “What’s wrong? You’re pale. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Ruby thought about telling Denise about Bryce, but changed her mind as she saw her friend’s bright smile. Warmth penetrated her and drove out the chill from her encounter with the mysterious man. “It’s nothing. It was just a little chilly in the woods with that breeze blowing. I feel better out here in the sun.”

Denise studied Ruby for a moment, then nodded. “Ok, glad you’re better. How was your hike?”

“My hike? Oh, it was ok. It was revealing. You know how that time alone is. You get some clarity and perspective on life.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it. So, what’s next?”

Ruby looked at the people milling about. “I think I’ve been outside enough for one day. Why don’t we go see that movie in Knoxville?”

Denise raised an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to stay out of crowds?”

Ruby shrugged. “Well, we’ve been in one here. The only difference is that we’d be in the air conditioning there. And it looks like the weather is nice, so it will be a pretty drive. Why wait? I’d kind of like to get out of town for a
few hours anyway.”

Denise nodded. “I’ll split the cost of gas with you if you’ll drive.”

Ruby smiled. “Ok, let’s go.”

Bryce watched from the edge of the woods as the two women walked away. Everything was set. Now it was time to get moving.

Obscure Day Off and Other Random Musings

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:11:12 -0800

So I was off work today for Confederate Memorial Day. I know, I know, nobody's heard of it outside those of us that work for SC State Government. I honestly can't explain it. Several years ago they took away Election Day and our optional holiday and gave us Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Confederate Memorial Day instead. Frankly, I'd rather have election day off but that's the way it rolls round these parts.

Our HVAC unit quit on us day before yesterday. Got home from work on Wednesday and it was a wee bit warm in here. Turns out the unit had a major freon leak and bad coils. They're getting us a new one and will install it tomorrow. Thanks God for His mercies, because the temperature dropped the past few days. Highs in the mid to upper 70's and lows in the 60's. It's gotten a bit above our preference range around mid day, but overall it hasn't been bad. We open the windows when we're home and that helps. The house is getting aired out and the birds seem to enjoy the open windows. They aren't bothered by this at all. In fact, I don't think they're phased a bit. But I thank the Lord over and over for the mild weather and the timing of this (specifically, that it didn't happen when highs are in the 80's and 90's because it has been in the 90's a few times recently). It's been a darned inconvenience, but not too bad. I pray things go as planned and we get the unit installed tomorrow. Rick can't get off work, so I'm the one on home duty for this one. Looks like tomorrow will be a good day to work on Move.

Speaking of Move, the ideas are really coming along. I pretty much have the whole novel mapped out. Of course, there's the issue that I've been sick the past 2 nights with a headache so bad I couldn't possibly look at a computer screen. And I have to work, and of course my poor hands and wrists need a break from typing every now and then. I tell you, I think that if I had a free week I could write the entire rough draft. But alas, I don't, and so I shall peck at it as I can. But that's ok. I don't want to rush this one. I made the mistake of rushing with Splinter to get it done for National Novel Writing Month and I don't want to do that again. I'm glad I entered that because it was one of those things I always eyed NaNo with great interest, but it's really not suitable for a person with a home, family nearby, and full time job - especially in November when Thanksgiving rolls around. But having to pound out 50,000 words in a month was just stressful. I'm not doing that again, at least not while I'm working full time. I really enjoyed writing Anywhere But Here and Blurry, and I believe it was because I took my time and that allowed me to enjoy the process of having the ideas develop and the story come to life. So I'm taking my time and so far I have been enjoyed working on Move.

Believe it or not, I already have an idea for my next book. I don't know if I've mentioned this (I don't think I have), but I've recently pondered a return to non-fiction. Well, today I was in Barnes & Noble and while walking past pet books I had the idea: Why don't I write a book about having birds as pets? I know I don't have a biology degree and I'm not a vet, but goodness, I've had 6 birds in my life. I think, at least from the petowner perspective, I'm certainly experienced. It's a general idea now, but it has me intrigued. I'll ponder this further and if I'm able to brainstorm some ideas then I'll take a shot at drafting this one after I get the rough draft of Move done.

And if that works it really will be interesting and a new experience, because I've always worked on one book at a time, from rough draft to final draft. I've just never had 2 book ideas at once. This is a new thing, and frankly I find it exciting! It's great to have the Spirit inspiring me so much again. I haven't really written much since Anywhere But Here, with personal life changes and then getting published - so it's great to be actually writing again and have the ideas coming. I say keep that inspiration flowing and keep the ideas coming, Lord!

I am feeling better with my sinus infection today. No more headache, sneezing or congestion. I still feel a bit feverish from time to time, and I'm slow and tire easily, but overall I'm much better. The antibiotic has worked quickly and I'm thankful for that too!

That's all for today. Take care all. I hope you have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a great weekend.

Bye!

Sick

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:58:31 -0800

I want to post a brief dispatch to let you know that I haven't forgotten about blogging, nor have I been entirely sucked into the new book I'm writing (although that could happen ...). Truth is, I'm sick. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a sinus infection yesterday. And they put me on a strong antibiotic, so the treatment is almost as bad as the cure.

Isn't that the way? Go figure.

But really, I have to say that I believe I've set a record. The doctor said the last time I came in with a sinus infection was 11 months ago. Considering that I've averaged 2-3 sinus infections a year since my pre-teens, that's a record. Not a bad run, really. I have been blessed with my health being overall good so for that I can't complain.

So that's what's up. I've been in and out of work with it - trying to keep things moving, you know - and I better get back to it now. I just wanted to drop in and let you know I'm still around. Just moving slower these days. But the medicine is working quickly so I hope to be back on my feet very soon.

Take care. I hope the rest of your week is good. More later.

Bye!

Insanity

Fri, 04 May 2012 15:59:57 -0800

Yep, that's the right word to describe my schedule these days. It seems there's always something going on. Over the past few weeks we've visited with family, visited with friends, did work on our committees at church, and cleaned house. Work is chaos with license renewals for our biggest program and the legislature making the final push to get things running before regulations time out this month and next month. This has been a brutal session because they're questioning everything with fees down to the jot and tittle and guess what? There are fees in one of my regulations.The June 7 close of the session will be a huge relief - for better or for worse. So that's meant a lot of meetings, on top of meetings I've already had.

Add to that the fact that I didn't feel 100% well with my sinuses 2 days this week but couldn't take off because I had meetings (big surprise), that our big "Share Our Stuff" spring event is tomorrow morning at the church, and I started writing my new book (Move), this week and - yea, insanity.

Incidentally, it's not really out of place for me to start writing a book when things are crazy. It seems the inspiration always hits when I don't have a minute to spare and it seems I have to sledgehammer time into my schedule to peck some research here and a chapter there. I can't explain it. Things will be calm and I'll have writer's block, but let my schedule fill up with dots on every day of my calendar in my iPhone, and the muse is firing off left and right. Maybe the high level of activity feeds inspiration, or gives me more to draw off of. I have to admit that I pounded out a chapter today durning my lunch hour with no problem. In fact, sometimes I find it easier to write scenes there that are in a work related setting. Maybe it's because I'm already in a work-mindset and I can draw inspiration from what I've been dealing with recently. Yes, it's easiest to write in the quiet with free time, but sometimes those short slices of free time feed my muse, I guess by allowing me to draw inspiration from recent experience.

Or maybe I'm just weird and have a busy lifestyle where I've adapted to being able to write anytime I can find a minute. I learned in college that there's no such thing as dead time. They taught me to be a master at handling my schedule and I learned I can squeeze things into every minute of every day. In fact, sometimes I have to plan to take time off. I guess I'm driven. It seems I always have some personal project going on top of everything else. No sooner do I finish the birdhouse village than I'm off and running on my next novel. This one should keep me occupied for a while - and there's no telling what's next.

That's all for today. Happy Friday to you. I hope you have a great weekend.

Bye!

And We're Off!

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:34:59 -0800

Hi everybody, I'm excited to announce that I officially started the rough draft of my next novel tonight! The working title for this book is Move, and wow, it's going to be a wild ride. I'd like to share bits and pieces of the manuscript here as I work on it because I'd really like to share the journey I take with this book. Because a book is journey for both writer and reader. Often the reader only experiences the final draft, but I'd like to share the entire ride with you.

Here's the prologue that I just wrote. Bear in mind that it's a very rough draft and, of course, subject to change:

Prologue


“Please state your name for the record.”


Cheyenne stared at the detective sitting across the table with suspicious green eyes. “I thought this was an informal interview.”


Detective Claire Barnes fiddled with the microphone cord. “It is, but this old tape recorder can’t see you. Since we don’t have a video camera, I’ll ask you to humor me. Please state your name.”

“Cheyenne Wilkins,” she said, pushing a strand of dark brown hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.

“Cheyenne, were you in the building when the fire started?”

Cheyenne clutched the coffee cup in her hand, digging a manicured finger into the styrophone. “No, I had left the office for the day an hour earlier.”

“How did you know the building was on fire?”

“The alarm company called.”

“Why would the alarm company call you?” Detective Barnes asked.

“I’m the business manager,” Cheyenne said. “I’m responsible for office operations and security.”

Detective Barnes flipped through her notepad. “I understand that’s your duty, but my records say that Brett Goodard is the company president. Why wouldn’t he want to be designated as the primary contact for the alarm company?”

“He lives in Knoxville. I’m only a few blocks away. I can get here much faster.”Cheyenne sipped her coffee and sat the cup down with a shaky hand. “He thought it would be best if somebody close by were designated for that. You know, so someone could be here quickly in case anything happened.”

Detective Barnes stared at Cheyenne. “Why would he be concerned about that?”

Cheyenne looked away. “I don’t understand what the problem is. Doesn’t it make sense for the company president to designate somebody close by to keep an eye on things, especially if they have a long commute?”

“I suppose so,” Detective Barnes said, closing her notebook. “Cheyenne, from our previous conversations I take it you’re a no-nonsense person, so I’m going to ask you straight. Is there anybody with your company that had a grudge against you?”

Cheyenne’s blue eyes widened. “Me?”

“Well, anybody with the company. Have you terminated anybody? Was anybody disgruntled? Were there any office politics that might have pushed somebody over the edge?”

Cheyenne set her jaw. “Are you questioning the integrity of the company? We’ve never done anything wrong. Everything has always been above board and honest. We always act in the best interest of our employees.” She reached for the coffee cup but accidentally crushed it, spewing brown liquid over the steel table. “Crap!”she shouted. “Don’t you have any napkins around this office?”

“Forget the coffee, just answer the question.”

“No, this is a mess. We need to clean it up now.”

“I don’t care about the coffee!” Detective Barnes said sternly. “I have two dead people, two missing people, one person nobody can  identify wandering around like a wraith, and an office on fire. I think asking if anybody has a grudge is perfectly sensible. So tell me, Cheyenne Wilkins, is there anybody that was pissed off enough to cause his domino effect of madness?”

Plenty of people talk. It's the ones that act who really cause the trouble.
“Oh God,”Cheyenne said as tears welled in her eyes.

“What, Cheyenne?” Detective Barnes said. “Please, anything helps.”

Tears rolled down Cheyenne’s pale cheeks. “I lied. I lied to the wrong person”

“Who did you lie to?”

“Ruby Josen.”

Detective Barnes flipped through her notes and nodded. “I see. Ok Cheyenne, tell me the story. What did you lie to her about?”

Cheyenne looked toward the ceiling, the tears in her eyes glinting in the harsh light of the lamp hanging over the table. “Everything. And now she’s doing something about it.”

Things Gone By

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:46:21 -0800

I’ve had 2 people ask me if I miss working at my old department this week. I could understand if one person asked, but to have 2 people ask from completely different places does make it seem a bit odd. Another thing that makes it odd is that I was transferred almost 2 years ago. It seems to me that I wouldn’t be psychologically stable if I hadn’t adjusted to my current department in such a long period of time. But one of them pressed on and asked if I missed anything about the former place.

At that point, I naturally wondered if I was being baited for some reason. I honestly told them that I did have a couple of friends that I missed from time to time when I saw or heard things that reminded me of them, but the overall answer to the question is that I’m happy where I’m at and I wouldn’t go back even if I could. This is where I am, this is where I belong, and I’m 100% ok and happy with it.

It was a curious question, but I think I made a good admission. Things are always passing in and out of our lives, and it’s natural that we will miss some things. We miss people that have passed away or whose paths have diverged from our own. It’s natural to be nostalgic for what was from time to time and to miss things that have passed us by. And, of course, there are those “little blessings” along the way that we miss – things so little that sometimes we don’t realize it until they’re gone. For example, I miss:

1. My parakeets. Zack, Chloe and Ollie aren’t the first birds I’ve had. When I was in my teens, I had 3 budgies named Petsy, Samson, and Delilah. Funny thing is, I came upon them much the same as I came upon my current 3: We bought Samson, decided he was lonely so we got Delilah, and then adopted Petsy from my great-aunt when she had to go in a nursing home with Alzheimers. (Remember we got Zack, he got lonely so we got Chloe, then they found Ollie at Rick’s work and we wound out keeping him too.) Like our current 3, they each had a unique personality and were full of personality and spunk. They died in 1996 rather close together – Delilah of an infection in August, Petsy of pneumonia in October, and Samson probably died of heart failure (he was 13) two weeks after Petsy. I was so hurt when they died that I said “never again” to pets. Yea, right. We got Zack in 2000, and after we got Chloe and Ollie in 2010 I finally admitted that I’ll always have birds and will clean cages for the rest of my life. See http://conurecorner.weebly.com for more on my current flock. They even have a blog!

2. My 1993 Dodge Daytona. We all have that one car that’s just perfect, and this was mine: a metallic blue sports car I got just before high school graduation. I got it brand new and absolutely loved it. I drove it until late 2006 when someone hit me in the parking garage at work. Although it wasn’t a bad accident, the damage was bad enough that they couldn’t 100% fix it, especially since the last Daytona’s were made in 1994 and replacement parts were becoming scarce. I now drive a 2006 Grand Prix. I like it and am very satisfied with it, but it just doesn’t have that same “zing” that the Daytona had. And ironically, Pontiac died a few years after I got the Grand Prix – so it seems that whatever car I buy is doomed to be discontinued or the dealer will shut down altogether. Looks like the chances of me being a repeat customer are slim with this track record.

3. Cross stitching. A friend at my former workplace taught me how to cross stitch in 2004 and I absolutely loved it. I even got adventurous and did a large pattern of a dragon and wizard, which I entered in the 2009 State Fair. I didn’t win anything, but it’s still hanging over my mantle and I get a lot of compliments on it. I did a few projects after the dragon, including one of Jesus that graces our entry way, but getting published required more of my time because I had to add doing publicity to my already full schedule with a full time job, home, family, work, writing, and church activities. I had to cut several hobbies and I finally had to make the painful decision that this one had to go on an indefinite hiatus while I build up my writing. I fully intend to take it up again someday when my life is less busy but for now, I’m focused on building my lifelong dream of being a good, well-respected novelist.

4. Smallville and Supernatural on Thursday nights. Ok, it’s not so much the shows themselves as it is that we
designated Thursday night as our “TV Night” every week. It was very nice to have both shows that we watch come on back to back on the same night. Smallville wrapped up after 10 years last season, Supernatural comes on Fridays now, and the new show that we watch, “The Secret Circle” comes on Thursday nights. At any rate, I discovered that I’m usually done with household stuff and writing by 9PM, so having the shows on separate nights doesn’t crimp my style at all. And, as I said, we can always make Friday our TV night with the advantage of DVR, although it’s not completely the same.

5. Free time in the afternoon on weekdays. Wow, I didn’t appreciate what a precious gift that was until I graduated from college and was in a full time job. It’s rare too, only enjoyed by those in school and retirees. That was truly a “don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone”situation for me. I fully appreciate it on days off, vacations and even sick days now.

And come to think of it, I missed one with that person I talked to about my former job. It’s not just the friends I miss. I also miss those outstanding ham subs they made in the canteen on Tuesdays and Fridays. I’ve checked everywhere and I’ve found close, but not as good as that!

The point is that I believe it’s natural to miss things with the changing nature of life, and that’s ok. Life takes us through many paths and seasons and it adds to the richness of our experiences. But we also need to be mindful of where we are and enjoy the blessings that we have, because you never know when things will change – and sometimes, things change quickly and with little warning. So be grateful for those things that have blessed you, but don’t live in the past. They added to who you are so you can appreciate the present.

That’s all for today. Happy Friday to you, and I hope you have a great weekend.

Bye!

Boom!

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:31:29 -0800

Folks, it’s amazing I’m alive. I stepped on a landmine recently.

Yep, I sure did. I asked someone I know if they had spoken to a mutual acquaintance lately and was harshly accused of trying to pick a fight. After some ranting and admonitions about “minding my own business” they revealed that no, they hadn’t spoken to the person.

Well, pardon me.

How many times has that happened to you? You know what I mean. A memory trigger brings something to mind so you ask about it, only to be criticized for asking, or accused of being nosy, or being told to mind your own business. You didn’t realize that you were drifting into sacred territory – after all, it hadn’t been a sensitive issue before – but something changed and you get cut down for not knowing what you haven’t been told.

I know it does hurt. It’s downright rude and offensive. But in such situations, I think it’s important that we keep a valuable truth in mind: the harsh reactions are a protective mechanism. These reactions are as good as
renting a digital billboard saying “I have issues with this!” They think a harsh reaction will teach you to back off. They don’t realize that may work, but they’re also exposing a chink in their armor. I compare these attacks where there’s no threat to an allergic reaction: An innocent substance gets in your system but for some reason your body perceives it as a threat, so it reacts.

The truth is that we all have emotional issues that we hold close in order to protect ourselves. None of us are really an "open book" no matter how forthright and honest we are or strive to be. We all have things we keep in our innermost circle and don't invite others in. That's fine. There are certain things we should keep private. The problem is that some people stretch that inner circle to hold in more than others, oftentimes things that others don't have a problem sharing and even seek help and support in handling. How much we hold in is up to us, but we need to kill the correlation between the one thing that pricks us and the whole world being out to get us. Emotionally charged issues tend to cloud our judgement and scew our perspective to a point where we believe it really is all about us - and nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, most of the people in this world don't even know us, and a great number who do know us don't have an emotional investment in us. For all our trials and tribulations, we personally interact with a limited number of people at a time and believe it or not, most of them mean us no harm. Some (gasp!) might actually want to help and support us, and our knee jerk reactions to scare people away from sacred territory may scare them away. When emotions run high, it would behoove us to realize that, in the words of the late, great C.S. Lewis, "sometimes an apple is just an apple." Believe it or not, there aren't double meanings or ulterior motives to everything under the sun.

I think the best thing to do in these cases is to back off. We all tend to cut others off from very emotionally sensitive issues and if a person chooses to do that then it’s disrespectful to try to bully your way in. It’s a shame, especially when you want to help and support them. But if they choose to shut others out and suffer alone, well, it’s best to respect their wishes and let them. After all, you can’t force people to open up, seek help or do the right thing. Sometimes the best you can do is back off and continue with the rest of your life.

And as for the person I unintentionally angered, well, I am sorry. I see the “keep out” sign now and believe
me, I certainly will. I’ll give you the space you desire, but realize the ball's in your court. It’s your responsibility to let me know when or if the landmine is diffused.

That’s all for today. I hope you enjoy the video inspiration to go along with this entry below. Bye!