Make Friends Monday

First of all, I'm quite aware that it isn't actually Monday, but I really am running about a week and a half behind, so here we go. Tristi started a feature on her blog where she highlights some of her blogging friends every Monday. It is a great way meet new people and learn a few interesting things about them. She mentioned me here. Tristi is a wonderful person and friend. I met her several years ago at a writer's conference and have always been impressed with her great attitude. She is a wonderful person who always cheers the rest of us on.  Here is a little more about Tristi:

Tristi Pinkston has been blogging since 2006.  On her main blog, (http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com) she covers everything from writing tips and the life of a published author to kid funnies, spiritual thoughts, and embarrassing moments.  She also has a weight loss blog, one for writing challenges, another for her fictional characters … and she lost count of how many others she has.  You can find the links for them on her sidebar.

Tristi is the author of five published novels and a whole kit ‘n caboodle of unpublished novels.  Right now she’s focusing on cozy mysteries, although she has written historical fiction in the past and plans to write more in that genre.  She works as a freelance editor, online writing instructor, and a virtual book tour coordinator.  She loves taking long naps, being charmingly annoying, and watching good movies.  She’s a Mormon, a homeschooler, a Cubmaster, and most of the time, a headless chicken.

If you've never met her, pop on over to her blog. If you do know her, head on over and say hi, she would love to have you.

Just Wait Until You See Amazing

Yesterday I played the piano for my daughter when she sang in church. She has had a sore throat and cold over the last week, and as we were practicing Saturday night she was concerned that her voice would crack and she wouldn’t do as well as she usually does. Still, she was confident that she would do fine. Her vocal teacher told her that she already has “very good” down pat and now she has to work on being amazing. But even if she has a less than stellar performance, as long as she puts in her best effort, the audience will still love “very good”.

How often do we do something well, but won’t share with others because it isn’t amazing? When working on a manuscript, I can edit for months and still feel like the words just aren’t cooperating with me. The temptation to hide it in a drawer and never let anyone see it is always there, yet I know that letting the story molder away in a corner defeats the purpose. I write for others. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing something that flowed from my pen has touched someone’s life and got them thinking. That hidden away manuscript doesn’t help anyone, especially me.

I often have to bite my tongue when someone tells me about a scene in my book that they particularly loved. So often the first thoughts in my mind are how I could make it better, because let’s face it, nothing is perfect. When I step back and think about the comments I’ve received, I realize that the stories I tell can touch people’s lives despite their imperfections.

It’s like my daughter’s singing. To most of us, her voice is amazing – clear, sweet, strong. Yet she hears the word that didn’t come out exactly right or the note that didn’t get held as long as she wanted.  Despite still having much to learn about the voice and how to use it, she always brings a wonderful spirit into the room when she shares her talent. The rest of us wish we could sing as beautifully.

It’s interesting being imperfect. There is always something new to learn, a different technique to try, a mistake to fix, and a new skill level to reach for. I think if I wrote the perfect book every time, the process would lose something and become boring. For me, part of the joy is the learning I do along the way. I keep reminding myself, if our audiences love our “very good,” just wait until they see amazing!

Catching Up

Life has been so hectic and doesn't seem to be settling down. Here is the abbreviated version:

1. Canadian Thanksgiving was this week. We had a lovely dinner with lots of extended family at our home. Everyone contributed so there wasn't too much work for anyone. Great food and great company made for a wonderful evening.

2. My mother and step-father are staying with us for a few days. They are visiting from Arizona and have been with us a week. I haven't seen my mom in two years. Arizona is such a long distance, so it is hard for us to get down there and hard for them to get up here. We've been having a great time visiting, although my work is really falling behind.

3. We've had to hire a tutor for one of the children. When it became obvious that extra help was needed we made the decision to spend the money even though we didn't know where it would come from. Less than twenty-four hours later, I received a phone call from the school offering me a two month position, filling in for someone who is taking medical leave. It is definitely one of those tender mercies. I'm so grateful to know He watches over our needs.

4. NaNoWriMo is coming up quickly. With the new job and everything else I have to work on, I'm not sure I'll be signing up, but I haven't entirely ruled out the possibility yet.

5. My oldest daughter informed me the other day that there is a formal dance coming up at the school. Out school usually holds one formal dance during the year, but in the last few years I've noticed they are planning more and more. Of course this means that she needs to find a dress. Because she is a difficult size to find and the local shopping is incredibly limited, I have some sewing to do. It'll be fun if I can just get her to decide what she wants.

6. My office is almost finished and as soon as I put the final touches in, I'll post pictures. I'm very happy with how it turned out, although the project did remind me that I don't really enjoy painting. I'd much rather do my creating with words or with a needle and thread.

7. So far the reports I've been getting on Finding Rose have been positive. I'm getting many requests for the second book.

8. And that all leads back to the writing. The next story is almost entirely plotted. I have a little research to finish up and then I'll get it all on paper. I'm excited about the story and some new characters who have taken up residence in my mind.

Winning Mr. Wrong by Marie Higgins

"Will an internet list help Charley win her man?

Whoever said the quest for love wasn't comical never met Charlene Randall. Charley is looking for a man who wants to start a family, a man who will take her to the temple. Problem is, she has never dated a man for longer than three months. When she reads an internet article called "Ten Ways to Win Your Man," she decides to try it on her new coworker, Maxwell Harrington. Max was her crush in high school, but the superstar sports anchorman doesn't even remember her.
Enter ladies' man Damien Giovianni, Charley's handsome neighbor, who agrees to help her win Max over. What follows is a hilarious tale of mishaps and misunderstandings where Charley learns that what she really needs may be right in front of her." from deseretbook.com

Marie Higgin's novel, Winning Mr. Wrong, is a fun read. Charley is likeable and her efforts to win the heart of the sports anchorman left me smiling. I found all the characters intersting and the twists in the story kept me guessing about how the book would end. Higgin's writing was engaging and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance.

Why I Write

I wrote the following essay for "Get to Know You Monday" on the Walnut Springs blog. It seemed to capture all the reasons I keep staring at a computer screen trying to make the story in my head make sense on paper. 

"I write because I made up my mind years ago that I would be published someday. Books have always been one of my favourite things. As a child I read all the time. When I was about five years old, I realized that all the books on the library shelves had to be written by someone. I decided then and there that someday I would have my name on the cover of a book and my story would fill the pages inside. 

I write to express myself. As a teenager, writing was a way for me to cope with all the confusing emotions that accompany high school. Most of that writing was poetry filled with teen angst but that poetry phase taught me how to use words wisely to be able to get the most power out of them. 

I write for the thrill of discovering the plot and becoming acquainted with the characters. I am not one of those writers who has endless story ideas fighting to be told, but I have enough and when I sit to start something new, there is always an idea that begs for attention. Once a story idea takes centre stage, I can’t put it away until it is done. 

I write for my children. I want them to see that their mother takes her talents seriously and that they, too, can accomplish anything they set their minds to. I also want to tell stories that they can read and that don’t have to be censored. I want them to see that a good story can be told without challenging the moral standards we have in our home.

There have been days when I try to talk myself out of being a writer. The reasons are varied, but it is an argument I never win. That urge to write is too strong. There is an inner voice that tells me to write, that assures me it is what I am supposed to do. The short answer is that I am compelled to write. It is what I do and I can’t imagine life without a story to tell."

That pretty much sums it up, although after a long discussion about the new book I'm working on, my husband came up with one more reason. He pointed out that I like to be in control of things. That is why, for example, I like to be in charge of events rather than be one of the helpers. As he listened to me make things happen in my stories, he came to the conclusion that I like to write because I can control every aspect of my characters' lives. It's a good theory. I'm not sure how true it is as I often lose the battle when I try to get characters to follow certain paths and instead they lead me on a merry chase through uncharted territory. I think I write because I have to know what the ending is. Discovering the story is where the fun lies. And even though I do love to be in control, nine times out of ten, the story just happens.

Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards

 

"Janie Rose Whitaker's world revolved around her chocolate shop until Roger Wentworth and his young daughter moved into the apartment across from Janie's. Anyone would think Roger fit the mold of the "perfect" guy, but soon Janie discovers secrets that could keep them apart forever. Though she resists getting involved in Roger's complicated life, they are drawn further into a bittersweet relationship.

You will laugh, cry, and crave chocolate as you read this LDS paraody of the classic novel Jane Eyre."

Joan Sowards book Chocolate Roses is a fun, modern re-telling of Jane Eyre. Though the story line mirrors the original in some ways, this new version is lighter in tone. It addresses some serious issues, but Sowards does this with skill and sensitivity. The main character, Jane, is likeble, especially because she isn't written as a perfect, beautiful heroine. She also has a dream job, owning her own chocolate shop. I think she is someone many readers will be able to relate to. I only wish the romance had been built up a little more, but then I'm a romantic at heart. Chocolate Roses will have you searching out a little chocolate to eat while you keep guessing at the ending. I enjoyed this book and hope Joan has more stories up her sleeves.

The Snowball Effect

My daughter just had to make my morning and inform me that the forecast was calling for snow on Sunday. It's just one more thing to remind me that summer really seems to be over. I had all sorts of marvellous plans for the two months of summer vacation, but as usual, the time passed and I had to keep chopping projects off my list. I just dream too big and forget how long most things take to do. Even though many of my planned activities didn't happen, other things took their place.

Last spring the shower stall in our downstairs bathroom finally fell apart for good. It has been threatening this for a long time, but when the door fell off this time, we knew it couldn't be fixed. Since we were tearing things apart anyway, I decided it was time to paint and decorate. For those of you who have been in my house, this is not something I normally do. Choosing a paint colour scares me to death. I don't like spending money on home decor when I could spend the same money on food. Most of our house is filled with hand me downs and cast-off furniture that only kind of matches if you squint and use your imagination.

So the kids who share that bathroom gave me their input, and the only colour they could agree on was red. Let me just say that I am not a huge fan of red. I don't wear it and I don't put it in my house. But this is the room they use and we started coming up with a plan. We picked a colour and bought the paint. Then I went to Idaho for a week. When I called home, my husband told me he had finished the first coat. "It looks like dried blood," he said. My daughter got on the phone and reassured me that it really was beautiful. I decided to believe her because the dried blood image was just too disturbing. When I returned home last Saturday I went downstairs to have a look. It is much brighter than I had originally imagined, but my daughter was right. It is quite pretty.

Another project that distracted me from other things is the office. We have one room that serves as an office for my husband and me and also as a guest bedroom. There is a built in bunk bed, several bookshelves and two tables we use as desks. A few weeks ago, my uncle offered me a desk he wanted to get rid of. It is one of the monstrous old teacher's desks that has to be forty years old. It is solid wood and in great shape. I'd been dreaming of a desk with drawers to replace the table, but the problem was the colour. The blond wood just didn't inspire me. So I decided to clean it up and paint it white. A set of new drawer pulls and the desk looks like new. Of course, I couldn't put my shiny new desk in my sad beige office, so another painting project was born. Now everything needs to come out of the office so we can finish that project.

We work on these when we can, but Sunday my mother called to tell us she will be coming for two weeks in October. I guess that will be the added motivation to finish these chores that keep snowballing and get the house put back together. Sadly, I didn't take any before pictures, but I'll be sure to post pictures of the finished rooms.