Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?

I`m trying to figure out how to motivate children for the summer. Sometimes I wish I lived on a farm so there would be chores for the kids to do all day. Instead I have to be creative about getting them to do something valuable with their time. Nothing drives me more crazy than having kids sit in the house all summer long with nothing to do.

The girls are excited to sign up for a summer music camp. They will get the opportunity to work with some professional musicians and even do some recording in a studio. My oldest daughter has an amazing voice and will be taking more lessons in the fall. This will give her an opportunity to try some new things. My youngest daughter also has a beautiful voice and she likes to play the guitar. It should be lots of fun for them.

All the kids talk about working on their stories this summer. They like to joke about how funny it would be if, someday, we all hit the New York Times bestseller list all at the same time. Dreams are good.

What I need to figure out is how to keep the sixteen year old busy. Given the option, he would play the computer all day or lay on the couch and read a book. A little of each is fine, but when he spends the entire day doing either one of those, he sure gets grumpy. So far I`ve come up with quite the list of things to keep him occupied, none of which inspire any excitement in him. It would be nice if he would get a job, but until he gets his driver`s license, there aren`t a lot of options around town. He would have to drive to the city like his sister does. He has been delivering papers for two years, but that is done by 7:00 a.m. That leaves a lot of hours to fill.

It is kind of sad for me to watch kids now. I remember when I was their age, I couldn`t wait until the chores were finished so I could go out and do things with my friends. We swam at the pool just about every day, we went for long bike rides, and wrote and put on plays. It sure is a different world now. I rarely see kids around town during the summer and can only guess that most of them are spending time just like my teenagers. It does make me glad that summer vacation is only eight weeks long. Much longer would be torture for all of us. I wonder what sort of things my grandkids will do to keep themselves busy?

Reaching the Goal

Ever since I first realized that someone had to write all the stories on my bookshelf, I have wanted to be one of those people. Funny how some dreams get put aside and almost forgotten, but they pop up every so often and beg to have some attention. About eleven years ago I began writing again. I finally realized that if I kept putting it off, it would never happen. Something else would always take priority if I let it.

I learned the craft slowly. Sometimes I wasn`t sure exactly what I should write. For a few years, I penned articles for the local newspaper and discovered quickly that, although I could write a good article my heart just wasn`t in it. After dabbling in short stories, I moved on to novels and found the type of story telling I really love. There is something so satisfying about being able to develop an interesting cast of characters, a great setting and an intriging plot.

Of course, writing for myself is fine, but there is always the hope that someone else will see the value in my work. Well, Walnut Springs Press believes in me and is publishing my first novel. It should be  released sometime this summer, although I don't have any specific dates. Right now, even the title is up in the air.

It feels like it has been such a long wait, but I know this is just the beginning. I have many things to learn and many more stories to tell. Reaching the goal of being published is just the first step on the ladder. I`m just getting started and I can`t wait to see what life holds for me in the next eleven years.

*****

Rose Sterling doesn’t take life or her religion seriously, but when her father dies her carefree world is turned upside down and she is forced to grow up. While her mother and brother prepare to immigrate to Alberta, she is sent to live with family in Montana, where the comfort of her Utah home is far away and Mormons are viewed with suspicion. Rose is sure the year ahead of her will be miserable and lonely, but the unexpected attentions of three men force her to make difficult decisions regarding her future. What she finds in Montana teaches her the value of love and the strength of her own beliefs.

Playing Catch Up

Despite all my best intentions to be more consistent with my blogging, I have fallen more behind than ever. You would think with everything going on in my life, I would have lots to say. Instead, most of my brain power is just spent in trying to keep up.

Since February I have been involved with a play the Cultural Arts Society put on. My two oldest children were involved and the youngest was just jealous because she wasn't old enough to try out. Because I am on the board of directors, the question wasn't "Do you want to help?" but "Which job do you want?" Whenever I am given that choice, I pick costumes because I can do it in my own time rather than during scheduled practises.  The kids all looked great during the performances and they did a fantastic job with the play. By the time the final week rolled around, we were all sick of the whole thing, but the next week we were already talking about what play they might choose to do next year. 

Right in the middle of all that busyness, I attended the LDStorymakers conference in Utah. This was my fourth year and as always, it was an amazing experience. I can't believe how much the conference has grown. I remember the first year I went. It was small and perfect for an introvert like me. Now it's like attending a giant family reunion where the family just gets a little bigger every year. I'm already looking forward to next year and hoping that it just might be scheduled at a time when my oldest daughter will be able to come.

My university course has suffered through all this. I'm glad I decided to start with only one since I already had to take an extension on it. Another project came up and I had to make a decision on which took priority. After much discussion with my husband, the school got put aside. I have to hit the books hard now and get those essays written so I can finish the class and sign up for the next one.

With everything going on, I am struggling to get the writing in, but I am constantly working on projects that are stretching my mind in whole new directions. I love how writing keeps my mind active and there is always something new to learn. I only wish there were a few more spare hours to be had. Summer gets closer and I always imagine how I will spend entire days working on the next novel, but in reality, my summer is already booked solid with family vacations, reunions, girls camp and catching up on some sewing for the girls. Honestly though, I seem to work better under pressure. I'm hoping to get another book well on its way in the quiet moments, however rare they are. I'm just glad the kids are old enough to fend for themselves most of the time.

I finally got a calling in the ward after a six month break. They asked me to be the Mia-Maid advisor. I just wondered why they couldn't have called me after girls camp. I went to my first camp meeting last night. At the girls request, they are really roughing it. Sounds scary to me. I don't need showers and running water to camp, but I do have my limits. Hopefully I'll survive. If nothing else, there should be some good fodder for stories. Now just to squeeze out the time to write them all.

The Subtle Difference

Tonight I had the opportunity to attend the school band concert. My children tried to convince me it would be a long, horrible experience full of musical errors and sour notes. They don’t understand that to a mom, every performance is wonderful. The musical selections for the evening revolved around Hollywood and we got to hear songs from Spiderman, Harry Potter, Aladdin, Lord of the Rings, and more. The senior elementary school choir began the evening, followed by the grade six band. I was truly impressed with how well the kids played after only having their instruments for eight months. The evening continued with each grade’s band taking a turn until we reached the high school choir, and the concert band (grades 10, 11, and 12). These groups did an amazing job and finished the evening off with a bang. It was an enjoyable concert.

What I really noticed was how different each level was, and yet how subtle the differences were.  Each grade improved slightly, but if I compared the youngest musicians to the oldest, the difference in skill was amazing. It is neat to see how far they come during the years they spend in band. The youngest kids played well but lacked a some of the finesse the older kids had. They made more mistakes and lacked a little confidence. The older kids had the skill and the ability to play more smoothly, put dynamics into the pieces, and make fewer errors. But they lacked some of the enthusiasm of the younger kids.

It got me thinking about writing. As I’ve been doing some serious editing lately, and when I read things I wrote several years ago, I am amazed at how far I’ve come. The differences between each piece are minor, but when I compare some of the earlier things I wrote with what ends up on the page now, it is gratifying to see the improvement. Even those subtle differences show me that I am still learning and improving my skills. Those day-to-day differences aren’t always noticeable, but they are there. I always tell my kids that as long as you’re learning, then life is good. Every year in band they improve a little more and every time I write, my skills grow. I can’t wait to look back ten years from now and see how far I’ve come. Meanwhile, life is good.

2009 Whitney Award Winners

Best Romance

Counting the Cost
Liz Adair


Best Mystery/Suspense

Methods of Madness
Stephanie Black


Best Youth Fiction

The Chosen One
Carol Lynch Williams


Best Speculative

Servant of a Dark God
John Brown


Best Historical

The Last Waltz
G.G. Vandagriff


Best General Fiction

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Jamie Ford


Best Novel by a New Author
(tie)

I am Not a Serial Killer
Dan Wells

Gravity vs. the Girl
Riley Noehren


Lifetime Acheivement Award

Gerald Lund


Outsatnding Achievment Award

Dave Wolverton

Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston

"Ida Mae Babbitt, president of the Omni 2nd ward Relief Society, didn't mean to become a spy. But when visiting teaching stats are low and she learns that one family under her care is in financial trouble, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure they have what they need. If that includes planting surveillance cameras in their home and watching them from a parked car in the woods, well, isn't that what any caring Relief Society president would do?

With the help of her counselors Arlette and Tansy, Ida Mae soon learns that there's more to the situation than meets the eye. It's all in a day's work for the Relief Society." (from the back of the book)

Tristi Pinkston's new book Secret Sisters is a hilarious tale of a Relief Society presidency that takes the responsiblility of watching over the sisters in their ward a little too seriously. The main character, Ida Mae Babbitt, just wants to take care of people, and when her nephew uses his knowledge of electronic gadgets to help her find out more about the financial problems of a certain family in the ward, Ida Mae and her friends find themselves learning more than they expected. They can't convinice the sheriff to take them seriously and obviously they can't go to the bishop without explaining that they aquired the information through spying. So they take matters into their own hands.

It's interesting how Ida Mae, Arlette, and Tansy justify their actions. What is really funny is when reading the book, I couldn't think of a single Relief Society president who would go to the lengths Ida Mae did to "watch over" the members of her ward, but I could think of several women who wish they could. The story revolves around the characters and their antics. Tristi has developed lovable women who could be your next door neighbors and who you want to know more about. My only complaint about this book was that it was just to short. I can't wait for the second installment in the Secret Sisters series so I can find out what Ida Mae and her friends are up to next.

You can order the book here, and learn more about Tristi here.

I was given a copy of this book for review purposes.

I'll Know You By Heart by Kimberly Job

From the back cover: "The day Stephanie Roberts met Jared Wakefield, she didn't realize they'd met before. Running from an abusive marriage and trying to safeguard her children, she turns to Jared for support, but he needs more from her than she might be capable of giving. With her abusive husband looming in her past, the difficulties they must overcome to be together seem insurmountable.

Is it possible for love to conquer all? I'll Know You By Heart is a timeless romance that explores the possibility that relationships span the entire realm of eternity. A story about abuse, hardship, and betrayal, it is ultimately a story about the healing power of everlasting true love."

I've been looking forward to reading this book since I first read the back cover. Once I got over the eerie coincidence of reading a book about a woman with my name, who is in an abusive marriage, and who has a sister with the same name as one of my sisters, I was drawn into the story. There were moments in the book when I cringed and wondered at some of the choices Stephanie made, but her thoughts as she works through her decisions, seem to acurately describe the emotions and struggles that women go through when they are abused for extensive periods of time.

The story had enough suspense to keep me flipping the pages and cheering for Stephanie and her children, and enough romance to balance out the tension. I half expected the book to be similar to other LDS books I've read where the abusive relationship is glossed over and the abused wife recovers too quickly from her experiences. Instead, Kimberly doesn't shy away from the pain and suffering of her main character. She writes the experiences in a realistic manner and doesn't sugar-coat them in any way.

This is Kimberly Job's first novel and I'll be eagerly watching for her next book. You can purchase I'll Know You By Heart here.