Back in the Groove

One of my New Year resolutions was to revisit blogs and blogging, beside LadyScribes where I am active.  We won't mention that it is already February 11th and I am just now getting around to this (oops, I wasn't going to mention it).  While I might not post, as I rarely have anything interesting to say, I will be reading. 

When your plate is full, what to you get rid of, or put off? Writing, reading, Facebook, blogs, dinner with friends . . .?  Is there a magic formula out there somewhere that allows an author to do it all, short of never sleeping?

Wow, Where Did the Time Go?

I cannot believe I have not posted since March. When I had to put blogging on a back burner I never thought I would be away this long. I barely managed my every other week blog for LadyScribes.

A lot of things have happened that have been priority. Namely, my husband was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. That actually happened last fall but this spring was when decisions had to be made, etc.  He had surgery a few weeks ago and is recovering well.

My mother no longer drives and her health has not been the best. So, I visit there and take her grocery shopping, to have her hair done etc. Oh, and she fell and broke her wrist this summer, but it has mended well.

What else? Oh yes, my son got his driver's license. Oddly, I find I am praying for him a lot more.  :).

My daughter also moved from Illinois to Oregon to finish school. I miss her terribly, but I did have a chance to visit and love it out there. I can't wait to go back.

So, that was my summer. How was yours?  I hope to catch up on all the blogs I've missed because I do miss reading them all.

Powerful Prayful Post 3/6/11

It has been sometime since I posted a Powerful Prayful Post. I didn't stop praying (I could never do that). I just got away from posting.

I saw a really good movie last night that left an impact. Defiance. The movie was released in 2008, but I just discovered it.

"Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe escape into the Belarussian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and about 1,000 Jewish non-combatants." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034303/.

The Bielski brothers could have escaped, made their way to safety somehow, or at the very least, not take anyone else with them so as not to risk discovery. Instead, they helped hundreds who would have faced unspeakable horror and most likely, death. According to Wikipedia, 1236 Jews survived because of these brothers.

Prior to the movie I had not heard for the Bielski brothers though I wish I would have. The world needs to hear about the unselfish heroes in our world, past and present. We need to learn of the goodness, especially when the news is filled with so many depressing things.

What heros do you know of who deserve more recognition, whether they want it or not?

In my prayers this week I am going to remember all of our soldiers, fighting for the freedoms we all enjoy and protecting us with their very lives.

How can I pray for you this week?

Contest

We all know there are all kinds of contests out there for writers. I tend to pay attention to those for the romance writer. After I establish it is a romance contest I look to see if they have an inspirational category, and most do. In fact, I was very happy with the last contest I entered :). Today I came across a new contest. This is for Christian fiction, and books published in 2010. I am sure that most of you know of someone who has published a Christian / Inspirational book in 2010 that you just loved. Here is a chance to nominate them. At least, that is what I understand from the rules.

Just thought I would pass it on. http://www.grace-awards.com/

But you should note, time is running out. I beleive the deadline is March 15th.

My second inspirational historical romance was published this past weekend, The Healing Tree. It is the first in a trilogy and I couldn't be happier or more thrilled.

Lady Lilian Bliant appears to be a serene earl’s daughter, but under her exotic façade she has a spine of steel. She is determined to thwart her manipulative father’s plan to shackle her to a weak-willed man of the ton and is successful until Lord Maxwell Warrick becomes a suitor.

Lord Max is anything but weak-willed. He is happy with his life until Lady Lilian wreaks havoc on his heart. Despite her continued rejection, Max wants Lily to trust him, trust in his love, and have faith in the Lord.

With the Lord’s guidance, and through prayer, he begins to hope that one day their differences will be put aside and Lily will accept his faith as her own and Max as her husband.

This has been one of my favorite stories for a long time and it is exciting to see it in print, so to speak since it is only available in an e-format.

This was suppose to be the third book but the original second one is not out yet. Funny how things happen.

Have a great week!

Love is Timeless

What is your favorite love quote? Visit ladyscribes.blogspot.com and let me know.

Stepped Out of My Comfort Zone

Today I tried something new. For those who know me I am behind the scenes type of person. I write my novels from my laptop and prefer to remain in the background. The idea of promoting, in person, has always terrified me. It is the same with the theater. I love being at the theater, but I love being in the makeup room and never on stage. I've never known if it is shyness, awkardness, who knows. I just know that being up front and noticed has never been something I am comfortble with.

Well, as the title states, I stepped out of my Comfort Zone and appeared on a local show today, Good Company, and promoted my book, Loving Lydia. It was the Week of Love on Good Company and they had some wonderful segements for restaurants, jewelry, clothing, etc. And, they gave away one of my books each day this week, which I loved. Then it came time for me to be on the show. I think I must have lost five pounds (not a bad thing) from stressing over this.

Anyway, I thought I would share it on the blog today. My first blog for February (how sad is that). The Wizard of Oz will close on Sunday so I know I will have more time to blog after that. It has been a fun run, but exhausting. There were times I wasn't sure I would ever get the green out from under my fingernails - but the witch looked awesome. Add the silver from the tinman, browns from the scarecrow, pinks and sparkles for Glenda, and a rainbow of colors on the munchkins, the back of my hands and fingers made for some very interesting color combinations.

Anyway, I digress. Here is the segment of the show: Loving Lydia Segment on Good Company.

I am not sure if I will do something like this in the future, but I am glad it did this today. I think it is good to step out of your comfort zone on occasion, don't you? When is the last time you did and what was it ?

Software for Writers

Today I am blogging at www.ladyscribes.blogspot.com about the various software available for writers. Stop by and let me know your thoughts. I would especially love to hear from you if you use any of the programs available.

I'm Off to See the Wizard

It is show time again. Well, I won't actually be on stage (that will never happen), but I will be doing makeup. If you can't tell by the title, the show is the Wizard of Oz. This is going to be a busy one, with a lot of changes. Thank goodness I have a team of about 6 other people. Thank you, ladies!!!!!!

This is also a challenge. Right now, I am trying to decide if I want to use a green cream or powder on the Wicked Witch. I hate to put her in the cream so many nights, but she needs to have the right look. In a lot of shows you can go with what the makeup chair thinks would look great and you aren't necessarily stuck with a specific look. Such is not the case with the Wizard of Oz. If I mess up, it won't only be the reviewer making note but a five-year-old will probably be calling me out as well.

All and all I can't wait to work more on this show. The cast is great and the director is wonderful. If you happen to be in Central Illinois at the beginning of February, make plans to see the well-loved family classic.

Now, to figure out what to do about the flying monkeys . . . And, will I ever get "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" out of my head?

Have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz on stage? Did you you enjoy it as much as the movie or did you like it better?

Ruby Red Slippers

On Friday, the weekend didn't start off so great. I got ready to leave work and could not find my car keys. I emptied out the purse, check the coat pockets and looked underneath the desk. Finally, I decided to check my car. Yep, there they were. sitting on the front seat of my locked car. My poor husband had to leave work, run home for the spare set and bring them to me. He is such a sweetheart.

All I wanted to do was get home. I had a weekend planned of writing, editing and blogging but I was stuck cooling my heels. If I only had Dorothy's ruby red slippers I could just click them three times and be where I wanted to be. By the way, I am working on the Wizard of Oz right now which is probably why I thought of those shoes.

Then I had a thought, what if the ruby red slippers could take you anywhere you wanted to go, not just home. Given we were lucky to get to 6 degrees today, I would be clicking those babies until I was delivered to a warm tropical beach somewhere.

What about you? Lets pretend you can use the ruby red slippers for one day to take you anywhere you want to go, where would it be?

Focus

Do you ever have too many balls in the air and not sure which one to catch and work on? I think that is where I am right now. My mind is split in several directions and I have only myself to blame. At the moment I am: Beta Reading a wonderful manuscript for one of my critique partners; Want to work on the two WIP's that I am at least 1/3 of the way through on both; and thinking about two separate theater projects.

Whew!

Oh, and I also need to get my edits back to my publisher so Pure is the Heart can be released in March, and think about the many ways I can market it. This is what I am most excited about and can't believe I didn't mention it first. And, I am not complaining. Everything listed is something I love to do. I just find I lack time. Really, how important is sleep?

Well, I am sure it will all work out they way it should. As long as I keep making room for prayer and worship all should be good, right?

What do you do when you find you have booked yourself for more hours than there are in the day?

And as this is Powerful Prayful Sunday, how can I pray for you this week. Prayer is something I am never too busy for.

Where to Begin?

(Warning, this post tends to ramble, much like I do at times when trying to determine a direction)

I am about 38% of the way through my latest WIP. It is a sequel to a story I have been sending out and entering in contests. I originally started with a Prologue to give a little background. I then dumped that to start at a more exciting and action filled spot. However, now I find I am adding in backstory (more than I like, and probably readers as well).

So, now I am wondering if I acutally need to start the story earlier, at another exciting point to avoid all of the backstory. But, the delimma with this is I will have approximately two chapters in one year and the third chapter will start two years later. I am not sure I want to do that if readers would be bothered by it.

This is not unusual for me. However, I usually dump the first to third chapters because a lot of the time it takes me that long to get into the flow of the story and I realize I was only practicing and getting to know my characters for the first 20+ pages. This is the first time I've thought about actually starting earlier to add on instead of dumping.

Do you ever have the problem of starting your story at one point and then realize it needs to be started earlier or later, only to find yourself wondering if you should change it again? From a reader's perspective, how do you feel about stories that jump two years, as long as it is still a smooth transition?