I'm sure somewhere in your childhood you remember making all sorts of crafts in school. My first--one my mom kept forever--was a tiny hand print in plaster from kindergarten. Then there were the special cards for mother's day and father's day, the Easter basket made of construction paper with shredded crepe for grass, the turkey with colorful feathers--mine had an abnormally shaped beak--and of course the Christmas ornaments, using glitter and glue, crayons and markers, bright paper colors of red, blue, green, and many others.
It's nice that tradition has carried on through generations. My children made plenty of those school crafts, and like my mom, I've kept quite a few of them. Of course, projects have become a bit more sophisticated. Ceramic pottery replaced paper constructions in many cases. But those ornaments for the tree, those were the best. Some had their photos attached, along with the year--a chronology of their lives of sorts. Ornaments made in various shapes, globe shapes, candy cane shapes, tree shapes, all kinds of shapes! But the best part were the proud smiles on their faces as they rushed off the bus, how they jumped up and down, squealing with excitement, while they pulled their treasures out their book bags and hung them on the tree.
It's probably overdone, said too often, but it's true. These homemade trinkets are the most precious sentiment one can give and receive. They bring the holiday spirit closer to what it should be. So, lose the commercial fanfare, the insane, over-the-top frenzy and greed of who can out-spend, out-decorate everyone else.
Remember those sweet smiles, the sheer joy on their faces, the spirit in their eyes and those precious homemade gifts. Those are the best.
Merry Christmas!
Yes, yes. Late again. Yet, here I am. I wanted to wait until after my author visit to post, but another day passed and then another. Before the week is entirely gone, I am writing a new post. Part of my excuse deals with the True Blood series. I finished watching the final episodes today with my daughter -- the one who caused all this madness in the first place by suggesting I watch!
I loved it. I truly loved it. And now I'm heartbroken because it's done. After three weeks of binge TV and seven seasons, i.e. 110 episodes, and I refuse to add up the total minutes, I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Sad, yes, I know. But true. Next comes the books. I've only read the first, and there are thirteen Sookie Stackhouse novels. I want to compare the author's writing to the show, how they differ, because I'm assured they do differ. Will post later on that.
Monday evening I made another author visit to my hometown library. It's always fun going back. I don't live that far away now, but I love to reminisce. There were a few visitors, my sister and brother-in-law included. I also got a wonderful surprise to see a high school classmate. I love him for that. We hadn't seen each other since graduation, and I won't admit how many years ago that's been! I sold a few books, but it's the talk that I love the most. Such a great time.
Next up, the Learned Owl Bookshop on Saturday. Signing at bookstores is so different. Engaging in a more intimate way, one on one most of the time, talking with customers. I'm looking forward to browsing the store for goodies! Independent bookstores are full of them.
Writing is coming along. Sort of. One of my guests Monday evening asked what kind of mood writing puts me in, if I experience times when I somehow connect with the story on a much deeper level. Or maybe have an "ah hah!" moment. I told him I have plenty of angst! It can be shear torture at any given point when each word on the page is a struggle, especially with descriptive details. And when it's done ... like a labor of love, painful but worth the effort, it will shine, and I do enjoy that.
Wrapping it up, I will quote Stephen King (from his book On Writing) on descriptive writing -- "Description begins in the writer's imagination but should finish in the reader's." In other words, when putting descriptive details into your work ... "The trick is to find a happy medium."
And by the way, you may find it interesting that one of King's pet peeves about description is when writers include the tiniest details about what a character is wearing or how he/she looks. Unless, for example, Martha wearing a blue polka dot dress is significant to the plot, you don't need such detail. In his words, "If I want to read a description of clothes, I can always get a J. Crew catalogue." Of course, this is just his opinion. But he is friggin' Stephen King!
P.S. A Deadly Deed Grows now has 15 reviews on Amazon! Chug, chug along.
Happy reading and writing, everybody!
It's been a busy week ... but not with writing :-( I spent time with my hubby up at the family cabin in Pennsylvania this past weekend. It was relaxing and fun. Nice to see the surrounding sites and have them remind me of years gone by, AND picturing them as scenes in my WIP. That's an interesting experience, thinking of the characters as they act out a particular scene in a place I'm visiting. Over all, it was a relief to unplug and not worry or stress about writing or getting work published. Always wise to put that into the equation once every so often!
New experience -- I have never really liked vampire stories, aka, NOT a Twilight fan, and don't agree to recommendations of said topic. However, my daughter suggested I might enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. And this is how she peeked my interest: interesting, entertaining characters. Yep. One comment on how these reminded her of my story characters, or at least some of them, and the MC's bold, independent, sassy ways led me to check it out. Well, sort of. I took a sneak preview of the HBO series, True Blood ... and I love it! Although it's sometimes a bloody, gory vampire mess, the characters are engaging, warm, and entertaining. AND it takes place in Louisiana! BAM! Bonus points! Seriously, I will start reading the series -- always like to compare book to tv, movie versions. And I'll get back to you with comments later on.
All of this reminds me of how important characters are when writing. I like to create ones that are unique in at least one or two ways, I mean extremely unique. Like Louise Picault in my Dying to Dream who's a spry eighty-year-old loaded and ready to zap you with her voodoo and Cajun powers. Or Kooky Colonel Crockett in Lilly M's Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes, an eccentric, somewhat crazy neighbor who thinks he's Davy Crockett protecting the frontier with his gun, Betsy. They are secondary characters, but they are what make the story colorful and pull you into their world and keep you there until the last page!
Sure, the plot drives the story but it's the characters who make it interesting enough to stick with it and set it apart from the million other stories out there. Anyway, it was nice to be reminded of that. Thank you, Charlaine and Sookie!
That's about it for this week. On professional notes: 1) I sent out Grave Maker Blues to Carina Press. Another 12 week wait, I'd guess. But it's doing something, and I'm all about that!; 2) The Lilly M cozy series is making waves on Amazon. I priced #2 for free in Kindle and it's pushing sales for the other two. Weee!; 3) A Deadly Deed Grows is moving slowly, but it's being checked out at local libraries which means gathering new readers! Always a plus and I love sharing what I write. Next book signing -- July 6th.
Take care and happy reading!
It's Monday, the first day of June and dismally cloudy to start. I feel sorry for the kiddos on having such a cold and dreary day, their first day of summer break. Hopefully we'll snap out of it.
I had a revelation of thought about my recently finished mystery -- Grave Maker Blues. I decided revising it into first person POV might make a difference. AND IT DOES! Not to mention that this way I will find it easier to add more internal thought. First person does that, at least in my experience. Anyway, it's worth a shot. I'll wait and finish the revisions this way, and then start querying again.
Meantime, I'm slugging along with my WIP. I keep wanting to turn it into primarily a mystery rather than the intended romance. My brain. My habit. *sigh* I should take time, now, to make an outline, but I'm so determined to let my emotions carry me along, develop as I go, let the characters lead the way. Crazy? Maybe. Trudging onward!
Only a week before my first author/book event for A Deadly Deed Grows. Nervous? Excited? Anxious? I should be all of those, but I'm not. Worried? Oh, yes. That I am. I always worry that no one will show. I'll be talking to chairs rather than people. (haha) Seriously, I believe the first one will be fine. And the second -- that one is in my hometown -- because people will want to come right away. After that ... maybe not so much. That's why I decided not to over-do. I've only scheduled six for the next several months. Four libraries, one bookstore, and one multi-author book fair at a college.
I'm working on an idea for a future project. It is a cozy mystery series about a group of women who belong to a film club. In book one a murder occurs and as details are revealed they find the killing is a copycat of a movie plot they've seen. They begin to suspect one another as the possible murderer. That's what I have so far. Interesting, or no? Tell me what you think.
That's it for the week. Not very newsy, but who knows what next week will bring!
Happy reading ... and writing, all!
A Deadly Deed Grows
