by Sarah | Aug 3, 2012 | Books, Changing Tracks, Critters, Masked Hearts, Writing, writing tips
Line edits are awesome…
When it’s someone else’s work.
If the paper, book, webpage, word doc, whatever it is that’s in front of me was not written by my own hand I can swoop in and find the errors in an instant.
No problem.
When it’s my piece?
The one that I’ve worked on for X amount of years?
What errors? I don’t see them?
No, there’s a comma there don’t you see it? Oh wait, it’s all in my head isn’t it? Damn.
I miss far too much.
I’ve tried the tricks.
I’ve changed font.
I’ve printed it out on paper.
I’ve put it on my nook.
I still miss those suckers because my brain inputs them where my fingers did not.
But – it’s time for me to line edit.
Thank goodness I’m writing another piece in between. One chapter at a time with the line edits because I get cross-eyed and confused way too easily.
You want to do my line edits? I’ll trade you evenly – I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.
by Sarah | Aug 1, 2012 | All About Denver, All About Me
I lived in Maryland for a brief year back in 2000. It turned out to be a glorious year where I found myself in New York City for the first time in my life.
And went back 5 more times (each time to see CATS before it closed, but I digress).
I loved being that close to NYC without actually being in NYC.
During my year there I had a friend come to visit. We would go to NYC together and then just spend the rest of the week hanging out. We had a great time, and as always happens the time came for her to return home.
I packed up 2 year old Denver and my friend in the car and we went to the airport to prepare for the flight.
Everything went smooth and we ended up at the airport way ahead of schedule (keeping in mind this is pre-9/11). So we checked her bags and walked through the airport. Along the way to her gate sat a ‘playground’ of sorts for the kids. STuff to climb on and in, a miniature playground-type plane to climb through, other random items I can’t even remember.
Just a little out of the way area with wide open space and exits.
We sent him playing in the toy area and sat down on the ground, our backs pressed against a large pillar so we had a clear view of the whole play area. We chatted, laughed, reminisced over our time in NYC.
And then.
Denver disappeared.
No one came and snatched him, though people stood nearby, no one stepped into the play area.
He didn’t run away to make us chase him down the hall.
He just disappeared.
Poof.
My heart seized into a tight ball, I called for him. Denver, the good boy, always answered my calls.
Nothing.
Panic poured through my veins, my heart pounding a rapid cadence in my chest.
I rose to my feet on shaky legs, needing the support of that pillar to even make it.
Words clogged in my throat as I called for Denver again, frantic notes raising my pitch. A couple of heads turned our way, no one moved to help.
I gripped the pillar, unable to move my feet, this time screaming his name, searching every inch of the open area.
Finally my legs moved without my push to do so, racing through the play area. I ducked to peek into every nook, every cranny.
Hands shaking, stomach turning, sweat and tears clinging to my forehead and cheeks.
And found him.
Hiding and playing inside the pretend plane.
Happy as a clam.
Oblivious to my terror.
Never before that moment had I felt more like a mother…and less of a failure.
In truth he was “missing” for all of 30 seconds, and he was only feet away from me…but I have never been more scared.
And I hope to never have that feeling ever again in my life. I hope none of you ever do either.
by Sarah | Jul 31, 2012 | Blogging Life
[flickr id=”6846761662″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]A few months ago I started to revamp this website to bring in my writing blog and combine it all into one.
It’s been confusing and overwhelming and really once I merged and got my new layout up, I sort of backed away and didn’t touch it again.
Recent events have spurred me back into life. Things changing at home, in my professional blogging & writing life, and just in the way I organize my day and the blog; have all led to me tackling this beast again.
Over the coming weeks and months things will be changing. Some of them are minor and are happening as we speak, or have happened already. Others will be major and alter the look of the whole site or just pages.
In the interim I’m also building a website for my husband. He wants to blog about movies, books, whatever strikes his fancy that isn’t the kids (if he does that he’ll do it here). He’s already on Twitter, although he’s still figuring that stuff out.
Oh, and I’m working on building a facebook page or two tying in to a few things around here.
In the end, I hope this place will make far more sense. Or at least as much sense as I do (which isn’t always that much).
So excuse the dust and some of my vague comments. In the coming weeks I’ll have news and posts and fun stuff. Life is changing around the Cass house hold…it’s been a chaotic year that promises to get more so as we enter the second half of the year!!
by Sarah | Jul 30, 2012 | Changing Tracks, The Muse, Writing, writing tips
[flickr id=”7665973486″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I have a new weakness. A new collection brewing. It’s small for now – just 3 items, but I adore them.
Last year I discovered a section at our local book resale shop (you know the one, I named it up there^^) called “Collectibles”.
Since discovering it I’ve been fortunate to find three items that manage to both bring me joy and inspire me all at once.
Three books with publication dates pre-1900 in pretty amazing condition.
Three books that one of my characters could have, and likely would have, in her lifetime.
[flickr id=”7665943684″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”]Jane Doe from Changing Tracks is an avid reader with an eidetic memory. She loves poetry, but reads just about anything she gets her hands on (she has even been known to read medical texts).
So even when I’m not working on Changing Tracks. I love having these books on hand. They make me think of her, and then in turn my other characters. They bring me inspiration, and a chance to focus on my characters and give them a little more depth.
None of them cost me very much (although I would have willingly spent more on each of them) – but they are books that will never leave my home. While I willingly resell books all the time to keep some space open in our cramped home, I have handfuls of books that never leave the shelves. These have and will maintain a prominent and permanent place in my home.
To me, they bring Jane to life even more than she already is in my head.
Let her out to breathe.
There’s no better inspiration than that.
by Sarah | Jul 28, 2012 | Photography, Scavenger Hunt Sunday, Simple Things, Weekly Winners
I checked, last time I did this was April 1st. Before that, who knows. Let’s see if my camera or I are rusty in any way.
All taken w/ Canon Rebel XS w/ 50mm lens.
1. Paint
“She that paints her Face, thinks of her Tail.” — Benjamin Franklin
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“Life’s a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint you can on it.” ~Danny Kaye
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2. Green
“Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world.” ~Unknown.
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“Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river.” ~Cordell Hull
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3. Eyelashes
“In war you win or lose, live or die, and the difference is just an eyelash.” ~Douglas MacArthur
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“One day You will take my heart completely and make it more fiery than a dragon. Your eyelashes will write on my heart the poem that could never come from the pen of a poet.” ~Jalal ad-Din Rumi
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4. Shapes
“We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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“When life gives you scraps, make quilts.” ~Unknown
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5. Clouds
“Waves of a serene life pass over us from time to time, like flakes of sunlight over the field in cloudy weather.” ~Henry David Thoreau
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“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain there would be no rainbow.” ~G.K. Chesterton
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A Simple Thing:
Our simple thing was the pleasure of escorting these two lovely little girls we’re proud to call daughters to have ice cream.
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You can find more pictures over at my flickr account.
Scavenger Hunt Sunday is run by the beautiful Ashley. Head on over to see more Hunters.
Line edits are awesome…