by Sarah | Feb 10, 2011 | Writing
Crunch.
Slide.
Every step adventurous.
Swirl.
Blow.
Leading home.
Warmth.
Love.
In a cocoa cup.
*~*~*~*~*
*The first time I’ve done the 15 word post in a long time. This picture automatically reminded me of my winters growing up when we had a cottage on Lake Erie and would walk out on the frozen lake after a storm. The way the ice froze in wave shapes. The crunch and crackle under our legs. Unfotunately, this is a 15 words post…not a 100 words post – and so came this poem.
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Please head on over HERE and check out the rest of the entries. I’m certain they’re all fun and unique!!!
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by Sarah | Feb 8, 2011 | Writing
Last week I was frustrated.
I’d spent 4 months NOT writing anything but blog posts.
My muse kept flipping me the finger and downing margaritas (and who knows what other recreational drugs).
My list of queried agents on QueryTracker had dwindled to one unanswered partial (4 months old) and about 6 unanswered queries.
I’d tried to write. Several chapters had actually been completed. A few of fluff, one, maybe even two of non-fluff.
Still, I wasn’t excited.
Doubts hung low over my head.
I still LOVED my story. My characters. (Just as I still love my first novel)
But me and Writing?
We were on the skids.
Not even speaking terms, apparently.
Then one morning last week, during the long days of the icepocalypse here in the mid-west, I was online (as per my usual). On twitter one of my friends had tweeted: “Can you do me a favor? While I’m sleeping, tweet me one thing you love with a passion, so I can learn more about my friends tomorrow. #love”
I hit ‘reply’ and started to answer with writing. Then I stopped. Why would I put that? I was in such a bad place with it. Writing didn’t love me back, why should I love it? Then I realized I didn’t have a choice. I was in love with writing. I had been for years – even when not actively participating in it. Words were my passion. So I hit reply.
I said:
@SarcasticMomLC One thing that I #lovewith a deep passion? Writing. Creating characters, worlds, stories. It makes me happy.
And I meant it. I felt it down to my toes.
When she replied with a high five, I added just a little bit to it. I mentioned that I had almost NOT written it because: “Srsly, I hesitated putting it down b/c it’s not easy, but it is #love. Who said that was easy?”
It was time to give Writing love, whether it repaid me or not. Writing was going to get some Tough Love. I would love it. I would continue to push out chapters. Words, my worlds, my characters, they are all a part of me. They help me vent stress, anger, love, and hope.
Apparently, love was all it needed. From that moment, when I embraced that it might remain unreciprocated, it decided to return the love.
An hour after my original tweet good things started to happen. In the past week I’ve been writing again with LOVE, ENTHUSIASM, JOY. Chapters have poured out (others have trickled). My reading has picked up (although I still struggle with the same frustrations I mentioned last week). Other happy events have occurred, but I won’t speak of them in fear of jinxing them.
Apparently Writing was giving ME some tough love – and I just didn’t see it.
Thank you, Writing for the tough love.
Thank you, Lotus, from the bottom of my heart. You might not have planned it that way, but your tweet sparked a much needed revolution in my heart & soul.
*~*~*~*
Over at Redefining Perfect, I am feeling beautiful on the Flip Side.
by Sarah | Feb 5, 2011 | 100 Words
It was over a decade ago. What did it matter now?
Long buried secret was hurting no one but her. To reveal it would complicate so much.
But she was tired of carrying it. It made her feel ashamed. Weak.
Hiding in a shell like she always had.
The truth will set you free.
But what honor is there in causing turmoil to rid yourself of burden? One that might be best born alone.
Silence has its price too.
There is no easy answer. No easy out.
Not for the good. Not for the wicked.
Only your heart can lead.
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Please, visit Velvet’s site to check out other more worthy entries…
by Sarah | Feb 4, 2011 | Books, Reviews
It is the man, and not the king, I love. ~Lady Catherine Gordon
Sandra Worth, captivated by one powerful 10-word statement has crafted a compelling novel that you’ll find impossible to put down.
In 1497 the Tudor line has wrested the throne away from the Plantagenet line. King Henry VII will stop at nothing to secure the Kingdom for his line. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, the son of King Edward and next in line for the throne threatens the very crown on his head. For this reason alone, he will do all in his power to stop the young fledgling king from succeeding in proving his claim.
Lady Catherine Gordon, however, is young and very in love with her husband. Never does she dream what trying to gain a throne that belongs to her husband would destroy every bit of the world she knows.
Sandra Worth follows the story of this young, sometimes naive young woman into the depths of a darkness unimaginable. Through it all, Catherine never stops hoping, never stops loving, never stops using her strength and intelligence to keep herself alive, and free of a king’s affections.
Weaving the depth of research, and creating a character with a soul so deep and rich that you feel like this is a woman you would like to have as your friend. Catherine manages to stand tall in a world crashing against her, humiliating her and her husband, but that leaves her with brief bursts of joy.
After Richard (or “The Pretender” as Henry VII calls him) is executed, Catherine lives in mourning. For the loss of her husband, and the son that was ripped from her arms. Carrying this mourning with her, she still manages to fight off the advances of a King, and form friendships in a world that seems so against her.
Despite endless tragedy, Catherine never stops holding her head up. She has her innocence ripped from her, but not her pride. She never abandons hope, or love.
You will want to know her.
You’ll be glad that Sandra used the power of her words, her skill at weaving a story, to take that one 10 word phrase and bring to life this long forgotten character.
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*I was given a copy of this book for free to review, but my opinions are my own.
by Sarah | Jan 30, 2011 | Writing, writing tips
This is just a portion of THE PILE.
Books that I’m reading. Are in line to be read. Or I just finished reading.
I’ve set a goal this year to read more.
I made the same goal last year, and did very well for the first couple of months.
And then I gave up. I focused on my writing – and writing I did. For months I wrote so much my husband missed me. My bed missed me. I’m pretty sure my kids missed me. Hundreds of thousands of words.
It frustrated me that I gave up reading. I mean, how often are you told that if you want to write, you have to READ. That you can’t improve your craft if you aren’t reading what you can to build on your skills and see what others have done. Learn new techniques. See what you like, what you don’t like. Learn to incorporate it into your craft.
Now I’m reading again. Knee deep in about 4 books. I’ve finished one. I’m getting through what I can in my *ahem* “spare time” (who has THAT?). I’m trying to schedule reading time into every day I can. Instead of playing Soduko on my Nook when I take a bath – I’m actually using it to read. (I am NOT fighing w/ my husband over it yet…as when he uses it I can get an actual paper book, and vice versa. We’re behaving for the moment)
Now I’m starting to remember why I quit.
The deep frustration that seeps into the pleasure I’m supposed to take in reading.
The deep, abiding love that I always had for reading starts to seem like a memory.
Because I can’t turn off my inner editor.
Although, that little monster of a creature is child’s play compared to the other, larger monster that really threatens my love of reading. My pure enjoyment and escape.
The inner editor is a tiny little mosquito just buzzing gently in my ear as I get through the book.
The real monster? The Godzilla that could stomp out the mosquito, but instead feeds it until it gets bigger.
I guess you could call him jealousy.
I read these books.
My inner editor buzzes.
And Godzilla feeds him, helping him grow HUGE.
Pointing out that the little error he’s about to ignore is the reason an editor turned down my own book. Or that this it’s a primary “RULE” out there that no writer should EVER break – but it’s in this novel…and this novel is published. And selling.
It makes me frustrated. Over things that I KNOW I shouldn’t be letting myself get in a snit over.
It makes me want to just stop before I get REALLY upset and just get back to writing 2,000-7,000 words a day.
Because it’s SO much easier than “Trying to learn” from people that have made it through the hell of getting a book published…only to find errors that you’ve been told at every turn is WRONG WRONG WRONG.
It’s also very difficult to just enjoy a book this way.
Which is something I miss.
A lot.
by Sarah | Jan 18, 2011 | Writing
I posted a few months ago that the end of the year is always bad for my writing. I wasn’t kidding.
I didn’t write another word for almost 3 months.
My primary blog received daily (or near-daily) doses of posts.
None of that was especially “Creative” writing – it’s certainly not fiction and sometimes painful. My fiction, my created worlds, they all faded into the background.
Real life was very difficult on me. Holidays weren’t so merry.
My muse, she ran away from the bad juju and took a long extended vacation. (Side note: She loves Mexico and tequila…and there may have been recreational drugs involved)
I can’t say that I’m back in full force.
The muse, she is creeping. Slowly. Allowing bursts of words to spill forth before downing another shot of tequila and declaring a migraine from the pressure.
We’re easing back into it.
Part of that is for me to return here. To be more dedicated in my posts.
Which has always been difficult for me. I don’t feel like I have room to post here frequently. I mean, what can I post about that isn’t out there already?
It’s of no matter. I’m here. This is my journey.
And I will post.
Perhaps not every day, but I am making a concerted effort to put aside time and post, as well as write, at least every other day.
Even if it kills me.
