tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23623226032342419382024-03-05T00:38:59.123-06:00Safari of the Writer's SoulDictionary.com describes a safari as an adventure, an expedition, a long journey. I've been blessed with several physical trips this year, just as I've begun, at age 60, a venture into my own writer's soul. You are welcome to join me and other writers as either a fellow adventurer or a voyeur. If you long to discover what makes you tick and strengthen your own writing...WELCOME. Let the adventures begin!
Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-4369908894078345792018-11-02T21:56:00.001-05:002018-11-02T21:56:40.605-05:00This is kind of a test, to se if it works. I had a stroke 19 months ago and am working on getting my sight back. I have to relearn a lot already, so just testing this out first!Jackie Bannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657416920386044787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-19732703826061508612018-06-01T16:41:00.000-05:002018-06-01T16:54:51.115-05:00Sorry I haven't written in a while. Going to get caught up on that, though things will be different. See, 14 months ago, I had a stroke. I was blind for 10 days and I am still working on my vision. My right side needs some work too...So that is my focus right now. Bonus? I did not die like my favorite author Janet Chapman, amd no, I have no idea why sir died. But I have a lot of work to do brfore I write again, though that is the goal.<br />
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I will probably screw up a lot. I find that random things piss me off or make me happy. And I cannot read reply's yet, but I'm trying. No telling how long it will take for me to write again, and yes, that is the goal, but I'm working on it!Jackie Bannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657416920386044787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-42929737702762859872013-10-03T10:42:00.001-05:002013-10-03T10:42:42.173-05:00Crazy DaysAttended what has to be the best writers' retreat EVER! Ate like a queen. Critiqued some wonderful manuscripts. Then left my laptop at our lakefront condo. Ack. Am in the process of retrieving the laptop, but what a pain.<br />
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Discovered I have 2 books debuting in December. An essay in a book by Gloria Gaynor is on pre-order at Amazon. It's called How We Survived. Marvelous cover, and comes with a CD. And my first novel with Harlequin Escape, in Australia, debuts December 1st! This one is RILEY'S BILLIONAIRE.<br />
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This Indian Summer has been fantastic. While I'm not looking forward to nasty weather, I always seem to writ more during colder months. Win-win, right?<br />
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More later. Enjoy Life!<br />
SunnyBobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-23516447466691194832013-07-31T23:43:00.002-05:002013-07-31T23:46:48.220-05:00Visit Jami Gold's Cool Site For WritersJami Gold, a paranormal writer, has some worksheets that kick butt.<br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">Wish I'd thought of her branding idea: Beach Reads With Bite.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">But then my heroes don't bite. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">Take a look at some of these worksheets Jami lists: </span><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #c27ba0;"><b><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Save the Cat" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Blake Snyder’s <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Save the Cat</em> Beat Sheet</a> (plot arc oriented)</b></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #c27ba0;"><b><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Story Engineering" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Larry Brooks’s <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Story Engineering</em> Beat Sheet</a> (plot arc oriented)</b></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #c27ba0;"><b><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Master Beat Sheet" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Master Beat Sheet Combining <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Save the Cat</em> and <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Story Engineering</em></a> (plot arc oriented)</b></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #c27ba0;"><b><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Michael Hauge" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Michael Hauge’s <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Six Stage Plot Structure</em></a> (character arc oriented)</b></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #c27ba0;"><b><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Romance Beat Sheet" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Jami Gold’s Romance Beat Sheet</a> (romance arc oriented)</b></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Scene Checklist" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Jami Gold’s Elements of a Good Scene Checklist</span></b></a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/#Scene Worksheet" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Jami Gold’s Elements of a Good Scene Worksheet</span></b></a></li>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #c27ba0;"><b>* With the exception of the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Save the Cat</em> Beat Sheet, which was developed by Elizabeth Davis.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(Click each image to view larger version.)</span></div>
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Thank you, DeAnn Sicard for sending me to Jami's site!</div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-54594904499371156092013-07-27T01:25:00.000-05:002013-07-27T01:28:38.055-05:00Life Lessons<br />
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There was a time, when... </div>
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He's still laughing.</div>
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Now I'm studying Buddhism. Maybe there are more answers within than without. I'm open to learning and receiving. Maybe an epiphany or two is in order, but they won't be much good without action. Just sucks that in order to gain the peace I need, I'll have to give up what drives me crazy. </div>
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Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-71230109189473000912013-05-25T12:50:00.000-05:002013-05-25T12:50:32.247-05:00Riting & ReelingI'm reeling because of the heartbreaking devastation in Oklahoma City and the pain from saying goodbye to a wonderful old pet. Riting/writing because it is what I do and it helps me sort things out. I'm not able to write about either OKC or Chewy at this point, but someday I might. For now, I'm concentrating on women's fiction and fleshing out the most screwed up protagonist ever.<br />
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I used to be a plotter, use a detailed outline as a roadmap. I could veer off a bit, but I always knew precisely where I was going and how to reach my destination. This character has turned me into a total pantster, and she surprises me every day. Now I get why so many writers prefer this method. It's exciting, challenging, and absolutely maddening. I often wonder why I chose this path, because now not only is my character bonkers--she's driving ME nuts.<br />
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What appeals is the adventure. Maybe her journey reflects my own somehow. I know for sure every time she emotes, I feel like I've dropped my pants in public.Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-87783989696702139272013-05-18T11:23:00.001-05:002013-05-18T13:56:02.148-05:00Sunny with a chance of ass-kicking<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Friend Bubbles made breakfast this morning. What the Aussies call Egg & Toast Soldiers, we say 3-minute boiled egg and toast strips. So coffee, conversation, and healthy breakfast...it was a pleasant way to begin the day. Good thing, because the following hour has sucked.<br />
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I'm without a ride and not feeling great anyway, so not attending a monthly writers' meeting this afternoon. One dog has to be put down when schedules can be coordinated and he can be taken to the vet. The other dog won't stop barking. Cat is blissfully unaware dog is barking more because she's obnoxious than because he's present. Son is upset about the noise. My stomach is churning because I'm letting his grouchiness affect my breakfast. </div>
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Couldn't write yesterday because of drill and shop vac noise and DIL asking where her textbooks are so she could resell them. Dryer won't dry. There are bees in the basement, so can't wash clothes anyway. </div>
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If I had orange juice I'd make screwdrivers. This is bullshit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCQgF2KPk8_gtAEzjMFsoxM133AoE2eUy3ZsjKqzq_SzNE9ldOdq24-aWhLRuxFYYTpZpaY1PVbImIrX9Z2oUpSwvgf0yb-yXg3jlr9u3D0eyPRNlQOdSLuC3dwhsukyuTGekQrhiHdw/s1600/image001%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCQgF2KPk8_gtAEzjMFsoxM133AoE2eUy3ZsjKqzq_SzNE9ldOdq24-aWhLRuxFYYTpZpaY1PVbImIrX9Z2oUpSwvgf0yb-yXg3jlr9u3D0eyPRNlQOdSLuC3dwhsukyuTGekQrhiHdw/s1600/image001%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a></div>
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Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-4839168224167391152013-05-16T14:46:00.001-05:002013-05-18T13:57:05.798-05:00Hello, Goodbye<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Doesn't matter what we ask for. I feel we generally have to go through the search, the meditation, the trauma of achieving...or releasing. I do feel it is better to seek with a selfless heart, even if what we want is for ourselves. We have to weigh the importance against the need. Is this strictly for our own good, or will it benefit or hurt others?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In my case with Chewy, I'm setting aside my desire he remain with me to his declining health and quality of life. As with a favorite character, I can't bargain with The Universe to give me what I want if it's not doable for all concerned.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tough decision. Goodbye sucks.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjm55ZnFM6Hpb9gT4qccr1u9XZM2JY_2j7i5MhCf8GCT_1zLUhF1g2HTvyNf4xwGT293TmKsikFLqyB4vgSjOiuw_mzxlMXY_YrA78SlSP5_r7WBfoXYhAGAR_1eC5kjKSqs5SLzk7tQI/s1600/Flower%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjm55ZnFM6Hpb9gT4qccr1u9XZM2JY_2j7i5MhCf8GCT_1zLUhF1g2HTvyNf4xwGT293TmKsikFLqyB4vgSjOiuw_mzxlMXY_YrA78SlSP5_r7WBfoXYhAGAR_1eC5kjKSqs5SLzk7tQI/s320/Flower%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></span>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-82537980529059107932013-05-14T05:18:00.000-05:002013-05-18T13:56:27.962-05:00Yes. No. Maybe.<div style="text-align: center;">
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Fiction is so much more precise than reality. Dorothy Garlock was once asked in my presence what she would do if a character took over her story. Thinking the question absurd, she replied: I would kill them. It's my book. </div>
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If anyone asked me the most difficult part of writing, I'd have to say it is a toss-up between penning emotion (because real emotion comes from my heart, gut, and head--it's personal, and I always feel exposed)...and separating the voices in my head.</div>
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There are those writerly voices, the characters, and there are the screams from my subconscious that force me into a corner. If a friend asks: Does this haircut make my ass look fat, I'm not about to tell her to wear a wig until her buzz cut grows out, so I'll say NO and assure her she looks great. If an aging parent makes a decision out of hope and desperation, I'll waffle, trying to find my ground before answering. Time to say goodbye to a beloved pet--the hardest truth to face, but in the best interest of the animal, I won't lie to myself.</div>
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With fiction, it's easier to be brutally honest. I'm not killing a character I've created just because he pisses me off if he veers outside his character boundaries, but since the book will have my name on it instead of his, he's not getting by with his crap. </div>
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Maybe it all boils down to ownership and responsibility. I'm responsible for what my characters say and do. It's not that simple when it comes to controlling others' actions, because I don't wish to own their pain.<br />
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No, it's not Monday. Just feels like it.<br />
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<br />Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-67966454619527201112013-05-10T11:27:00.001-05:002013-05-18T14:00:54.699-05:00Back to writing today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm actually in a great mood. The new bed is AWESOME. The new cat is adapting and getting along with the old dogs. Well...as well as cats and dogs get along.<br />
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Happy Mother's Day weekend to all, you moms and to the dads who helped make them moms.Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-52509209031188115352013-05-06T15:33:00.001-05:002013-05-06T15:33:31.455-05:00Social MediaLike I've said, my writing goals for 2013 include submitting at least 1 new project per month, and since I'm published in long, short, novel, novella, short stories, essays, and what have you... And since I'm a stay-at-home writer... I have no excuses. None I'll accept, anyway.<br />
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I also have goals for social media. I dislike dropping my pants unless I am skinny dipping, so this is difficult. Add to that my short term memory issues...it is hard for me to retain new knowledge without a struggle. (By the way, that skinny dipping thing rarely occurs, and not unless I'm sure I won't get caught!<br />
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My only goals in SM right now are to keep up with the blog, because writing and life ARE adventurous for me. Even at my age, I learn something new every day. Ha. I just don't recall some of it.<br />
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I also have a need to do one or two things better, if not well, so I'm relearning Facebook and Twitter, even if it kills me. I live networking, but it's best I don't learn everything second-hand, so I'm striving to be proactive. Anyone else in the same boat?<br />
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Have a great day!Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-42368558100202513952013-05-05T16:18:00.002-05:002013-05-05T16:18:38.421-05:00Life Gets In The WayOr does it? Picture every film you've seen on aging parents, the books you've read on coping with health issues, and articles in magazines on aging pets. Multiply by 10, and you have my last 6 months.<br />
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That said, despite getting my parents situated closer to me (he broke a hip and she broke a leg and has other issues requiring 24/7 assistance), WORRYING over big dog with hip problems, smaller dog losing her hearing, and other things...I have managed to write! My goal was for one submission per month, and I had 6 before end of April.<br />
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This time last year I was in Australia. Never had time to upload info and pics but will gather steam and get my butt into gear. Stay tuned.<br />
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Happy "pico de gayo"--as a friend said to me earlier. And that was her pronunciation.<br />
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More later!<br />
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Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-80007418092681299212012-11-30T19:06:00.001-06:002012-11-30T19:06:33.834-06:00MotivationBack when I was a working girl and many of you weren't even a glimmer in your parents' eyes, I kept journals. In them, I'd set the dollar amount I wanted to hit daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. And since I'm a visual person, I'd clip photos of what I'd buy with that money. <br /><br />For some reason, my journals kept me motivated. I'd put a big check mark every time I hit a goal. New washing machine, jewelry, trip...whatever I wanted. Often, the goal was to get a new book, visit a friend I hadn't seen in ages. Sometimes during lean months, the goal was simply to have a nice meal.<br /><br />Looking back later, I'd find I produced more books and sometimes raised the bar on myself, hitting several thousand dollars more than I'd worked toward. <br /><br />Good books to help included:<br /><br />Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Dr. Susan Jeffries<br />Wishcraft by Barbra Sher<br />anything by Shakti Gawain, starting with Creative Visualization <br />You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay<br /><br />I was partially paralyzed for 18 months when I began this method. First goals were to move my legs, walk without crutches, get off of pain killers, and stop feeling like a victim. I was bitter, angry, depressed, and a single mother with a young son. But even writing Thank You on a bill I could pay was a goal worth keeping. Gratitude produced abundance.<br /><br />Set goals. It works. But you can't hit a target you don't have.<br /><br />Writing buddy DeAnn sent a link to our group that defines how to set goals. Even if you're familiar with the concept, this blog post is worth the read. Sometimes seeing something through a different lens recharges our will to succeed.<br /><br /><a href="http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/2012/10/career-planning-for-authors-wwow.html" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1354323856_0">http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/2012/10/career-planning-for-authors-wwow.html</span></a> <br />
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I need to heed my own advice. Have been trapped in one of those "life hells" that pop up now and then. Both parents in and out of hospitals and nursing homes, neither doing well (understatement), with me between helping them and taking care of things at home with my family here. Haven't done much writing. Pretty much became a hermit once I arrived back here. But I'm working my way through whatever needs to be done and hope to get back into what feeds my soul...the writing.<br />
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Have a great weekend coming up.<br />
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More next time (and hopefully soon).<br />
Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-26922478800793923622012-10-11T23:42:00.001-05:002012-10-11T23:42:58.792-05:00Coffee and Confessions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Remember when you were young and had girlfriends, the ones who gave you alibis, held your hair when you were sick, stayed up all hours giggling and chatting when you should have been asleep? I highly recommend cultivating those friendships, no matter your age or stage in life. I have such girlfriends, and my personal and writing lives would be insane and much less fun without them. One such friend is De.<br /><br />Fellow author DeAnn Sicard and I are on a new joint adventure, that of publishing a monthly ezine called Coffee and Confessions. Just what it says--confession stories, tips and info on coffee, recipes, and even a monthly guest bit in which they offer up a free read. The first edition should be out within a week, and this one is FREE. I'll post the link as soon as it goes live on Amazon.<br /><br />Since De's a tea-sipper, and I'm the java maven, we will do issues later on called Tea and...Something. There will also be issues with beer (beer-battered fish recipes, etc) and short mysteries. Murder On Tap. And, yes, for those who remember my erotic romance stories, we will even have issues like Cocktail Teasers...spirits and sex.<br /><br />For now, however, we're concentrating on coffee, because it's a passion of mine.<br /><br />On Oahu, I passed coffee plantations, visited a macadamia nut farm, and thoroughly enjoyed a few cups of locally grown Kona coffee. And with those delicious Hawaiian cookies? Heaven! <br /><br />A few weeks later, while in Old Sydney, I browsed local shops and discovered the Baker's Oven. Quaint al fresco seating, crisp autumn weather, and the best mocha ever. I sat by myself, taking photos, unabashedly eavesdropping--Aussie accents are to die for, and journaling. When I finished my coffee, I realized the shop had delivered a message inside the cup: Sharing the Passion.<br /><br />That's what De and I wish to do with Coffee and Confessions. Give readers a coffee break with passionate yet tame stories (even if the titles are a tad titalating), information/facts/folklore on coffee, and a recipe readers might try when they have time.<br /><br />Join us in a few days. Again, the first issue is free!<br /><a href="http://www.coffeenconfession.blogspot.com/" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1350016141404108" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1350016136_0">http://www.coffeenconfession.blogspot.com/</span></a><br />
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Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-43432715986224660032012-10-02T05:42:00.000-05:002012-10-02T05:42:03.879-05:00Rested, Rejuvenated, Ready<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQC0_2zJ9RVANr0SgFK8MIFTAgByeAn5es8ecPIgwotRsP92b3FJajmWRN20IS-qY2vPFVhNeoD6RMWuqp8lv6MH7-AtxCmtuCnM6OAO8VlRD__P-F7DkyZ6qSu3pXLNs4OiEW23nv-c/s1600/IMG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQC0_2zJ9RVANr0SgFK8MIFTAgByeAn5es8ecPIgwotRsP92b3FJajmWRN20IS-qY2vPFVhNeoD6RMWuqp8lv6MH7-AtxCmtuCnM6OAO8VlRD__P-F7DkyZ6qSu3pXLNs4OiEW23nv-c/s320/IMG.jpg" width="320" /></a>If I've been slack with the blog, I hope I've made up with the writing. A girl's gotta earn her keep somehow. But, oh, the adventures I've had this year at age sixty!<br /><br />Trips. Within four months, I visited Hawaii during spring, lived in Australia during their winter, had a nice summer jaunt to Las Vegas, and soon afterward spent a wonderful autumn writers' retreat with old friends and new in historic Ft. Scott, Kansas. All within a matter of weeks and months.<br /><br />What I've learned on my safari of the soul this year would fill volumes. My goal on the blog is to share important highlights and offer insights as to how we can all grow as writers.<br /><br />The magic lies within each of us to create our own journeys. Sometimes they involve miles: more often than not, the milestones are how we mark and track our adventures. Yes, doing the unusual is inspiring--one of the most deeply felt instances for me was having a dolphin near Waikiki kiss my cheek. His smooth, supple skin against mine, his nose nuzzling me and his chin in my palm when I kissed him...spiritual, core-cradling love and a connection like no other to the mysteries of life.<br /><br />Seeing tears spring to a new writer's eyes (subtle wave to Chris) when others praised her efforts, hearing a passage being read from yet another writer who has grown tremendously over the past year (Hello, Kim!)--those, too, were blessings. Chris stumbles over a few words, but I've no doubt she will grow into a fine writer. Kim began at ground zero and has taken class after class, written page after page--and watching her progress both thrills and inspires me.<br /><br />Both of these women have courage for beginning their journeys in such a fluctuating business in which even pros have difficulty staying published.<br /><br />Courage is paramount when we offer up our dreams and aspirations. Sometimes our hopes are shattered, while often they soar on wings of encouragement. The important thing is that we try with gusto, continually challenging ourselves, giving our own shoulders the atta-boy or atta-girl when no one else is able or willing.<br /><br />Dolphins are by nature wild creatures. So are untamed writers. For most of us, it isn't in our nature to play unsafely. But the joys of daring are delightful when we do so with hope, courage, and determination. <br /><br />Risk is imperative for us. We gain nothing but complacency when we remain in our comfort zones. As dear friend and author Alfie Thompson reminded me recently, it's not the things we've done that can fill us with regret so much as it is the chances we didn't take. If you've dreamed of publishing and haven't sold a book, keep trying. If you've sold fifty or a hundred books but haven't reached your goal of winning a specific award, or if there's another genre in which you haven't reached your goals, don't brush your needs aside. Work harder. Use what you've learned to lay the foundation for a new path. But don't quit! Keep growing and getting better!<br /><br />Take your opportunities. Challenge yourself to live the life you desire and to write the books of your heart. Whatever the obstacles, overcome them rather than play it safe. Spirit is mighty when fueled by love and backed by action.<br /><br />In not-so-chicken-soup-motherly-advice, love yourself and writing then get off your ass and do the work. Unlike the typical parent sending their child to school or camp, don't say take care, be safe. Advise yourself to take calculated risks today. Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-81326505063491905522012-06-13T18:09:00.002-05:002012-06-13T18:09:48.435-05:00Coming Home SoonI've been slack with the blog while I've been on holiday but not with my writing, I promise to start giving updates on the trip of a lifetime plus more information concerning writing, beginning in about a week (well, maybe 10 days?)... First need to fly home in about a week (which will take me about 22-23 hours, not counting the layovers), unpack, REST from jet lag, hug the kids, pet the dogs, that sort of thing.<br />
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Teasers...I've been kissed by dolphins, have spent hours walking the streets and sampling the food of Old Sydney, stroked the soft fur of koalas (one was a baby!), viewed magnificent scenery, and witnessed remarkable transformations, in myself, not just others.<br />
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See you in a few days - take care of yourselves and keep writing! It does pay off.<br />
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Sunny<br />
<br />Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-89571888636351680482012-05-08T13:51:00.000-05:002012-05-08T13:53:12.218-05:00Secondary CharactersYoo hoo. Sunny, I'm here.<br />
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Yeah, she's thinking. <i>About time, you b*tch. </i>(She might think that. I, personally, wouldn't. I just don't use that kind of language much.)<br />
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The bad news for me is that Sunny would be justified in thinking it. I told her back in January or February that, yes, I would be delighted to be a participant in her blog. You see, I love writing. I love sharing my opinions and ideas. I loved her slant and ideas for this blog. I love Sunny. She's one of my fallback, supportive, most-encouraging, consistently upbeat, optimistic (for me) friends. Why wouldn't I want to be a part of Safari of the Writer's Soul? <br />
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The good news for all of you is that Sunny is the Primary Character here. I'm a secondary character.<br />
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We are all the Primary (Protagonist, Heroine/Hero, Lead, Main) Character in our own stories.<br />
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And we are all secondary characters in the lives of the people we know. (In some peoples' lives, we're just walk-ons. Not even minor characters.)<br />
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Secondary characters have only two jobs in our stories.<br />
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They can either be a help--they are there with a shoulder when it's needed, available to listen, or share adventures with, interact with, make you think, give you feedback and try to help keep you on track, and receive the same from you, etc. They are supportive and help the main character make progress in the story. <br />
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Or they can be a hindrance. As in all stories, the bad guys can be obviously that: striving to stop you from achieving whatever it is for nefarious reasons or striving to gain what is YOUR goal and you both can't achieve it. (The 'other' woman, for example, in some of the classic traditional romances.) Or sometimes they can be disguised as good guys, subtly throwing roadblocks in your way or undermining you by encouraging you to make choices that take you further from your goals.<br />
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So far, in Sunny's Safari, this particular secondary character has been a hindrance. <br />
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But I'm the main character in my own story. I control what happens to me. I decide a lot of it by where I go, who I hang out with, what I decide to do, how I decide to spend my limited time. Yes, sometimes I have no control over what happens while I am wherever I am. I don't totally control the demands job, family, day to day obligations make on my time. But I do control whether to set aside a half hour to do something I've promised I'll do or whether I'll use it to play a couple of quick games of Spider Solitaire.<br />
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As the Main Character in my own story, I'm going to choose to be the good kind of secondary character in Sunny's story. Expect me back soon, Sunny. (Hope I don't scare anyone away...) <br />
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<br />Alfie T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645165399475720854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-49615470486516238472012-05-05T00:00:00.004-05:002012-05-05T00:00:06.788-05:00Mama's Quilts ~ Seeing The Whole Picture<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Something on voice from a blog post years ago...</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; layout-grid-mode: both; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Diabetes runs strong in my family, and my maternal grandmother went blind a little earlier than expected. Her passions were reading, funny movies, and sewing. We could get her books on tape and take her to movie theaters (as opposed to having her watching something on television). But with the sewing--she was on her own.</span><br />
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One of the things that often 'needled' (for lack of a better word and not really intending a pun) those who received her handiwork was that she loved drab olive or deep forest green as a landscape on which to place other colors. Sometimes she'd choose denim blue. I never complained, because to me every quilt square meant something--I knew who had worn that shirt or dress before it was cut up into fabric for a blanket, but there were others in the family who flat hated her choice of colors and didn't take into consideration the time and effort spent on Mama giving them something she made. They saw only the background and not the details. They didn't see the whole picture.<br />
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Then I found out while talking with her that everything else in her quilts stood out by contrast when she worked with greens and blues. She was better able to see the vibrant yellows or reds or other colors she used when they were on a flat-colored background. In retrospect, I applaud her for even trying when she could barely see to stitch.<br />
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I catch myself wondering why my stories are often set in ordinary, even mundane, backgrounds, every-day settings in which my main protagonists jump to life when presented with other colorful characters or scenes/situations that seem out of place. The fact that John Grisham has lawyers or Tess Gerritsen uses the medical field as props against which their stories are set...just speaks volumes when I think back on Mama and her quilts.<br />
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Every good painting needs a canvas --size, background, shading, use of light all matter. Every good story needs the same--for instance, a setting that doesn't overpower the characters who <u>must</u> come to life and generate interest. Stories need contrast, conflict, design, all of which capture a reader's imagination.<br />
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Each author paints a word picture with their own unique brush stroke and colors, and whatever we use has to come from within, for if we're to develop our voice as writers, we can't be copycats--we have to use what <u>we</u> own and develop that talent before we can be heard.<br />
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Next time you're stuck in the details, try stepping back and taking another look, grasping what you envision as a whole. Maybe finishing the story won't be so difficult if you see that this part of it is out of focus, too large for the canvas, or too small to complete the final product.<br />
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Perhaps you have more than one story, more than one book in what you're attempting. I'm guilty of letting secondary characters take over, so trying to frame what I have written isn't always neat and tidy, and I have to whittle things a bit, save some of my material for other books.<br />
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Then again, I've been known to face the opposite problem--what to me is a brilliant kernel with which to start but major difficulty developing the story so that it is complete (no contrast/conflict, not enough emotional intensity--a bland background). Those works resemble so many unorganized specs on a vast wasteland where nothing connects until I step back and reevaluate where I want the story to go.<br />
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Mama has long since passed away, but her lessons linger, and I am forever grateful to her for helping me see the whole picture. Now it's up to me to develop the skills to work on background or details, whichever calls for the most attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br />
</span></div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-85245251212666363592012-05-01T00:00:00.000-05:002012-05-01T00:00:07.687-05:00Safari Voice<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Think for a moment
about your favorite writers. Even if their books have mistakes, even if they
break the rules determined by whoever sets the standard to which you
adhere--there's something in their writing that speaks to you, moves you,
compels you to pick up their books and read their words. Perhaps it's the genre
and they're the best in it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;"><br />
<br />
Break this down, though. Scope the big picture. Somewhere in the myriad of
reasons, what draws you is their turn of phrase, their ability to engage you,
their style...the nearly indescribable and intangible quality called voice.
It's unique, theirs. And if they can develop it, so can you if you're not
afraid to be yourself. <br />
<br />
<br />
In the 1960's there was beautiful housewife who with surgical enhancement
became a phenomenally gorgeous actress. Her acting ability was debatable, but
her power to draw a crowd to theaters was undeniable. Her studio swathed her in
an animal skin, ran the projector, and Jo Raquel Tejada Welch became America's
favorite sex symbol in the mid-sixties. <br />
<br />
<br />
At the same time, the daughter of a roguish father and over-bearing mother
wrote a book that shot her to stardom. She wanted to be an actress, but it was
her penchant for pulling her past experiences--and those of her friends--that
made her famous. <em>Valley of the Dolls</em> became an international bestseller for
Jacqueline Susann. <br />
<br />
<br />
I'm not advocating you wrap yourself in leopard skin or dive headfirst into
drug abuse. I'm asking you to contemplate what makes you different. Can you use
that in your writing? <br />
<br />
<br />
An attorney friend calls John Grisham a hack. I asked "Why do you keep
buying his books?" He couldn't answer to his satisfaction, but I hid a
smile. Grisham drew him because of his uncomplicated, easy-going style, his
ability to break down legalities that are convoluted so laymen could understand
them. He has a unique voice. <br />
<br />
If none of the above makes much sense, do an exercise that may make the light bulbs
go off. One phrase: <strong>You can't handle the truth.</strong> <br />
<br />
<br />
Who do you imagine saying that? If you're a film buff, you probably thought of
Jack Nicholson. <br />
<br />
<br />
Now...same sentence...this time spoken by George Clooney. Brad Pitt. Meryl
Streep. Literally dredge your memories for those actors' voices. Different
inflections, right? Different timber, pace, intensity, mood. <br />
<br />
<br />
That's voice. Each is unique, including yours. Some voices are more powerful
depending upon the moment. <br />
<br />
<br />
Recall Pitt as Achilles in "Troy", his grief then fury after
Patrocius is killed in battle. Can you see anyone else playing the part? <br />
<br />
<br />
Just as each actor polishes their skill, as singers hone their talents (another
exercise...have various people perform "Mary Had A Little Lamb" for
you--note the differences in delivery between Tony Bennett and Elmer Fudd or
NIN and Journey), writers must define and refine themselves in order to find
their voice. This ability to deliver words in a fashion that projects them onto
readers' memories is in essence what establishes them separate, apart from
other writers, even within their own genre. <br />
<br />
<br />
Before you find your true, authentic voice, maybe there are obstacles you must
overcome. My money is on fear being your nemesis. Often we sit to write and are
stymied not by what comes next but on how we say it. VOICE. Good friend and
American western historical writer Leigh Stites covers this topic extremely
well in her February, 2012, president's column for Midwest Romance Authors. As
she states: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue;">Fear will kill you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear will kill every dream you have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will kill the momentum you need to achieve
those goals you set when you weren’t so afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It will kill the future you might have had if you’d been brave enough to
leave the cave and go out hunting.</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p>Put on your rhino skin, because the writing world is tough. Arm yourself with your writers' tool box, and venture forth. Don't let fear stop you.</o:p></span><br />
</div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-20717864561803014872012-04-25T00:00:00.001-05:002012-04-25T00:00:03.133-05:00Bad Hair & Bad WritingPacking for the upcoming trip has given me pause as to what to pack, what to leave, and I'm discovering that some of what hangs in my closet no longer represents who I am. To compound the confusion of coming to terms with the image I present to others, a tactless pal gave me a start a few days ago.<br />
<br />
The friend I hadn't seen in a couple of years greeted me over coffee with this: <em>What will you do when you go bald? Wear wigs or scarves?</em><br />
<br />
<br />
Mind you, I'm (knock wood) no longer a cancer patient. My hairline is simply receding a bit! But this got me thinking...<br />
<br />
How often do we let a bad hair day impact our writing? Me--never. It is what it is. I did let hair humility conquer me in 1st grade, but rarely since. I had long honey blonde hair at age 6, and my mother decided a shorter cut would be easier to manage. She sent me across the street to a neighbor lady. I walked home later sporting a "poodle" perm. The "stylist" had put my tresses into a tight ponytail, whacked it off behind the band, then gave me a perm so curly it hurt to touch it. I went home in tears, the aborted ponytail in my hands. Even my poor dad cried.<br />
<br />
Ever since, I've not been a slave to anything hair other than color. Well-meaning friends gently suggest this cut or that. One friend even offered to pay for the cut and styling. To humor her, I went. Walked out looking like a 90's Tina Turner. She was thrilled. I wasn't. (In her defense, we all have gifts. My friend was a gorgeous black woman, a retired runway model, and she wanted to impart a bit of style to me.) I may have a terrific rapport and affinity for my AA friends, but their identity isn't mine. No matter how much I admire them, I cannot pull off their style or essence with panache. The only thing I can compare this to would be if I tried to imitate Stephen King's writing or that of Harper Lee.<br />
<br />
I have a tad of obsessive compulsive disorder anyway. I don't need to muck up my life adding to the list. It's freaking HAIR. Love me, love my roots and the occasional ponytail. One of my few stubborn <em>screw-yous</em> to society. Also one of the reasons I prefer cremation--nobody staring down and wishing to God the mortician had done more with my hair. Send me out the way I entered--in my birthday suit, wrinkled as it may be, and not knowing a damn thing.<br />
<br />
Think about it. Do you let society dictate how you look? <br />
<br />
Do you allow anyone else to set the bar on your writing for you? Make you feel guilty if you don't write X number of pages per day--or have you question your hero's appearance or heroine's occupation? Of course not! That's part of your identity as a writer. <br />
<br />
I say critique my story as *I* see it and either accept me as I am, or reject me--bad hair and all.<br />
<br />
Authentic image and writing have to come from the soul. If I'm not authentic to myself, I don't see how others could possibly view my writing as anything but fitting a predesigned mold. False advertising.<br />
<br />
The cool thing is that I'm constantly finding myself and reinventing my writing, so I'm never bored, and I rather like challenges. An inadvertent bonus...my friends are likely to witness the outer transformation as the inner being changes and develops. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll reflect a better head of hair in their eyes. Or maybe I'll simply go bald and tattoo the noggin. Either way, like my writing, my appearance must be a reflection of how I feel, think, and see myself, not as how they see me or wish I was.<br />
<br />
SunnyBobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-51837505029094535622012-04-20T00:00:00.004-05:002012-04-20T00:00:09.546-05:00Stress: 5 ways to rid your life of it - By DeAnn Sicard<div style="text-align: left;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The following article was first used in the Feb issue of MRW Impressions, newsletter for the Midwest Romance Writers. It may be reprinted by sister RWA chapters with proper credit to chapter and author. Bloggers are welcome to link to it but not republish.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">We live under a perpetual cloud of stress each and every day, whether it's from the holiday seasons, financial, family, health, work and so on and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm sure you get the picture. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">If we're not careful, all this stress can lead to health and emotional issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stress may be a part of our lives on a daily basis but that doesn't mean it has to rule our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can combat stress in simple and even fulfilling ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our biggest challenge (another type of stress) is to find the technique that will work in our lives.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Here are five strategies to help you reduce the stress in your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pick one or all to help you relax and find more peace in your life.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Filter the negative aspects of your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try limiting your media intake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the news focuses on all the bad (with tiny doses of uplifting stories mixed in) you are adding to the burden of worry you already carry around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't let toxic relationships tarnish your outlook on life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If possible limit those relationships or learn how to block the harmful aspects of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Try changing your diet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't stress yourself out by trying to change all of your eating habits at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, try making small changes in the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find foods and drinks that are beneficial for your health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find foods that increase your metabolism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cut back on the foods that offer quick fixes, such as caffeine and sugars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Increase fruits (oranges and blueberries are great stress-busters) as well as vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Foods high in vitamin B have a soothing effect on you system. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow yourself to become comfortable with the changes as you either eliminate or add to your diet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="st"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span>Meditation and exercise go hand and hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again don't overdo it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know your limitations and you know what you can achieve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't stress yourself into thinking that if you can't get up an hour early every morning and run around the block you aren't accomplishing anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do things slowly, find your pace, one that works for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can find just about anything on the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do a search, read up on relaxation exercises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tai Chi and Qi gong both offer n<span class="st">atural stress relief exercises.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Write, write, write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your stress comes from NOT writing, STOP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give yourself permission to step away from the writing you feel you are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">supposed</b> to be doing and write about something totally different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn't matter if you are writing a 'to do' list, menu for the coming week or jotting down something as simple as "Today I accomplished…"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do prompts, small bits of writing that have nothing to do with your work in progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is your key to keeping the momentum going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you are ready you'll know that you've been putting pencil to paper (fingers to keyboard), so all isn't lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Build your network.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one of the most important keys to stress reduction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friends can and will always be a source of insight into what you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether they know it or not, they offer you something you would not have sitting all alone. They provide a sense of connection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through them, you'll find laughter, tears, inspiration and so much more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you're feeling cut off and want to find a way to connect, join online groups, find classes or organizations in your area that are of interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be willing to smile, encourage and offer a sympathetic shoulder when needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By helping others you help yourself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto;">Stress can and will inhibit your creativity if you let it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's all up to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a positive attitude and a willingness to try something new you'll manage the stress in your life and come out a winner.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">DeAnn Sicard is a former Golden Heart nominee. She writes contemporary romance and short stories.</span></i><br />
<a href="http://awritersguidetowords.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1334491887_0">http://awritersguidetowords.com/</span></a></div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-10006905095805541182012-04-19T00:00:00.002-05:002012-04-19T00:00:09.460-05:00Taking A Leap of FaithI leave for Hawaii today. I've never been. I've always wanted to go. Now I'm spooked. The longest I've been away from home in over a decade was 9 days spent with my friend Lex at a writers' conference. This year we're forgoing conferences for a holiday together, just us two, traveling to Hawaii then seeing sites in Australia, where she lives. For MONTHS. Not days. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">For some strange reason, I'm also writing different things this year. I've completed a romance for a line I've never written for, and I'm working on a women's fiction in which the protagonist will either be hated or loved by those who read the book. It opens with a failed suicide attempt. How ghastly, right? To be that desperate, that alone, that selfish, and work up the nerve then wake up from a coma having to face the same life, same situations that prompted the suicide attempt?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">Both books have been challenges for me. I've written erotic romance for so long (both male/female and male/male) that I'm questioning my sanity. Why substitute the genre that feeds me for one that may or may not bring any profit?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">Ah, there's the rub. I'm not writing for money this time. SURE, I'll take it! But this time I'm writing strictly for the love of the genre, and it scares me. What if I don't succeed? Ack. What if I DO? I'll be expected to continue, for one thing. I may miss what I used to write, for another.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">The marvelous Mona Sizer, who writes as Deana James, once told me that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">heroes always have their flaws and villains their reasons</i>. When I apply that to my writing, I come up with<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> true love has much to conquer</i> - lol - and it's not such a bad thing if I revert now and then to writing what has afforded me conferences in the past. Either way I go, in other words, I'm following a goal…to feed my soul or feed my wallet. My worry, of course, is that one will starve and the other flourish, when what I wish is for both to feel full.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">How about you? What are your reasons for writing? To feed your soul or your wallet? Just to have something to do or to do something with purpose? It doesn't hurt to take a self-inventory now and then. Sometimes it gives us perspective and we can either pick up where we left off or venture into unknown territory.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">For me…I'm working on that women's fiction and another romance while I'm gone. I also plan to collaborate with my dear friend, Lex. Wish us luck as we journey into the unknown, and stay tuned for photos of our trips.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-4169218564058654702012-04-15T00:00:00.001-05:002012-04-15T06:51:36.951-05:00Writing Through HardshipOne dear writer friend was tested in Biblical proportions, all within one year. A major move across the continent, new home...then fire on one side, massive flooding on the other--the worst her country recorded in 118 years. <br />
<br />
A daughter with a history of miscarriages who became pregnant with twins, another child with legal problems not of his making, a husband diagnosed with cancer, and often no way of getting him to the hospital because of the flood. Before life settled, she ventured toward becoming the female epitome of Job. Loss of spouse, far from her children, precarious health--surgeries of her own, and left alone to contend with the aftermath. <br />
<br />
If she can recoup, anyone can. <br />
<br />
Tragedy leaves us fragile, often shattered emotionally, physically, and spiritually. We doubt our own judgment, not just the benevolence of a caring God. Our beliefs are tested and our self-confidence is in ruins. This is the point where we draw on the love, devotion, and core beliefs we have invested over the years in our friends as well as ourselves. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">Another author friend lived for nearly two decades with psychological abuse, with a spouse who said the most vile things to her. Victims of this sort bear mostly invisible crosses, and few see even those because abusers generally estrange their victims from friends, loved ones, anyone who is a positive influence. Why? Control. It feeds their sickness. Quite often, the more we give them, the worse our situation.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">My next statement will cause friction from some of you, but before you lash out, think. There are two types of victims--willing and unwilling, yet each of us (and yes, I speak from experience) has chosen to be where we are at any given time. Doesn't matter why. We have opted to remain in relationships, to allow someone else to make us feel less than we are. The wonderful thing is that we don't have to put up with their abuse. If you are a victim, take back your power. Your life and your writing depend upon it.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">Maybe you're a victim of yourself. Bad decisions, gluttony or its opposite--starvation. Maybe you abuse alcohol, drugs, relationships, or something else. Perhaps you abuse your time. We each have the same number of hours in a day, yet some folks accomplish more. Sometimes it's because they are better at managing their time. Often it's because they refuse to allow others to sabotage them, to suck the life out of their day. No matter your situation, you can still choose to stop the behaviors that keep you from living a full and happy life.<br />
<br />
One thing that is certain about our lives, as well as our planet is that spring follows winter. Seasons of hardship are followed by those of promise. So hang in there. Shore up all the good you can, and you'll have that and more when winters strike. <br />
<br />
How? Start with yourself. Louise Hay states that how we begin our day is how we live our day, and how we live our days is how we live our lives. Why not start each morning with self-love and extend that to everyone we encounter? Tell that person in the mirror:<span style="color: red;"> </span><em><span style="color: red;">you are a wonderful writer, a magnificent being</span>.</em> That beats negativity any day. <br />
<br />
If you can't reaffirm your creativity, your very existence, as positive, who can? After that, express caring to others, even if to a pet, your neighbor, a stranger you meet. Smile. Find reasons other than those of hardship to motivate you.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">Knowing what to write isn't always a writer's downfall. Not knowing how to say it is. Not believing in ourselves enough to express ourselves authentically, to be our true self, is what keeps us from our dreams and goals.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">More on developing the author's authentic voice on May 1st. For now, let's get in shape. Let's discover what makes us tick, what thrills us, what we need to avoid, and what we need to embrace.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">One of the funniest things, as a writer, that I hear people say: I could be a great writer if I only had time. Sorry, but…bullshit. And when they offer up THEIR ideas, as if I don't have enough of my own? That's when I rudely double up in laughter and have to turn away.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">C'mon, readers. Suck it up. Claim your life. Begin your adventure, and share it with others.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Script MT Bold"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 118%;">Sunny </span></div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-8053819356858272702012-04-10T00:00:00.000-05:002012-04-10T00:00:00.539-05:00So You Want To Write: Where To Start? by Heidi Senesac<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzOa4fHVJjrMil_55Mb3j-28fO2cCbGxaiqek9fqF9aUmvw4smAgBHOYaBuaoRU9AyOet3HTioWUA9Ea_wmKTT9I5TnyQtHX-cXk0pGGvV85gnsVg64fpR8aPs0MrXibFGgWdEKahOVM/s1600/heidi+head+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzOa4fHVJjrMil_55Mb3j-28fO2cCbGxaiqek9fqF9aUmvw4smAgBHOYaBuaoRU9AyOet3HTioWUA9Ea_wmKTT9I5TnyQtHX-cXk0pGGvV85gnsVg64fpR8aPs0MrXibFGgWdEKahOVM/s200/heidi+head+shot.jpg" width="158" /></a>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The following article first appeared in the Feb
issue of the Midwest Romance Writers newsletter, MRW Impressions. It may be
used with proper credit to chapter and author. Bloggers may link to the article
but not republish it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I recently gave a friend a
clock with a saying on the face: ‘Time is a poorly crafted plot device’. When I
first decided I wanted to see a book with my name as author on a library or
bookstore shelf I wasn't sure what a plot device was. What else didn’t I know?
I knew how to weave a rich story, but doing it was so much more than just
putting words on the page. How would I accomplish this? Where did I start?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">This same friend also
recently defined the difference between a goal and a dream in such succinct
terms, I’m sure it will stick with me the rest of my life. A dream is something
you have no control over. Being published is a dream or I’d like to be
president of…is a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A goal, on the
other hand, is something you establish a workable plan to achieve. I’ll write
3000 words each week, or I’ll improve my physical well-being by walking two
miles every other day. This made me think about my early goals for my writing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My first goal was to learn
everything I thought I’d need to know to write a truly readable story, one that
my book-buying self would be so enchanted with, I’d pull it out every year or
so to re-read. I knew how to achieve my education goal. I decided to start with
online classes. Many wonderful RWA chapters offer these courses and other
resources. But when I started looking into which ones to enroll in, I realized
the choices were too diverse. I found myself mired in choice. Should I take a
course that would instruct me in the best weapon to create murder and mayhem,
or perhaps something on building a believable world through my words?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My over-stimulated brain
screeched I needed to identify my weaknesses and prioritize courses to overcome
them. Since I was last in school when God was a boy, I decided to start with a
refresher course on grammar. Readers are pulled out of a story when you mix
tenses or write a sentence fragment. Even when they can’t tell you what is
wrong with your paragraph, they’ll know something is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My second priority--I had to
find a class to help me fix my bad habit of ‘head-hopping’. People I trusted to
read my work and tell me what needed fixing always, always came back with “I
don’t know who was saying or doing the action…” I needed classes on POV. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My chapter mates traded
suggestions for classes to take in pursuit of my goals. And they reminded me
that all these classes were only good if I used the techniques and knowledge I
learned to continue improving my writing. It’s hard for me to not get so
wrapped up in building my skills and forsake my purpose, which is to write, so
I appreciated their suggestions. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Along
the way, I’ve identified issues with my work, and prioritized my education
goals. One thing is clear--the process will be ongoing. I’m still in the basic
craft classes, but eventually I’ll graduate to agents and editors, business and
marketing. I’m thrilled to report that with each educational goal I achieve, I
give myself a powerful rush of endorphins as I check it off. And that’s enough
to keep me writing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Heidi Senesac writes contemporary
romance as Gemma Brocata. She is the new Vice President in charge of programs
for Midwest Romance Authors.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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</div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2362322603234241938.post-29516232946508334122012-04-05T00:00:00.002-05:002012-04-05T00:00:05.249-05:00Fear Will Kill You - by Leigh Stites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7AS432FzmJE7k06XLnQnoGrSSp2ajJV3qk7cb-eW5iPHMeIraO-dkuWx_ESKQQu1BDUcuRLGdTnUZNae5kPYmf-NAyL0k16d7_owFfYHVhO8PDn8rIMHbJ65KQBp8yCktbBdyx0bSAE/s1600/Leigh+Stites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7AS432FzmJE7k06XLnQnoGrSSp2ajJV3qk7cb-eW5iPHMeIraO-dkuWx_ESKQQu1BDUcuRLGdTnUZNae5kPYmf-NAyL0k16d7_owFfYHVhO8PDn8rIMHbJ65KQBp8yCktbBdyx0bSAE/s1600/Leigh+Stites.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">The
following article was first used in the February monthly newsletter of Midwest
Romance Writers. It may be reproduced by sister RWA chapters with proper credit
to chapter and author. Bloggers may refer to the article but not republish it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">MRW President’s Column
- February 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Dear Author:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Fear will kill
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">No, I’m not kidding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fear will kill every dream you have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It will kill the momentum you need to achieve those goals you set when
you weren’t so afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will kill the
future you might have had if you’d been brave enough to leave the cave and go
out hunting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">In last month’s column,
I invited you to join me in living dangerously in 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m convinced that’s the only way we’ll get
anywhere, and especially in this scary new world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Question is, how will we ever find the
courage to step out if we’re afraid?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">That means our first
order of business this year is getting past our fears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the spirit of keeping things simple, I’ve
distilled these into a manageable three-point list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know about you, but I can’t act on
more than three things at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Fear #1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This phobia is a BIG one for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a tape in my head that plays every
time I finish a scene, a chapter, or even a whole novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">“It’s not good
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to go back and work on
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Revise it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, revise it some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Polish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tweak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope, still not good
enough.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Now, I know that no
manuscript is ever perfect, but for some reason that damn voice tells me it can
be almost perfect if I just do this or that differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">The ‘not good enough’
fear has caused me to write in circles for weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has led me to allow others to tell my
story—meaning I took in all their feedback and tried to ‘fix’ whatever they
perceived was flawed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me
wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not bashing critique groups
or workshops or whatever channel you use to get feedback.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will warn you that if you have this
fear you will be tempted to revise the life out of your work in hopes that it
will get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me, it
won’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This compulsion to keep revising
and tweaking is a creativity killer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve massacred more than one book by tinkering it to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Last year, a very wise
sister (and published author) advised me to write something and send it off
without showing it to anyone first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was too afraid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">This year, I am
committed to living dangerously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll
finish the new manuscript I’m working on, do one revision, and send it off
without showing it to anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh God,
just thinking about doing that gives me the cold sweats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Still, I won’t break
the hold this fear has on me until I learn to trust myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here goes…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Fear #2: The
gatekeepers don’t want it, so readers will hate it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fear comes on the heels of rejection and
will hold you back for as long as you let it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">I’m not one of those
people who saves every rejection, but I do keep track of how many I’ve
gotten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It’s fairly easy when
everything you send out is ultimately rejected.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I have noticed that the tone of the
rejections has changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, it was
the usual form letter or email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I
started getting a few nibbles (requests for partials or full manuscripts).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently, I have been in communication with a
couple of agents who say they like my writing but don’t think the current
project is marketable or easily sold. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">I have let these
rejections stop me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">The truth is, that
manuscript everyone keeps turning down may or may not be well-received by
readers, but I won’t know if my work never gets out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, this year I commit to indie publishing at
least one manuscript for the sole purpose of putting my stories into readers’
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might love it or they might
hate it, but I won’t forego the chance to find out because of fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Fear #3: I’ll
fail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t it ironic how we let the
fear of failure allow us to fail?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Life affords so many
opportunities to fail, and fear seems like a logical response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, I’m convinced we humans are engineered
to learn more through failure than success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We don’t like it, but we can’t fear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, if we let fear stop us, this guarantees we will fail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, if we don’t fear failure,
when it happens we will just accept it and move on, more the wiser (hopefully).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">Consider the process of
natural selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the new world of
publishing is a jungle, then only those who adapt can survive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means becoming stronger, smarter and
more fearless than those who keep to the caves, clutching their talismans and
hoping one day things will get easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Make no mistake about it, you have to work hard to become smart, and
work smart to get lucky, but beyond that, you mustn’t be fearful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Venture forth, learn from your mistakes, face
the inevitable rejections, overcome the bad luck, bad Karma, or whatever stands
in your way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t fear failure,
it won’t devour you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">This year I’m committed
to being fearless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to write
more, worry less, trust myself and put my work out there at every
opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When failure comes, I’ll
remind myself that something attempted is never a complete failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;">I invite you to join me
on this journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shed your fears and
make the most of this year of living dangerously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Leigh
Stites<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Writing
as Elisabeth Burke<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 118%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leigh Stites is a past Golden Heart nominee
and current president of Midwest Romance Writers. She writes American western
historical romance. As Elisabeth Burke.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>Bobbie (Sunny) Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10039523903143674505noreply@blogger.com0