What's up with men? You know that picture book I've been working on -- the one about the mouse and the umbrella. The one that I thought was good and ready to send in.
Well, I showed it to my brother. He wanted me to add pirates and sharks...guy things. Geez, I just wanted a sweet little picture book that told a cute story.
I guess the author who wrote that book about men being from Mars and women from Venus had something.
Perhaps I can come up a book about siblings. I could title it:
BROTHERS EAT DIRT AND SISTERS EAT BROCCOLI.
Or BROTHERS SMELL LIKE A BAD DAY AT THE GYM AND SISTERS SMELL LIKE LILACS FROM GRANDMOTHER'S GARDEN.
Hmmm, maybe I'm on to something!!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
POPCORN AND THOUGHTS
Ideas are popping inside my brain like the popcorn machine at the movies. Oh, my goodness, I am now working on four things simultaneously.
I want to write a book for adults entitled, Unexpected Treasures. I just finished my second story, Haunted Treasures. Wow, it was fun writing a scary story. My muse must be working overtime.
I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking of one I could write for the Forum, entitled, When Love Is Not Enough. Another adult piece. Ah, let those fingers dance across the keyboard.
Of course, my favorite is the YA novel I'm writing with my good friend. Talk about popcorn and thoughts...together we are unstoppable. How cool is that.
My fourth venture is a poem. So far I've gotten 10 lines written. My brother did four and I did six. It's taken me longer to write those 10 lines than a chapter in a YA novel. And, I thought picture books were difficult. OMG - poetry is impossible. Since my brother is coming for a visit starting tomorrow, I'm hoping that between the two of us we can finish that poem. I'm going to enter it in a contest. If I win, do I have to split the money with him?
I want to write a book for adults entitled, Unexpected Treasures. I just finished my second story, Haunted Treasures. Wow, it was fun writing a scary story. My muse must be working overtime.
I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking of one I could write for the Forum, entitled, When Love Is Not Enough. Another adult piece. Ah, let those fingers dance across the keyboard.
Of course, my favorite is the YA novel I'm writing with my good friend. Talk about popcorn and thoughts...together we are unstoppable. How cool is that.
My fourth venture is a poem. So far I've gotten 10 lines written. My brother did four and I did six. It's taken me longer to write those 10 lines than a chapter in a YA novel. And, I thought picture books were difficult. OMG - poetry is impossible. Since my brother is coming for a visit starting tomorrow, I'm hoping that between the two of us we can finish that poem. I'm going to enter it in a contest. If I win, do I have to split the money with him?
Sunday, July 17, 2011
CONFETTI
Rip
Tear
Shred
That's the sound of my critique group when I present one of my picture book manuscripts. In one of my previous blah, blah, blogs I told you that picture books are my downfall. And, I am bound and determined to write one. A good one.
Whee!!!!!
That's the sound of my critique group when they take that torn and shredded manuscript and use it for confetti.
When the employees of Books-A-Million hear their gleeful cries, they frown, fold their arms and tsk, tsk, tsk at our mess.
"Don't worry," I smile. "I'll clean it up."
So, my quest continues -- I presented the revised version of my picture book entitled, THE MOUSE, THE UMBRELLA AND THE SEA to my group yesterday.
Their eyes widened, their fingers actually trembled at the thought of all that ripping, tearing and shredding. But, to their amazement, I'm getting closer.
Of course I had to change the title to THE MOUSE AND THE TATTERED UMBRELLA...but they liked it. They really like it. With their suggestions, I may have broken the picture book code. Eat your heart out Robert Langdon.
I'm going to polish this one up and send it to a lucky publishing company tomorrow. How cool is that!
BTW: I had another one of my letters to the editor published in my local newspaper today. And, it was designated LETTER OF THE DAY. Cool!!
Tear
Shred
That's the sound of my critique group when I present one of my picture book manuscripts. In one of my previous blah, blah, blogs I told you that picture books are my downfall. And, I am bound and determined to write one. A good one.
Whee!!!!!
That's the sound of my critique group when they take that torn and shredded manuscript and use it for confetti.
When the employees of Books-A-Million hear their gleeful cries, they frown, fold their arms and tsk, tsk, tsk at our mess.
"Don't worry," I smile. "I'll clean it up."
So, my quest continues -- I presented the revised version of my picture book entitled, THE MOUSE, THE UMBRELLA AND THE SEA to my group yesterday.
Their eyes widened, their fingers actually trembled at the thought of all that ripping, tearing and shredding. But, to their amazement, I'm getting closer.
Of course I had to change the title to THE MOUSE AND THE TATTERED UMBRELLA...but they liked it. They really like it. With their suggestions, I may have broken the picture book code. Eat your heart out Robert Langdon.
I'm going to polish this one up and send it to a lucky publishing company tomorrow. How cool is that!
BTW: I had another one of my letters to the editor published in my local newspaper today. And, it was designated LETTER OF THE DAY. Cool!!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
HUMBLING EXPERIENCES
I GOT IT!!! A book of short stories...with mine included. It's a real book. And it has a story written by me. ME, ME,ME. How cool is that!!!
Of course, nothing happens in life -- to me -- that isn't a little bit humbling. This just happens to be a big humbling experience: There is a typo in the title. I didn't catch it. The editors didn't catch it. Dang. That's not so cool.
But, I am in print - mis-typed title and all. Yeah. I'm on my way.
Of course, nothing happens in life -- to me -- that isn't a little bit humbling. This just happens to be a big humbling experience: There is a typo in the title. I didn't catch it. The editors didn't catch it. Dang. That's not so cool.
But, I am in print - mis-typed title and all. Yeah. I'm on my way.
Monday, July 11, 2011
TWO COMPUTERS, TWICE THE FUN
I am the owner of two computers. How fun is that!
Today I have a novel-in-the-works on one of them and an almost-finished-picture book on the other. I can go back and forth and write, write, write...when the ideas hit me.
I'm even trying my hand at poetry. I have a printed half-finished-poem sitting on the table between my computers, so I can take a break and try to figure out how to finish it.
I thought writing pictures books was treacherous, try poetry. It's impossible! But, I look at it as a way to get out of my comfort zone and stretch my imagination. Too bad I don't have rhyme or rhythm.
I do have two computers. And writing is now twice the fun.
Today I have a novel-in-the-works on one of them and an almost-finished-picture book on the other. I can go back and forth and write, write, write...when the ideas hit me.
I'm even trying my hand at poetry. I have a printed half-finished-poem sitting on the table between my computers, so I can take a break and try to figure out how to finish it.
I thought writing pictures books was treacherous, try poetry. It's impossible! But, I look at it as a way to get out of my comfort zone and stretch my imagination. Too bad I don't have rhyme or rhythm.
I do have two computers. And writing is now twice the fun.
Friday, July 1, 2011
LIVING LIFE ALONE
I've been living life alone for five weeks now. It's a path I hadn't expected to take so soon. To say one has their ups and downs is an understatement. Just when I think I have my act together, I fall apart.
Take for instance, the grocery store. No big deal. I've shopped for years, but suddenly I found myself trying to figure out how to shop for one. It was fun, at first, because I could buy what I wanted to eat. And, expensive cuts of fish and meat aren't so expensive when it is cut for one. But the other day, for some unexplained reason, I couldn't stop crying. It wasn't a sobbing, noisy type of cry. It was tears falling out of my eyes and I couldn't stop them. The poor lady at the checkout was so kind, but I felt foolish. I would have left the cart in some aisle and run out of the store, but I needed food and I needed to face my sorrow.
I had an interesting thing happen the other night. I had the pleasure of going out to dinner with several married friends. Since I live in a resort community that is basking in off season, deals are aplenty. All the restaurants in my area have summer deals to attract business. One favorite is two dinners and a bottle of wine for $29.99. How cool is that! When I asked the waiter if they had any deals for single people he said, "No, you will have to order from the regular menu." Ouch!
This didn't make me cry. It made me more aware of the plight single people face. So, I did what I love to do, I wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper about this dilemma. I hope it's printed.
My friends that have walked this path before assure me that everything I am feeling and everything I am experiencing is perfectly normal. That is somewhat of a comfort. But going through this mourning thing is a bitch, something I can't run from or hide from.
As my mother always use to say, "This too shall pass." I always hated that saying, but it is oh, so true.
Take for instance, the grocery store. No big deal. I've shopped for years, but suddenly I found myself trying to figure out how to shop for one. It was fun, at first, because I could buy what I wanted to eat. And, expensive cuts of fish and meat aren't so expensive when it is cut for one. But the other day, for some unexplained reason, I couldn't stop crying. It wasn't a sobbing, noisy type of cry. It was tears falling out of my eyes and I couldn't stop them. The poor lady at the checkout was so kind, but I felt foolish. I would have left the cart in some aisle and run out of the store, but I needed food and I needed to face my sorrow.
I had an interesting thing happen the other night. I had the pleasure of going out to dinner with several married friends. Since I live in a resort community that is basking in off season, deals are aplenty. All the restaurants in my area have summer deals to attract business. One favorite is two dinners and a bottle of wine for $29.99. How cool is that! When I asked the waiter if they had any deals for single people he said, "No, you will have to order from the regular menu." Ouch!
This didn't make me cry. It made me more aware of the plight single people face. So, I did what I love to do, I wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper about this dilemma. I hope it's printed.
My friends that have walked this path before assure me that everything I am feeling and everything I am experiencing is perfectly normal. That is somewhat of a comfort. But going through this mourning thing is a bitch, something I can't run from or hide from.
As my mother always use to say, "This too shall pass." I always hated that saying, but it is oh, so true.
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