First Draft Complete and I Feel Good!

Yep, it's done. I have a first draft. I honestly had begun to think hell was going to freeze over (or the ice caps melt) before I had a manuscript to work with. When I typed the last sentence, I had tears in my eyes. Could have been the story's ending, I suppose, but I'm more inclined to think it was the relief of knowing the biggest part of the battle was over.

I'm not sure why it was such a battle. I liked the story idea and I loved my characters, but 30,000 words into the novel I junked 15,000 words and started over. Then other things happened and I lost momentum again and again. I feel as though I pulled this manuscript through a tiny knothole word-by-word.

Altogether, I have written the first drafts of six novels. Number one, The Troubleshooter, which I wrote with my brother, was revised several times and finally released as an audiobook. That manuscript has potential as a mystery if I go back and work on it some more.

First draft number two is romantic suspense, tentatively called Against Her Better Judgment. I started to revise it once, but abandoned it to write novel number three. Number two is still sitting on a nearby shelf, its pages somewhat yellowed with age, patiently waiting until I give it another try.

That number three novel, the mystery The Prairie Grass Murders, was published in hardcover by Five Star, as an audiobook by Books in Motion, and releases in paperback from Harlequin Worldwide on February 1st (eeks, that's tomorrow).

Novel number four, The Desert Hedge Murders, was released in hardcover in August 2009 by Five Star and is scheduled for a September release in paperback by Harlequin Worldwide. I haven't heard from Books in Motion yet, so no audiobook.

My fifth novel, Wishing Caswell Dead, is waiting for revisions. I'm deciding if I want to do a drastic rewrite to change from multiple point of view to a main character first-person point of view.

And number six (known as the untitled Lynnette suspense novel) is the first draft I finished this weekend. I'm going to let it rest for two weeks while I catch up on my To Do List. Then I will begin revising. I'll have a stack of notes from my critique group for the first thirteen chapters, so I'll go through those first. Then I'll do a complete read from the monitor, fixing mistakes as I go. I'll also mark places that need an expanded description, an added scene, or historical information to enhance the plot. I'll go back and make those changes, and then I'll print out the complete manuscript so I can do a full silent read from paper, followed by a full read out loud.

Once I'm satisfied with the novel, the story arc, and the characters, I'll begin the self-editing process. I follow a "one step at a time" program I set up that addresses all of my weak points.

My goal is to finish all of those steps by March 26th. The Northern Colorado Writers Conference is March 26-27, and I have scheduled an agent pitch session for the 27th.

I'll be talking more about each of these steps in the revision and self-editing process as I go along. For now, please join me as I sing along with James Brown: I feel good. Dada dada dada dah. I knew that I would, now. Dada dada dada dah. :)

The Kreativ Blogger Award from Gutsy Writer

I have another fun award to work with today. Last week, Sonia Marsh at Gutsy Writer was kind enough to bestow the Kreativ Blogger Award on seven of her blogging friends, and she included me. Many thanks to Sonia.

One of the special features of Sonia's blog is her use of her flip video camera to do short video posts where her readers can see and hear her post instead of just reading it. I didn't know about the flip camera before I discovered her interesting blog, but I'm now seriously considering getting one.

But on to the the Kreative Blogger Award. Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who sent the award and link to his or her blog.
2. Copy the award to your blog.
3. List seven things people don't know about you.
4. Nominate seven bloggers for the award, link to their blogs, and leave a comment to let them know of their award.

Hmmm. Seven things people don't know about me. This is getting harder because I've received this award before, but I'll give it a try:

1. I love Ben & Jerry's "Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz" ice cream. Love it! Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Unfortunately, I'm on a diet...

2. One of my favorite movies of all time is Love Me or Leave Me with Doris Day and James Cagney. She's a dance hall girl who aspires to be a singing star (go figure) and Cagney is the gangster who wants her to be his girl (big surprise, right?). Then she makes the mistake of falling in love with the piano player.... I know, it sounds hokey, but this movie makes me cry every time I watch it. It's not your typical Doris Day romantic musical/comedy. You guys do know who I'm talking about, right? Doris Day and James Cagney?

3. I'm a "general" -- that is, I have a ham radio license and I've passed the test to become a general. Back in the day, I even had to pass a thirteen-word-per-minute Morse Code test to achieve that level. My call sign is N4UNE (that's November Four Uniform November Echo) in ham talk. I'm not active at the moment, but my hubby has installed an antenna and he's updating our equipment. We hope to be online soon.

4. In 1998, I donated the two scrapbooks I had filled during high school to the school's historical archives. We're going to borrow them back to display at my 50-year class reunion in September. You know the kind of stuff I mean--dance programs, pressed flowers, photographs?

5. I am in touch with two of my grade school girlfriends (early 1950s). We see each other once or twice a year when I'm back in Illinois visiting my mom.

6. One of my hobbies is crocheting, although I haven't had time to do much lately. I mostly crochet afghans. baby afghans, and shawls. I love granny squares.

7. I have never broken a bone except for possibly the little toe on my left foot. (Perhaps I should go knock on wood.)

Nominating seven bloggers for this award is difficult as I've passed on several awards lately, and have also passed on a couple of Kreativ Blogger Awards in the past. As a result, I'm going to reserve the right to pass on this award at a later date. I'll be on the lookout for newer blogs, those who are creative (of course) and interesting and need exposure. Stay tuned.

Bits and Pieces

A Killer Writing Day

For my writer friends: I added 2,471 words to my novel yesterday. I accomplished that in 3.5 hours. Even I am impressed. I'm running late getting started today, so won't do quite as well. I am on schedule, however, to finish this first draft on Sunday.


Sandi Ault's New Release: Wild Penance

One of my favorite Colorado authors, Sandi Ault, is celebrating the release of her fourth novel in the Jamaica Wild (Bureau of Land Management Agent) mystery series, Wild Penance.

"Bureau of Land Management agent Jamaica Wild has always been fascinated by Los Penitentes, a secret, ancient religious group that reenacts Jesus' crucifixion and practices excessive penance. And a recent, dramatic death she witnesses in the Gorge seems to be part of their rituals. But a haunted priest warns Jamaica not to investigate too closely."

I hope to attend her signing when she appears at Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, Colorado on Saturday, February 13th at noon.


Walking in This World: The Practical Art of Creativity

Julia Cameron is best known for her famous morning pages from The Artist's Way. Walking in the World, published in 2003, also includes outstanding observations and tasks. I'm looking at Week 7 first (is that cheating?) because it's called "Discovering a Sense of Momentum" and discusses how we get things done ("Easy Does It, but Do It: Flow").

Since I'm headed into a busy two months with an out-of-control To Do List, I think I need that Week 7 chapter right now.


A Quote for Everyone

"And the day came when the risk [it took] to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
---------------Anais Nin

Writing Today -- But first a bit of fun!

We received a dusting of snow in Northern Colorado during the night. The sky is overcast, giving me one of those rare gray, dreary days that are perfect for writing. I've checked my e-mail, tweeted The Blood-Red Pencil post and upcoming classes for Northern Colorado Writers, and am about to do one more chore before I go back to work on my novel.

That one more chore is going to be fun. I received the scanned senior yearbook photos for my high school Class of '60 from administrators at the school. Now I need to make sure I can open the files and save them to my computer. I'm in charge of nametags for our 50th class reunion in September, and I'm going to use our senior pictures on those nametags.

Our graduating class was relatively small (less than 40, I think), and we haven't had many reunions. I haven't seen some of my classmates since 1985. I hope I'd recognize everyone, but I'm not real sure.

I took a break here and checked out the photos. Started with my own, of course. Yep, that's me. In 1960. Don't you love that pageboy hairdo with the wave?

It was a great relief to find out the school already had the photos scanned and on file. I tried scanning a few from my yearbook and found the quality okay but getting the book aligned on the flat bed scanner a bit of a problem.

Okay, enough play. I must get back to the writing project. I now have four hours to focus. See you later.

True or False? What Do You Think?

I'm doing it again. I've set aside a big block of writing days in another push to finish this darned first draft. The days are stretched out before me. Five days. Today through Sunday. If I can do it, I'll finally have the manuscript I'd hoped to complete by December 31st.

The hard part is keeping my main character under control. I'm working on that.

Now for the serious business of the day. The wonderful Kaye Barley who blogs at Meanderings and Musings recently received the most excellent "Lesa's Bald Faced Liar (SCRATCH THAT!) 'Creative Writer' Blogger Award" from Lesa Holstine of Lesa's Book Critiques. I was super-pleased that Kaye included me when she passed the award along.

Thanks, Kaye. This is a most distinguished, highfalutin award. I am truly honored. I've included the link back to Lesa's blog and hope other recipients of this award will do the same. If you read books, you'll love Lesa's reviews and interviews. As for Kaye, she blogs about about books and authors and other stuff that's going on in her world. Once you've dropped by for a visit, you'll want to return often.

Okay. On with the fun. This award comes with a few rules. Rules that Lesa Holstine made up. And here they are:

Recipients must -
1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell us up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Allow your readers to guess which one or more are true.
6. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
7. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
8. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

Before I get to the tall tales, I'd like to nominate seven bloggers who (hopefully) will enjoy this creative exercise:

Helen Ginger of Straight From Hel
Elizabeth Spann Craig at Mystery Writing is Murder
Elspeth Antonelli at It's a Mystery
Sophie Littlefield at Can't Stop Won't Stop
Terry Odell at Terry's Place
Donna M. Kohlstrom at A Florida Writer's Life
Donna Volkenannt at Donna's Book Pub

These bloggers seem to have a pretty good sense of humor, so I'll be interested to see what outrageous stories they tell us.

So, back to Number Four -- tell six outrageous lies about myself and at least one outrageous truth. Here we go:

1. After I took belly-dancing lessons in the 70s, I performed in public with a troupe of five other dancers.

2. Lee Child bought me a drink at Bouchercon in Indianapolis (2009).

3. The last manuscript I submitted to Five Star was perfect as is and required no editing.

4. When there's no one else in the house, I loudly sing along to music from my favorite singers, including Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks, and Joan Armatrading.

5. I'm obsessive about cleaning house and keeping my office spic n' span -- a place for everything and everything in its place.

6. I never eat lunch.

7. When I was a teen, I visited relatives in Philadelphia and got to dance on American Bandstand.

Now it's us to you to guess which of these statements is true. What do you think?

More Blogs from Members of Northern Colorado Writers

I have a new blogroll in my side bar that focuses on members of Northern Colorado Writers. The ten most recent posts will be visible. I'll be adding new blogs as I find them.

It would be great if readers could drop by if the blog title and topic is of interest. Some are relatively new blogs that would love to have visitors and feedback. And maybe you'll find something meant just for you.

Laura Lee Carter's blog is Midlife Crisis Queen (It's never too late to find out who you might have been!). Laura Lee is a life change coach, speaker, blogger, entrepreneur, and the author of Midlife Magic and the Life Change Workbook.

Living in the Write Mind is Maggie Goin's blog. Maggie is the author of In Real Life, a novel about internet safety, and numerous articles on topics such as depression in senior citizens and drug withdrawal in newborns. In the real world job, Maggie is a nurse. I was fascinated to read in her bio that she has "a black belt in Kung Fu San Soo."

Michelle Mach writes fiction, poetry, articles, and essays, but she's also a crafty lady who has a blog called Michelle Mach: My Crazy Crafty Adventure. Those among you who are creative, especially those who like beads and jewelry-making, will definitely want to check this one out.

Armchair Heroines is a blog of "News, reviews, fun and games for the romance reader." Tiffany James is writing romantic fiction. Her excellent blog includes book reviews and author interviews for lovers of this genre.

I have a feeling there are more blogs waiting to be discovered among the members of this diverse writers' organization. I'll call them stealth blogs. The search is on.

Award Day -- The Circle of Friends

My blogger friend, Karen Walker, gave me this wonderful Circle of Friends Award earlier this month. According to the rules, I must pass it along to five blogging friends. This is always a hard decision for those of us who have tons of blogging friends, so be aware that I appreciate each and every one of you.

The blogging award process is fun and is a wonderful networking tool as it gives each of us the chance to follow the links and make even more friends in the blogging community.

For The Circle of Friends Award, I have selected:

Carolyn Yalin
Kerrie Flanagan at The Writing Bug
Linda Faulkner at Author Exchange Blog
Maryann Miller at It's Not All Gravy
Rayna M. Iyer at Coffee Rings Everywhere

These are blogs I visit often and always enjoy. Sometimes I even leave comments (although I find I can read more blog posts if I don't comment at every one I visit). I hope you'll find a couple of new friends here.

How About Flowers?

I'm writing this weekend. Yay!

I finished all my e-mail chores this morning, grabbed my yogurt, blueberries, and granola lunch, and by 1:30 I was ready to make a serious run at the last few chapters of my novel (for about the umpteenth time).

I wanted to leave something here at the old blog for the weekend, just so you'd know I'm not skipping out on my bloggerly duties. How about flowers? After all, no one deserves flowers more than you.

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way."
---------------Walter C. Hagen, The Walter Hagen Story

Note that African violets are one of my indoor plant success stories . . . until I try to transplant them to larger pots. That's when I kill them. Every single time.

One of the things I like about African violets is that they can be coaxed to bloom most any time of the year. They rest from time to time, but not for long. I took these photos last weekend.

I wonder if I should try growing a pan of leaf lettuce or spinach in that same south-facing window. Why not? Can't hurt to try.

I have always loved violets and lily of the valley more than any other flower. Violets covered our lawn and the orchard on the farm where I grew up. Lily of the valley hid near the house around the flower beds, but the slightest breeze gave them away by swirling their perfume about the yard.

I'll have a new post up on Monday. See you then.

Teach a Class? Sure!

I've agreed to do a ninety-minute seminar on social media for Northern Colorado Writers on March 1st. This will be an overview for beginners, including a discussion of the importance of social media for writers. I'm going to focus on Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook.

Doesn't seem like too large a task, does it? After all, I'm familiar with all three venues. I'm pretty good at figuring things out. I have no problem talking to small or large groups. And I'm not afraid to say, "I don't know, but I'll find out," when asked a question for which I have no answer.

Teaching a class or workshop is a lot more complicated than I first thought. In 2008, I gave a one-hour presentation called "Let's Write a Mystery" for the Northern Colorado Writers Conference. I put together a detailed handout, included three pages of writing resources (with a list of helpful websites and blogs). I practiced my presentation over and over to make sure I would cover the important material in that one hour. And I packed a big box of debut mystery novels for show and tell, letting my attendees know that "these authors did it, and so can you."

My next teaching experience was a two-hour class in "Self-Editing One Step at a Time," held at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio. Again, I had the self-editing steps down on paper with an extensive handout and a list of resources for writing improvement. Practice makes perfect, so I worked on talking through my presentation to make sure I stayed on topic and could handle two hours of talking. During the class, I was so involved in the presentation and answering questions that I was ninety minutes into the material before I remembered to give the class a break.

This class and the handout provided additional opportunities as the self-editing series has appeared as a series of posts on The Blood-Red Pencil blog and is now running in Kerrie Flanagan's new writers' newsletter, The Complete Writer.

So here I go again with the seminar on social media. I need to fine-tune my focus, prepare my handouts, pull my presentation together, learn how to use the projector with my laptop computer, practice the talk many times to get the content and timing right, and then just do it.

There are good reasons for writers to take on projects like these.

1. Exposure for your name, your published work, and your related skills.
2. Networking, meeting new people.
3. Broaden your own knowledge as you research and prepare your topic.
4. Gain the experience and knowledge required to get paid for your presentations.

Even if you're not comfortable with this idea now, you might like it if you give it a try. It's one more way for writers (and artists) to promote themselves and their work.

Photo Essay -- Dancing Chicken and Barking Puppy

Can you tell I don't feel like working?

The other day my chicken was minding his own business, sitting in my favorite chair and reading my copy of Mark Ludy's The Grump.

He seemed to like the book a lot, because when he finished he hopped around in my chair, doing his "squawk, squawk" chicken dance.

Chicken was taken aback when puppy jumped up on the chair and barked, scaring chicken half to death. I think puppy was only doing his "bark, bark" puppy dance thing, but chicken didn't get it.

Chicken didn't wait for an explanation or make an effort to understand. He attacked puppy and pecked him on the nose.


This puppy, however, is no shrinking violet. You can see him above, doing his little "bark, bark" happy puppy dance, while chicken struggles to stand up.

Note: No stuffed animals were injured in any way during this photo session. Puppy's nose is fine, and chicken squawked and danced as soon as I set him on his feet.

My Interview With Editor Denise Dietz

The interview with my editor Denise Dietz is posted at The Blood-Red Pencil today. She has some great advice for writers, so it's worth the trip. The Blood-Red Pencil is at http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com

Tuesday Afternoon at the Studio

As I write this, I'm working at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio. Every Tuesday afternoon I'm here, keeping the coffee pot full of water and ready to chat with any of the writers who drop by. Sometimes I work in the main room when I'm here, as long as no classes or meetings are in session.

Today the memoir critique group is meeting in the main room, and one other writer is working in the quiet room. I'm alone in the library.

The library has a wall of windows that looks out on a little courtyard and beyond to a shopping mall. It's overcast today, and a few piles of snow remain in the courtyard. The glass is cold to the touch.

In addition to the bookcases and books in this room, there is a table with four chairs on one side of the room, and a conversation corner containing four comfy chairs and a coffee table on the other side. This is a good place to work most of the year, but toasty in summer because of the south-facing windows.

Once every two months a new, local artist is invited to show his or her work. Paintings hang in each of the rooms. Of the three in the library, two are in acylics featuring tones of brown, tan, and cream--restful colors. One has a white cat sprawled out in front of a dark wood cabinet. The third picture appears to be pastels on textured cardboard. It's more colorful than the other two, and the texture draws the eye.

Today I chatted with two members about their current projects. One is focusing on all things related to journaling. The other is exploring the world of blogging and writing articles for other websites and blogs. One of the things I love about this organization is the member diversity -- writers of all ages, in all writing-related disciplines, and with all levels of experience.

I still have another 90 minutes before I leave the studio for the day. I'm going to spend that time visiting as many blogs and reading as many posts as I can. See you tomorrow.

Chilling Today

I'm having a rough time coming up with blog post topic today.

I'm peaceful and relaxed and in a good place. Everything is going okay, although a tiny bit slower than I'd hoped. But it's all good.

That does not make an exciting blog post.

So I'll chill today and leave you with this quote:

"The happy people are failures because they are on such good terms with themselves they don't give a damn."
---------------Agatha Christie (from brainyquote.com)

Mystery/Thriller Book Giveaway

"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them."
----------Ray Bradbury (from brainyquotes.com)

And that's exactly why I've decided to give away these excellent books, even some of those signed by the author. There's no reason to keep them on my bookshelves when they could be shared. Each is gently read and in perfect to good condition.

I apologize for restricting this giveaway to readers from the U.S., but the cost of mailing books outside the country is prohibitive. Within the states, media mail is relatively speedy and very affordable.

This time around, I'm giving away a mystery/thriller package containing the following:

Wilder Rumors by Molly MacRae
Gone for Good by Harlan Coben
Flipping Out by Marshall Karp (signed first edition)
Running from the Devil by Jamie Freveletti (signed first edition)
Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton (signed first edition)
Silver Lies by Ann Parker (signed trade paperback)
Retirement Homes are Murder by Mike Befeler (signed first edition)
Living With Your Kids is Murder by Mike Befeler (with first run cover art which was corrected in next print run)

How to Enter:

1. Send one (and only one) e-mail to:

info at patriciastoltey.com

(you already know you have to put the address together with the @ sign in the appropriate place so I won't explain all that). :)

2. Put "Books" in the subject line.

3. Include your real name and your mailing address in the body of the e-mail. I will never give away or sell your mailing address nor will I put your address on a personal mailing list.

4. The deadline to enter this book giveaway is January 31, 2010.

5. Any entry that does not follow the four rules listed above will be discarded.


Remember, only one entry will count per person.

A Little of This and a Little of That

What I'm Reading

I'm a little over halfway through Devil's Peak, an excellent novel by South African crime writer Deon Meyer. I haven't read anything by this author before, but chose his book at random as I wandered the stacks at the library. I picked up another one as well, Blood Safari. Meyer is an outstanding writer.


Mystery Lovers' Kitchen

If you don't already visit Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, you're missing a lot of fun and some excellent recipes from a group of food niche mystery writers. This Angel Food Cake with No-Brainer Blueberry Sauce looks so good. This is where you'll find Riley Adams (also known as Elizabeth Spann Craig), the author of the upcoming Memphis Barbecue Mysteries. Memphis Barbecue. Yum. Stop by the blog and check out Riley and the rest of the contributors.


The Writing

Today and tomorrow are writing days. I had a laundry list of chores to do first, but I'm about to open my Word document and charge ahead. Earlier in December I estimated I'd have a first draft in 10,000 words. It's now almost 10,000 words later, and I still have more story to tell. I blame it on my characters who decided they weren't finished yet. Or maybe I'm having trouble letting go.

Anyway, I'm logging off the internet now and won't be back until much later (or even tomorrow). What are you doing this weekend?

Colorado Authors -- New and Coming Soon

RECENT RELEASES FROM COLORADO AUTHORS


Laura E. Reeve, science fiction and fantasy
Read more about Laura and her books at AncestralStars.com

Vigilante (October, 2009)

"The newly opened solar system G-145 promises peace for Ariane: respite from memories of her past, including her last reserve assignment for the Directorate of Intelligence. Her hopes plummet when her enemy Terran State Prince Parmet arrives, her employer Matt assigns her to manage disorganized contractors, and the Directorate insists upon playing its games."



Cindi Myers, romance

Her Christmas Wish (December, 2009)

"Alina Allinova is spending the holidays a long way from her native Croatia. Participating in a medical exchange program in Gunnison, Colorado, Alina meets paramedic Eric Sepulveda. The two quickly fall for each other, but Eric plans to leave for medical school soon and Alina's visa expires in January. No only that, but their families don't approve of a couple from two such different backgrounds marrying. Is love enough to conquer all these difficulties? Will Alina get her Christmas Wish to live happily ever after with Eric?"

COMING SOON AND AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER:

Hester (historical fiction) by Paula Reed (February 2010)

Tressed to Kill (Southern Beauty Shop Mysteries) by Lila Dare (May 2010)

Another Way to Help the People of Haiti

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My husband and I make our relief donations through The Salvation Army. The organization's administrative overhead is relatively low so more of our donation dollars end up helping the people affected by these disasters. The Salvation Army is usually on the scene very quickly due to its mission locations around the world. One of its many missions in Haiti is a children's home. Apparently the building has been damaged but most of the children have been located and are safe. Donations can be made online or through your local Salvation Army post.
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Coming Soon from Harlequin Worldwide Mystery

I expect the book to be available on February 1st at the eHarlequin site. I hope you'll spread the word among your friends and family members to check out the great selection of mystery titles available there.

Just Stuff

Self-Doubt

I've read a lot of blog posts lately that talk about our self-doubt as writers. Fear of failure is a common reason writers don't finish their manuscripts or don't submit their revised manuscripts to agents or editors. Is there something about starting a new year and the goal-setting process that scares us? Here's a post by Alexandra Levit on zenhabits that describes 5 Great Ways to Conquer Self-Doubt.


eHarlequin Worldwide

Today I received my copies of the mass market paperback version of The Prairie Grass Murders which will be released in February at the online eHarlequin bookstore. I'll scan my beautiful pink and black cover art and post it here sometime this week.


American Idol

The American Idol season premiere is tonight (Tuesday). I love this show. And Sunday night is the season premiere of 24, another favorite. Can't help it. I'm a prime time TV junkie.


The Book

I made good progress over the weekend with almost 4,000 words added to the manuscript. I thought I was closer to the end than I am. It's my main character's fault. She was supposed to end up in handcuffs this week, but she's on the road again. Since I don't know where the heck she's going, I can't predict if I'll finish the manuscript this week or whether it will take a little longer. Even so, we're on the final stretch. I'm feeling good.


My Reading List and Future Book Giveaways

I'm making a bit of headway in reading and getting rid of books I've accumulated. I now have a lovely stack to pack up and take to one of the local independent bookstores that will give credit for quality used books. I'm keeping a couple of the signed books, ones I highly recommend, for a book giveaway in a week or two. Stay tuned.

Writing Can Be a Pain in the Neck

Writing can also be a pain in the shoulders, the back, the knees, and the wrists. We need to be very careful not to sit too long without getting up and stretching.

It's hard to make myself get out of my writing chair and exercise when I'm on the home stretch of a novel's first draft. Time evaporates. I'm stiff and sore before I realize what's happening. Since I have a bit of arthritis and also experience occasional fibromyalgia flares, movement is absolutely necessary. A regular stretching program helps. Working out and weight training is useful. Yoga is also excellent.

One of the most helpful things I've learned how to do is a series of positions and stretches created by Pete Egoscue. Some of the program is similar to Yoga, but most of it is easier than Yoga. I'd recommend going to a clinic if you have one nearby, but the sessions are pricey and probably not covered by most writers' insurance. However, there's an easier and cheaper way to find out what the Egoscue Method is like.

Much of the theory and an illustrated guide to the program can be found in Egoscue's excellent book, Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain. Your library may have a copy or might be willing to order it. I'm a firm believer in the method and always feel better when I'm following the program daily.

Letting My Fingers Do the Writing

Some of the most amazing things happen while we're writing. We might sit down to type a scene that we've worked out. An hour later, we're creating another scene that came from nowhere, had not been planned, and might even take our characters in a different direction than we expected.

I love those moments, but I don't know how they happen.

Some writers prefer to write from an outline. I've tried it, but my story never stays on track. My outline becomes a moving target, as dynamic as the novel manuscript.

My current novel-in-the-works first draft, which is almost finished, features a woman on the run. At the beginning of the story, she thinks she's merely leaving her husband and wants to make sure he can't follow her until she's ready to talk to him. Everything goes wrong, of course, and my character ends up running from bad guys, the police, and eventually, the FBI.

Yesterday, at a moment in the story when I thought she was trapped and would probably end the scene in handcuffs, my character stepped it up a notch and got away.

I don't know where the getaway idea came from. Although I know how the novel will end, I don't know where my character is going in the next scene.

Today I'll open the file and read yesterday's work. If it stands up under second-day scrutiny, I'll put my fingers on the keyboard and see what happens.

Do you experience writing that seems to come from your fingers instead of your mind? Is the idea fun, mysterious, or just creepy?

Quiet! Woman Writing.

Okay, I'm (almost) totally linked out for this week. I have no lists or recommendations. There's only one thing on my mind: the work in progress.

Today and tomorrow are writing days. Darling husband is playing bridge this afternoon and all day tomorrow, so the house will be quiet.

I love quiet.

Quiet is the early morning in my neighborhood after a heavy snowfall. Quiet is a Snowy Range mountain lake in Wyoming before tourist season begins. Quiet is my house when I'm here alone.

Some folks write to music. I don't do that because I stop whenever I hear a song I like and I listen, sometimes singing along. I've been known to hop up and dance when Cyndi Lauper belts out Girls Just Want to Have Fun. The last time I had a long writing session scheduled, I even noticed the rhythm of pounding hammers as workmen installed a new roof two houses from mine. I was distracted every time the beat changed.

Some people write with talk radio or television cable news as white noise. Not me. If there's a debate or discussion, I listen to it.

Some writers work in a coffee shop. I can't do that either. I listen to nearby conversations, listen to what customers order, listen to the music playing in the background.

The only noise in my house at this moment is the hum of my computer and the click of the keys. Those are sounds I can handle.

Now you know how I'm spending my weekend. What do you have planned?

Recommending the Documentary: Born into Brothels

Writers need to explore new topics, expand their areas of interest, research beyond their previous experiences, and entertain new ideas. Watching documentaries on a variety of subjects helps us visit places we cannot travel to on our own and study subjects we never covered in high school or college.

The 2004-2005 documentary, Born into Brothels, has been on my Netflix list for a long time. I finally watched it this week. I didn't know anything about the film except its setting -- the Red Light District of Calcutta. I was afraid it discussed sexual exploitation of children, something I have a hard time reading about or watching in films. It wasn't about that at all.

Born into Brothels is a film about the resilience and imagination of children, no matter how tough their existence and no matter how hopeless their future. When photographer Zana Briski went to Calcutta to document the lives of prostitutes, she found a network of strong children who wanted better lives. The documentary is about what happened when Briski put a camera in each child's hands and began to teach these children about the art and the process.

I highly recommend the film. To learn more about the organization that now funds similar projects, visit Kids with Cameras. More at Kids With Cameras Cairo, Jerusalem, Haiti, and Calcutta.

What about your research habits? Do you watch documentaries? Do you have a favorite you'd like to recommend?

New Publication: The Complete Writer

Kerrie Flanagan, director of Northern Colorado Writers, announces a new publication for writers, The Complete Writer. The first issue is free, so take a look and see what you think. A twelve-month subscription is $19.95.

The Complete Writer is also an opportunity to see your own articles in print. Submission guidelines are at http://completewriter.blogspot.com and are summarized below.

Here's what Kerrie says:

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Complete Writer. For the past five years my passion has been to support and encourage other writers on their journey to pursue their dreams. This e-publication is an extension of that passion.

My hope is that The Complete Writer will nurture not only your mind, but your creative spirit and body as well. Each issue will contain resources, inspirational articles, market news, exercises, and other information to help you become the best writer you can be. It is designed to be enjoyed either online or printed out.

As we enter into this new decade, I anticipate we will see exciting changes in the publishing industry as the Kindle and other e-readers become popular and Social Media becomes the preferred form of communication. As writers we should all stay informed about the industry and the direction it is headed.

Enjoy this first issue,
Kerrie
info@northerncoloradowriters.com

If you blog about the writing life, you might want to consider submitting articles to The Complete Writer.

For Regular Articles
Word Count: 500-750 words
Payment: $20
Kerrie suggests these possible topics: Author interviews, inspirational articles, writing craft articles, book reviews of writing books, organizational articles, querying, pitching, anything writing related.

For Social Media Articles
Word Count: 350-450 words
Payment: $15
Articles related to all aspects of social media.

In Your Words; Backpage Essay
Word Count: 350-450
Payment: $15
Personal Essay

Check out that free introductory issue. I think you'll like it.

Books to Make You a Better Writer

Yesterday I gave you a list of books to inspire and motivate writers. Today's list contains books (and one website) to help you become a better writer. You might also want to check out the comments from yesterday's post. There are additional recommendations from several blogger friends.

Some of these books are aimed at mystery writers but not all. I particularly recommend the books by Sol Stein and Chris Roerden.

Don’t Murder Your Mystery (2006) – or Don’t Sabotage Your Submission (2008) by Chris Roerden. Bella Rosa Books (Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction Book).

The Elements of Mystery Fiction by William G. Tapply. (2006), Poisoned Pen Press.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White. There are newer editions, including an illustrated version, but the one I have is the second edition (1972) Macmillan.

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty (2008) Holt.

Guide to Grammar and Writing. Website sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation.

How to Write a Damn Good Mystery: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript by James N. Frey (2004), St. Martin’s Press. Also How to Write a Damn Good Novel.

How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman (2008) HarperCollins.

Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks At His Craft by David Morrell (2002) Writers Digest Books.

Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Mystery Writers by D. P. Lyle, M.D. (2003) Thomas Dunne Books.

Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers by Lee Lofland (2007) Writers Digest Books.

Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies by Sol Stein (2005), St. Martin's Press.

I would also like to add two books by agent Donald Maass: Writing the Breakout Novel (2002) and The Fire in Fiction (2009), both from F&W Media.

Do you have other favorites you'd like to recommend?

Books to Inspire and Motivate Writers

In 2009 I did a one-hour workshop called Let's Write a Mystery at the Northern Colorado Writers Conference in Fort Collins, Colorado. As part of that workshop, I prepared a handout which included a list of written and web resources. Today, I'm giving you my list of books to inspire and motivate. Tomorrow's list will include books on writing, revision, and self-editing.

You'll have read many of these books already, but perhaps you'll find a new treasure as well:

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity [10th Anniversary Edition] by Julia Cameron (2002) Tarcher/Putnam.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (1995) Anchor.

How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author by Janet Evanovich (2006) St. Martin’s Griffen.

Seven Steps on the Writer’s Path: The Journey from Frustration to Fulfillment by Nancy Pickard and Lynn Lott (2003) Ballantine/Random House.

Thinking About Memoir by Abigail Thomas (2008) AARP/Sterling – The memory exercises are a great way to recall incidents/experiences and people from your past that can trigger ideas and/or enrich your stories.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg (2005) Shambhala.

Writing from Life: Inner Workbook by Susan Wittig Albert (1997) Tarcher (this one is especially for women)

Do you have any new motivational books for writers to add to this list? We all need a little inspiration from time to time.

Why Am I Doing This?

MONDAY NOTE: I'm discontinuing my Monday Colorado Author Feature in 2010. Any discussion of authors or their books will be as intermittent and random as the other topics I choose on the fly.

ON WRITING:

Why am I doing this? Why do I stop reading great novels, trudge off to my computer, and try to write one instead? No matter how many times I read a blog post or an essay** that poses this question, I still don't get it. I don't understand why I've always wanted to write. I don't understand why I'm willing to keep writing even though I now have more unpublished manuscripts than published novels. I don't understand why I feel anxious and guilty when I'm not writing.

**George Orwell's essay, Why I Write, comes to mind.

Last week I read two Harlan Coben suspense novels. I'm writing a suspense novel. All the way through Coben's books, as I kept turning the pages, captivated by the unexpected twists and turns, the tension, I kept asking myself, "Are my characters as interesting as Coben's? Is my pacing as good? Is my plot as intriguing?"

Now that I'm finished with my holiday reading binge, I'm back at my computer, taking another look at my own work, wondering if Mr. Coben would think my writing pretty good . . . or promising . . . or just pure crap. I'm taking a deep breath and forging ahead, determined to get this first draft finished (the one I'd hoped to finish by December 31st). The revision process will start soon, and the critical self-editing phase. I have a ways to go before I can submit this manuscript to agents or editors.

So, really. Why am I doing this?

I'm doing it because, no matter how hard I try, I can't make myself stop.

Why I'm Telling You Ten "Interesting" Things About Myself

One of my newest blogger friends, Mason Canyon of Thoughts in Progress, was kind enough to award me my second Honest Scrap Award "for bloggers who put their hearts on display as they write from the depths of their souls." Mason passes on the the words of the person who bestowed the honor on her: "Don't worry if you have received it before. Like the Oscars, they make good bookends."

In the past, this award was intended to be passed on to ten other blogs. Mason has removed that requirement from her award so passing it on is optional. She also said the award did not need to be linked back to her, the second traditional condition for accepting the blog. She did, however, ask that the third condition be met: post 10 interesting things about myself.

Congratulations, Mason, for receiving this award and thank you very much for including me in your list of recipients. Here is my list of "interesting" things:

1. I love country music. My favorite country song is Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks)

2. I also love rock opera and most of the musicals written for the stage. My favorite rock opera is Jesus Christ Superstar (and I already have tickets for the road performance coming to Northern Colorado in April). When I was a kid, my St. Louis aunt got tickets for my mom and me for the outdoor Municipal Opera performances at least once a year. The one I loved best was South Pacific.

3. I love anything by Gershwin. My all time favorite is Concerto in F. Second is An American in Paris.

4. I'm an American Idol superfan. Also a big fan of So You Think You Can Dance. I am in awe of the incredible talent of these young performers, especially since I do not sing or dance where other humans might see or hear me.

5. I worked as a volunteer at a raptor recovery center for a few months and discovered I was very afraid of the large eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures. That surprised me because I think they are beautiful and fascinating to watch (from a distance).

6. One of my favorite foods is pizza. We rarely order take-out anymore. I fix homemade pizza with the little Jiffy pizza crust mix, Contadina sauce, and various toppings depending on what I have on hand. When we lived in France, we often went to a small pizza restaurant that had 100 individual pizza choices on the menu. My husband always ordered the one with avocado and garlic. I always chose the one with merguez sausage.

7. I don't have a pet and haven't had one since 1985. My last pet was a pug named Buster. He was emotionally needy and he seemed to shed all year round.

8. I am growing increasingly annoyed at the number of credit card offers and other junk mail we receive that have our names and addresses stamped all over the pages. Because of identity theft risks, I feel those papers need to be shredded. So aggravating!

9. I've always wanted to take a hot air balloon ride but every time I get the chance, I chicken out.

10. I graduated high school in 1960, so my class will be celebrating its 50th reunion this year. Time sure flies when you're having fun.

Thanks again to Mason for giving me the opportunity to spill more of my secrets. I reserve the right to pass on the award at a later time.

Bits and Pieces

Resolutions

I like this post from zenhabits.net -- The Definitive Guide to Sticking to Your New Year's Resolutions.

If you're still struggling with writing your own New Year's Resolutions, I recommend Donna Volkennant's Jan. 1st post at Donna's Book Pub -- Happy New Year - My Motto for 2010. I plan to post Donna's motto on my bulletin board (if I ever succeed in following up on my 2009 resolution to hang said bulletin board on the wall).

For myself, I traded in the word "resolutions" for "goals" and immediately felt challenged instead of punished. Resolutions implies I need to "fix" something I did wrong. "Goals" means I have a new mountain to climb, a new skill to master.

I know, it's all in my head. Isn't everything?


On Dealing With Change

Writer Tim Northberg talked about dealing with change in his Jan. 1st post at The Darth Writer: Hello 2010!

Back when I was in the real world, working at a real job, I often told the folks who reported to me that "change is good." The truth is, change can be hell and it's not always good. It would have been more appropriate to say, "adapting to change is good." Adapting, for most of us, means working through the difficulties that often accompany change and remaining open to those new possibilities and opportunities Tim points to in his post.


A Success Story That Sets a Good Example

One of my blogger-friends, writer Alan Orloff, summed up his great 2009 on Dec. 31st on his blog, A Million Blogging Monkeys: Happy Old Year!

As I read Alan's list, I began to weep........JUST KIDDING!

Congratulations to Alan for having a great 2009. I hope we all have a writing year like that in 2010 (remember -- this requires butt in chair, hands on keyboard).


A Reminder About Promo Opportunities at Author Exchange Blog

Please don't forget about Linda Faulkner's Author Exchange Blog. Linda promotes authors by conducting and posting interviews. She also is interested in guest author articles of interest to writers and readers. If you have a book coming out in 2010, be sure to contact her. All of her contact information is in the sidebar of the blog.

This year, I'll shift my primary focus away from promotion and back to writing/editing and submitting/pitching/querying.

Even when we're not scheduling book signings, however, authors want to participate in activities that keep them in the public eye. Toward that end, two other local authors and I are forming a new panel which we hope will be of interest to Northern Colorado libraries. So far, we've worked on the topic questions we'll discuss and have prepared a handout listing books related to our topic. One of our members is putting together a tri-fold flyer to use when talking to library program directors. When our materials are ready, I'll write more about how to form author panels.


2010 Blog

I started blogging in mid-2009 and have been feeling my way ever since, trying to develop my own blogging voice. Since I'm a person with many and varied interests, my topics have been all over the place. Does that make the blog's focus too scattered? Is there anything you'd like to see more or less of here?

Just wondering.