Chiseled in Rock Tuesday: Revising That Ugly First Draft

This is the fun part. Honest!

And the most important part of the process for me is reading my manuscript aloud, once from the computer monitor, and once from the printed copy.

The hardest part of the process is Step 10...but you'll have to drop by Chiseled in Rock blog to see what I mean.

Remembering...

Pappy
Nanny
Pete
Grandma
Eldon
Jo
Dad, U. S. Army WWII veteran
Bob, U.S. Air Force WWII veteran
Darrell, U. S. Navy WWII veteran
Bing
Alice
Jack
Steve
Linda
Glenn

It all started because...

I want to buy a small freezer for my kitchen,

But first I need to decide whether or not to replace the kitchen floor

Which had become extra dingy over time.

Even though the floor gets mopped regularly,

It has continued to look worse and worse,

So I decided to try something new.

Baking soda removes dark stains on my stainless steel sink,

So why wouldn't it work on a linoleum floor?

It took a little extra elbow grease,

(Actually quite a lot of elbow grease),

But it worked.

When my cleaning girl came to do her chores,

All she had to do was rinse my kitchen floor with clear water

To remove the rest of the baking soda grit.

She was fine (because she's in great shape).

My floor looks spotless.

But I can hardly move my arms and shoulders.

I apparently used muscles that haven't been used in months,

Many months.

I can't cut veggies or cook supper (heh, heh).

I can barely lift my hands to the computer keyboard.

I'm developing a wonderful new relationship with my heating pad.

All because I want to buy a little freezer for the kitchen,

And I cleaned the floor instead of working on my novel.

Have a great weekend.

Dreams and Writing by Fred Lichtenberg, Guest Blogger

Today I'm pleased to welcome Fred Lichtenberg, author of Hunter's World, an upcoming release from Five Star/Cengage.

Here's a tiny bit about Hunter's World from Fred's website:

The village of Eastpoint, a close-knit Long Island community, has never been tested with a serious crime. At least, not until syndicated romance columnist John Hunter is found dead in his home, an apparent suicide. Even then, the townspeople accept the auslander’s demise in stride. But when Police Chief Hank Reed discovers a secret room filled with lewd paintings of Hunter and local married women, he wonders whether the collection was someone’s sick imagination or part of a duplicitous life.

It isn’t until the medical examiner’s official report declares that Hunter was murdered, followed by a leak of Hunter’s shocking exploits, that panic engulfs Eastpoint’s residents.

You'll find more on the website's synopsis page. There's also an excellent interview with Fred on The Big Thrill, the ezine of International Thriller Writers.

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Dreams and Writing by Fred Lichtenberg, Guest Blogger


I had a dream! Actually I’ve had many dreams. Just last night I dreamt I was lost. I immediately checked dreammoods.com and discovered my being "lost" symbolized losing one’s direction (I have a good sense of direction so I dismissed that one). The other explanation had to do with adjusting to a new situation. That’s it! Hunter’s World is being released on May 18th. I have been agonizing over the results of the hardcover, my reviews, the tour, and sales…

Last night’s dream, or rather nightmare, made perfect sense. Dreams are a relatively new phenomenon for me. Over the years, I suffered from sleep apnea. Without getting too technical, sleep apnea is a chronic medical condition in which the individual stops breathing during sleep because of an obstruction of the upper airways. Studies show that a victim of this sleep crime might have had a dream or nightmare but the obstruction of air reduces his ability to recall them. (Not bad for nightmares).

I no longer suffer from sleep apnea (a topic for another forum) and dream like crazy. I keep a pen and pad on my nightstand ready to jot down any dream that comes my way (my wife would go nuts if I recorded my dreams into my phone’s memo feature – she’s a light sleeper).

But do dreams enhance one's writing? Some of my best plots, characters and yes, names, have been created through dreams. Even dreams about our daily lives can be woven into a storyline.

So what should one do about their dreams? Don’t dismiss them. Learn to embrace your dreams. Those individuals, like me, who are curious, read about the symbolism. What makes your day tick? Sometimes dreams beat money spent in analysis.

For me, dreams unlock a host of thoughts, anxieties and creativity. I remember being stuck writing Double Trouble, a murder mystery about twins separated at birth. One brother is a hit man for the mob, the other a cop. Their meeting by chance creates tension as the hit man who stole diamonds from his boss suddenly is killed. Guess who’s on the hook for the diamonds? I was halfway through the book and hit a dead end. I mean a wall. I thought, how am I going to continue? As many writers do, I stopped, put the book aside, and worked on another, which happened to be Hunter’s World.

After finishing Hunter’s World, I revisited Double Trouble, trying to overcome my impasse. I thought about it plenty. I remember because my apneas were no longer an issue. (Ok, you want to know how I overcame my apnea. A cardiologist friend advised me to sleep on my side rather than my back – It worked!). Like an epiphany, I began getting scraps of information, albeit, in the form of symbolism, but nevertheless, enough to provide ideas for pushing the story forward. I broke through my block.

First, I added a female character who remained for most of the story. From there, I created more scenes and followed her around until I no longer needed her – how cruel! I can honestly say my dreams increased my book by a third. The story added dimension and provided me with a better night's sleep without the nightmares.

So do dreams play a significant role in writing? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. One caveat: unless you sleep alone, make sure you have a pen and pad close by. On the other hand, sleeping alone has its own benefits. Listening to your notes, rather than reading some chicken scratch, is a whole lot easier.

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Thanks, Fred, for being my guest today. I love a good thriller, so I'm looking forward to reading Hunter's World.

For more information about Fred and Hunter's World, visit his website where you can read the first two chapters of the novel as well as follow the link to Fred's Facebook account. Fred is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.

A Mini-Wednesday Scramble

Helping Those in Disaster Areas

I don't make it a practice to dwell on public disasters and news items, but it's impossible to ignore the storms that have hit different parts of the country in the last few weeks. The photos of Joplin, MO brought tears to my eyes.

My own charity of choice is the Salvation Army, but other groups such as the Red Cross, many faith-based organizations, and other volunteer groups are on site to provide food, shelter, and comfort to those in need. Please help in any way you can.


Tomorrow's Guest Blogger

I'm excited to have Fred Lichtenberg, author of Hunter's World, as my guest blogger tomorrow. I hope you'll join us.


What's Going On?

I'm enjoying a mini-retreat at home while my husband spends most of the next five days playing in a bridge tournament. I'm going to focus on reading and critiques, writing, and revisions. No cooking, no grocery shopping, no appointments. Might try to squeeze in a little more exercise though. Especially if it ever stops raining.


American Idol Fans

Scotty...or Lauren? They're both amazing kids with wonderful voices.

But I'm a Scotty fan. He has that extra dose of personality that completes the package.


And That's All

Time to get busy. I hope you have wonderful and productive day.

Chiseled in Rock: A Little Bit of What You Always Wanted to Know About Queries

It's Chiseled in Rock Tuesday, and I've put together a list of great articles and blog posts about queries, most from the Guide to Literary Agents blog. Hope to see you there.

A Sunday in the Life of Me

I had blog posts to write, critiques to do, hotel reservations to make, blogs to visit, banana muffins to bake, and a book revision schedule to outline. But first, I went to the Farmer's Market.

This was my first Farmer's Market trip of the year. I love them, enjoy visiting at least one almost every week, and buy a lot of things I don't really need. It's great.

Yesterday was a warm sunny morning in Northern Colorado so the excursion was a real pleasure, especially following the many rainy days we've had over the last couple of weeks. There are so many temptations at a Farmer's Market. Like kettle corn. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Fresh locally grown asparagus that costs so much you'd think it was gold-plated.

Instead, I bought a package of whole wheat tortillas (small) for mini-fajitas. Bought a round of Camembert and a round of ColoRouge from MouCo Cheese Company. And could not resist a loaf of unsliced honey wheat bread from one of the bakery stalls (where I sampled a tiny bit of that pumpkin chocolate chip bread which was very, very delicious).

This market is held in the parking lot of a large strip mall with several stores I visit whenever I can. Even though I have no time to read these days, I stopped in at Reader's Cove bookstore and bought a copy of The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas as well as Anthem by Ayn Rand. The attached coffee house was a great place to pick up an iced latte, so I did that as well. The deli next door was calling me to stop for a bag of their monster homemade double chocolate biscotti, but I finally got control of my appetite and my purse and headed for the car.

At home, I sat down at my computer and wrote the necessary blog posts. By then it was way too late for a nap, so I did a few household chores. That left me with one hour to relax before preparing those chicken mini-fajitas. With a Jesse Stone made-for-TV movie to look forward to, I knew there was little chance I'd finish the critiques. They're now on the list for first thing this morning, followed by the other tasks I failed to complete yesterday.

I'm sure your Sunday was way more exciting than mine. Want to share?

And the Winner is...

Donna Volkenannt

After I listed and numbered one entry per person per day from the May 2nd announcement through May 20th when the 300th person followed my blog (THANKS, ERIC!), I had more than 180 entries. I used random.org to select my winner, Donna Volkenannt who blogs at Donna's Book Pub.

Donna wins a $25.00 gift card or e-certificate from amazon.com. Congratulations, Donna, and thanks to everyone who participated. I really appreciate it.

Some Good Stuff You Ought to Know About

A little later today I'll add the name of the person who won a copy of Ashley March's Seducing the Duchess in yesterday's guest giveaway.

And here's the news! Jenn LeBlanc is our winner! Jenn has been notified by e-mail, and as soon as we have her mailing address, her book will be on its way.

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Don't forget there's a giveaway going on right here as well. If I ever reach 300 blog followers (the Blog Follower Crawl), I'll give away one $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com. And the longer it takes, the more competition you have because one comment per person per day since May 2 is an entry.

Alex J. Cavanaugh suggested I move my Follow gadget up higher in my sidebar, so I've done that. Alex visits and leaves comments at many, many blogs per day, and that has been a struggle for me since I'm involved in so many other activities. So many fun things to do, so little time.

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We're going through a cold, rainy spell here in Northern Colorado. It was so dry for so long that our lawns and trees and gardens were beginning to suffer.

Cold rainy days are good for writing in a cozy office or coffee shop, curling into a comfy chair with an afghan and a cup of tea and reading a good book, or wrapping up in that same afghan and taking a nap. Sometimes it's hard to choose one over the other.

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You brave fiction writers out there...are you brave enough to submit the first 1,000 words of your novel for a possible free critique in the pages of Writer's Digest? Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency will select a few of the submissions for an honest, personalized critique. "She’ll explain what might entice an agent or editor to read further, and what might stall your submission’s chances before it starts..."

All of the information and rules are at There Are No Rules by Jane Friedman, a Writer's Digest blog.

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For a head's up about what literary agent Kristin Nelson likes and doesn't like in submissions, scroll through some of the posts on her blog, Pub Rants.

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Sylvia Dickey Smith has just started a new blog called Writing Strong Women. I hope you'll stop by and read her posts which will go up on Wednesdays. The first is called Steel Magnolias: Born or Made?

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Do you visit Chiseled in Rock blog regularly? If not, let me call your attention to a new project called Eat Brains Love: One Zombie’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and any Destination Her Gold Card Can Buy. You don't want to miss this.

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For those of you who enjoyed Margaret Frazer's guest post here on Monday, there's an excellent interview with Margaret conducted by Elizabeth Zelvin posted at Poe's Deadly Daughters.

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And finally, I'd like to mention that blogger friend Ann Best announces the release of her memoir, In the Mirror, A Memoir of Shattered Secrets. I just ordered my copy from WiDo Publishing but I think it will be available from amazon.com soon.

In the Mirror by Ann Carbine Best is the memoir of a woman who planned on her marriage lasting forever.

When Ann marries Larry in September of 1961, she’s certain he will be that eternal companion. Eleven years later, she is devastated to learn that he’s been having affairs with men. She wants to help him. She wants to save her marriage.

However, powerful emotions pull Larry away from his family, and eight years later their marriage ends. As a single parent, Ann is now faced with four grieving children who don’t want to leave their father and their home in Utah Valley. But Ann needs to start a new life in a new place.

In the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Ann at last makes peace with the past.

I'm looking forward to having Ann her as a guest blogger in the near future. Watch for her name to show up on the guest list in my sidebar.

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Have a wonderful weekend.

Discovering Your Author Theme by Ashley March, Guest Blogger

My guest today is Ashley March, a Coloradoan and writer who once thought she'd never make it:

"The first manuscript, to be perfectly honest, is now in the category of “That Which Shall Be Forever Unnamed.” It was awful. Really, truly awful. So much so, in fact, that I knew I was in trouble when halfway through the book the hero and heroine couldn’t find anything to talk about except what their favorite color was. (There, I said it! Eek.) I was so traumatized by my utter failure that I gave up writing. I made myself finish the story, but decided that perhaps writing wasn’t for me, after all."

She changed her mind, of course. And we're glad she did. One lucky person who leaves a comment today will receive a copy of Ashley's first novel, Seducing the Duchess.

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Discovering Your Author Theme by Ashley March, Guest Blogger

Thank you for inviting me to the blog today, Pat!


A few years ago a critique partner of mine went to a conference and came back with news to share about discovering your “author theme.” As a fairly new writer, I had no idea what this meant or even how to determine what my theme was. I may have written three books, but I was still a fledgling in my own eyes, trying to learn everything about the writing and publishing business that I could in the least amount of time possible.

Author theme? Bah! I just wanted to get published.

However, after I received my first publishing contract, I suddenly became victim to a case of “seconditis”—I knew my publisher loved the book which got me the contract, but I doubted I would ever be able to write well again and was convinced that my second book in the contract would be a disaster. As a result, I returned to the fundamentals. I ignored the business side of writing (as much as I could) for a while and went back to craft: plots, characters, and the like. Surprisingly enough, I discovered my author theme as a result.

I write romance. Historical romance set in Victorian England, to be exact. Some might think this means my author theme is about love (the obvious conclusion) or about sex (a common prejudice). However, after reviewing my first unpublished and unworthy manuscripts (I like to call them the those-which-we-shall-never-speak-of-again manuscripts), and after comparing them to the book which sold my first 3-book contract, I realized that each of the stories had something in common.

My characters are flawed. I tend not to write the goody-two-shoes heroine who gets all the sympathy, and neither do I write the wounded and battle-scarred hero who only needs the tender love of a woman to help him get past his demons. My characters aren’t unfortunate or tormented; they’re people who’ve made mistakes, and the only way their love story can end with a happy-ever-after is if they can find forgiveness and healing.

This is evident in my debut, Seducing the Duchess, where a duke who married his wife for revenge three years earlier now realizes that he’s in love with her. Although he might try to woo her in various ways, the future of their relationship depends on her forgiveness and the healing of her heart before she can trust him again.

Armed with this knowledge of my author theme, I set out to write my second book. Flawed characters? Check. Forgiveness and healing? Check. My critique partner had said writers who knew their author theme could use this to their advantage, and I was determined to take this knowledge and provide greater depth to my characters and the story as a result.

As so often happens, though, the characters in my forthcoming second book would not cooperate. Yes, they were flawed, and yes, they needed to forgive and to be healed in order to have a happily-ever-after. But instead of being the perpetrators, the hero and heroine in Romancing the Countess were the victims. In short, the story ended up being about an earl and his best friend’s wife who were drawn together after it becomes apparent that their spouses who died in a carriage accident were having an affair.

I’ve learned from the experience in discovering my author theme two things. 1) It’s true that an author theme can help you understand your own writing better and help you delve deeper into your plot, characters, and their motivations. 2) Don’t be afraid to let your author theme take different directions; your creativity will often surprise you in wonderful ways.

Now, on to the third book! Although nobody told me there was such a thing as “thirditis.” :)

Do you already know your author theme? What do you think it is? Is it a common thread throughout all of your writing?

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Ashley, thanks again for being here today and for this thoughtful post.

Remember, everyone, if you leave a comment here today (up to midnight Mountain Time), you'll be in the running for a copy of Seducing the Duchess.

To learn more about Ashley and her books, visit her website or join her at her blog, Ashley March: Historical Romance Author. She is also on Facebook, and can be found on Twitter as @ashleymarch34.

Wednesday Scramble

Tomorrow's Guest Blogger

I'll be introducing Ashley March who writes historical romance set in Victorian England. Ashley's post is about discovering your author theme. And...tada...she'll be giving away a copy of Seducing the Duchess to a lucky visitor who leaves a comment.


Announcing This Month's Book Giveaway at Mystery Writers of America

If you want to enter this fun box-of-books giveaway, head over to the Reader Contest page at MWA's website and fill out the form. You may also enter the contest by regular mail. Send your e-mail address or name and mailing address to: MWA Monthly Contest Mystery Writers of America 1140 Broadway, Suite 1507 New York, NY 10001 -- the deadline is May 31st.

This month's books are:

Senseless by Mary Burton
The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
Before Cain Strikes by Joshua Corin
Bit Player by Janet Dawson
Killer Listing by Vicki Doudera
The Corpse Wore Tartan by Kaitlyn Dunnett
Come and Find Me by Hallie Ephron
The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth
The Neighbors are Watching by Debra Ginsberg
The American Cafe by Sara Sue Hoklotubbe
Next Time You See Me by Katia Lief
October Fest by Jess Lourey
Cookie Dough or Die by Virginia Lowell
Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz & David Hayward
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Jeff Markowitz
Sticky Fingers by Nancy Martin
Fade to Blue by Bill Moody
The Body in the Gazebo by Katherine Hall Page
On the Nickel by Maggie Toussaint
Black Orchid Blues by Persia Walker
Mystery Writers of America Presents...Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris


The Fort Collins Coloradoan Xplore Photo Contest

My favorite, the foxy mama and her kits, tied for first place in the April photo contest. The pictures submitted so far for May are posted here. Several cute fox kit photos are included.


My Search for 300 Followers...

continues.


Elspeth on Editing

I know I send you to Elspeth Antonelli's blog It's a Mystery more often than any other, but I can't help it. When I want humor, she's got it.

This post is 10 More Lies You Tell Yourself While Editing.


What's Happening in the Pat Cave?

My Muse, Nagging Whisper, is back and she's driving me nuts.

So I'm:

Cleaning up
Clearing out
Shredding paper
Organizing Files
Dusting
Running the sweeper
I'm even going to wash the window

This will be my last round of procrastination before I begin revisions on Dead Wrong. Nagging Whisper is allowing this because she knows I can't work in this mess, and I need table space to spread out my manuscript and notepad.

Meanwhile, she's snooping around my bookcase where my chocolate is stashed. Gotta go.

Chiseled in Rock: An Interview with Editor Denise Dietz

I'm taking care of my usual Tuesday gig at Chiseled in Rock blog today, so I hope you'll stop by and see what Deni has to say about self-editing and getting published.


And a Note About the 300 Follower Giveaway

As for that effort to reach 300 blog followers so I can give away a $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com, it just didn't happen by the deadline. However, I'm not into disappointing those who've faithfully visited and left comments to qualify for the drawing, so I've lifted the deadline and the drive will remain open. When I get to 300 followers, I'll hold the drawing.

All those who've left comments since May 2nd (including the ones whose comments disappeared after the Blogger glitch -- I still have them in my e-mail folder), will be included.

Historical or ? by Margaret Frazer, Guest Blogger

It's my pleasure to introduce Margaret Frazer, author of seventeen novels in the Dame Frevisse series of history mysteries, six novels in the Joliffe the Player series, and fourteen short stories. Winter Heart, a Dame Frevisse story, was just released for e-sale on May 15, while A Play of Piety is the latest in the Joliffe series.

Margaret's work is noted for being “Finely plotted and subtly shaded . . . .” (Publishers Weekly), with “… elegant writing, fascinating psychology …” (Booked & Printed) and “… accurate period detail, adroit characterization and lively dialogue …” (Publishers Weekly).

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Historical or ? by Margaret Frazer, Guest Blogger


The year is 1470. There is rivalry for power between Warwick the Kingmaker and the man he has made king. Among the innocent people swept up in the royal quarrel is the inventor of a steam-powered engine, first of its kind, but the king’s evil brother Richard, duke of Gloucester, single-handedly sets back the Industrial Revolution hundreds of years by destroying inventor and invention.

I didn’t make that up. It’s part of the plot of a published historical novel. Not an alternative history novel. A historical novel because -- never mind the steam engine -- it’s set in an established past.

Which brings us to that ever-popular debate: Does it matter whether a novel, called historical, is historical or not?

For many people, historical accuracy is beside the point, so long as the story is good. That’s fair enough; I’m perfectly willing to enjoy a strong story on any terms its author wants to set. But (you knew there was a “but” coming, didn’t you?) I think it’s supremely unfair to those authors who strive mightily for accuracy about their story’s time period and the people in it, to casually lump their work with that of authors who choose not to.

Yes, we’re writing fiction and therefore can do whatever we want. But (you knew there was another “but” coming, right?) if authors play fast and loose with reality, ignoring facts when they choose to, then what they are writing is historical fantasy fiction. If a nun sets out on a dangerous secret mission armed with an oaken staff and no companions except two dogs, that’s historical fantasy fiction (and Girl’s Own Adventure Novel into the bargain). If a medieval palace has doors to private rooms opening off long hallways as if in a 19th century country house, allowing characters to have private confrontations with ease whenever the plot requires it, that’s historical fantasy. If Princess Elizabeth visits her dying brother when we know very certainly she did not, that’s historical fantasy. If an author has a queen take sanctuary in the crypt of a church when we know from the records she took refuge in the comfortable, rich lodgings of the abbot (but a crypt is so much more dramatic), that’s historical fantasy.

In short, it seems to me that if a story is set in a specific historical time and place, and the author changes or ignores the reality of that time -- switches the order of major events, telescopes into a shorter time span events that took place over many years, puts people somewhere when they are known to have been somewhere else, gives characters modern attitudes that would never have crossed their minds in their own time – then the story has become historical fantasy

The time and effort I have put into thoroughly learning about a time and place – and then remaining true to it through all my novels – have probably made me a tad over-sensitive about such tossing aside of facts by other authors, but in my own novels and short stories, I’ve found that adhering to history makes for enriching complexities and insights the stories would otherwise have lacked. In the most recent of my short stories, Winter Heart, by keeping within the realities of village life, medieval law, and religious rule, I ended with a story far more focused and intense than if I’d ignored a few things here and there for my convenience. In the novel A Play of Piety, shaping the story around the actual practices of a medieval hospital made for a far more layered plot than if I’d gone the easier route of clichés and cheap thrills.

I suppose I come down in the middle of the on-going debate. Of course authors can sport with historical facts if they want to, and readers can choose not to mind, but those books should be recognized for what they are – not historical novels but historical fantasy novels.

Of the faux-historical examples given above, all exist in recently published novels except for the first one. It’s from Last of the Barons by Edward Bulwer Lytton. You know – the “It was a dark and stormy night” man.

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Thanks so much for being my guest today, Margaret. Although I've read historical fantasy and enjoyed it, I agree that historical accuracy makes a big difference in how I view the novel and its author. Research takes a lot of time and effort, and as a reader, I respect the author who does the job well.

To find more information about Margaret and her Winter Heart Blog Tour, please visit her website and the Margaret Frazer Fan Page on Facebook.

Blogger's Back! And I'm Extending the 300 Follower Search and Giveaway

Extending the Search for 300 Followers and the Giveaway

Because Blogger was down almost two days, and the comments for the Thursday guest post by Dorothy St. James have not been reinstated as of this posting, I'm going to extend my search for 300 followers through Monday with a deadline of midnight Mountain Time. If I get the additional seven blog followers by then, I'll randomly select a winner for the giveaway on Tuesday, May 19th. Remember, I'm selecting the winner from the comments left since Monday, May 2nd, not from the list of followers.

If you left a comment on Dorothy's post, I invite you to leave another for Dorothy to enjoy. If the originals get reinstated at some point, you'll just have an extra entry in the giveaway.


My Monday Guest

Please drop in on Monday and meet Margaret Frazer, author of Winter Heart (a Sister Frevisse Medieval Mystery), on her virtual tour.


2 Cats on a Treadmill

Whenever I follow someone new on Twitter, and I see that person has a blog, I try to follow the link and check it out. Les Floyd doesn't post often at Lesism. His most recent was mid-February 2011. But the post is interesting, and that's where I found this You Tube video of 2 Cats on a Treadmill. Because of my new appreciation for cat antics since we adopted our kitten in January of this year, I laughed out loud all the way through this one. I hope you enjoy it.






The Mountain Scribe Anthology

Thursday evening I attended the launch party for the fourth Mountain Scribe Anthology, sponsored by the City of Fort Collins Recreation Department in Fort Collins, Colorado. The preliminary work on the anthology is handled by an editorial committee of volunteers working under the direction of a member of the Senior Center staff.

Once selections are made for the short stories, creative nonfiction pieces, poetry, art, and photographs to be used, we turn our work over to a local publisher to format and prepare the anthology for printing. We also use a local printer.

The cover art for the anthology is chosen from the art and photo submissions. This year, the photo of Dream Lake from Phyllis Riffice, made a gorgeous wraparound cover. Take a look:


I've posted the back on the left so you can get a better idea of how the original photo looked.

Inside is a fun collection of stories, nostalgia, poetry, and photos from local writers and photographers, several of whom are members of Northern Colorado Writers.

The sale of this anthology benefits the The Fort Collins Senior Center, and copies are available at the front desk at 1200 Raintree Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80526.



REMEMBER

One comment per day from each person is an entry in my giveaway for a $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com. Feel free to scroll back through the posts all the way to May 2nd and make sure you have a daily entry. And don't hesitate to spread the word. Only seven followers to go as of this posting.

“Best Practices” for Successfully and Happily Writing Every Day by Dorothy St. James, Guest Blogger

I'd like to everyone to meet Dorothy St. James, author of Flowerbed of State, the first book in the White House Gardener Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.

Flowerbed of State, has been called “spunky” (Library Journal), “fast-paced” (Publishers Weekly), and “it quite simply blew me away” (Criminal Element).

Dorothy has a contest going at her own website, so be sure to sign up for a chance to win one of several prizes, including a $50.00 gift card from amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.

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“Best Practices” for Successfully and Happily Writing Every Day by Dorothy St. James, Guest Blogger


It was this writer’s dream come true and a first for me—I sold the first three books in the White House Gardener Mysteries based only on a proposal! I couldn’t believe it. I’d never sold more than one book at a time and those books had always, ALWAYS been completely finished before the offer of a sale.

This was wonderful. Wasn’t it?

I sat down to write the first book, Flowerbed of State, my fingers poised at the keyboard, my mind ready to compose a mystery that will tease and tantalize the reader.

And I froze.

Instead of the dialogue and prose for the book, other thoughts streamed through my head. “The editor hadn’t actually bought this book. She bought an idea. An idea. What is that?”

“Oh goodness, there is no book. I still have to write it. What if my idea of what the book should be and her idea of what the book should be are two very different things? What if she doesn’t like what I write? What if she decides my writing is boring and trite?”

What if...

What if...

Writers often play the “what if” game, but that’s with our plots.

If I kept spinning my wheels like this I knew I’d soon find myself at the end of my deadline with no book to hand over to my editor.

Since getting the contract before actually having to write the book really was a dream-come-true for me, I needed to shake myself out of that destructive rut and GET TO WORK.

What I needed was a little outside help.

With the assistance of the brilliant writing coach, Margie Lawson, I came up with fifteen “best practices” for keeping my head in the game, my writing fresh, and my body healthy.

I’m happy to report that I not only finished Flowerbed of State before my contracted deadline, my editor was so pleased with the book that she required very few revisions (another dream realized.)

If you find yourself struggling to get your thoughts down on the page, I invite you to give these “best practices” a try for yourself, or better yet: create a list of fifteen of your own.

“Best Practices” for Successfully and Happily Writing Every Day (and to move the story forward).

1. Exercise for 30 minutes before beginning work in the morning.

2. Update to-do list every morning.

3. Free write one page as a warm up exercise.

4. Use the 15-minute timer when getting started as a warm up exercise.

5. Email: Check and respond only in the morning before beginning work, lunch, and when finished for the day.

6. Internet Research: Limit time spent researching online and in research books to before writing and after writing times. If I need to look something up while writing, be sure to limit it to a time limit (5 minutes). Set the timer.

7. Set daily page goals and keep track of them in my project notebook.

8. Set weekly page goals and write up the goals for the month on my white board.

9. Plan to work at least 2 hours in the morning (Writing, not research, not playing online, not answering emails.)

10. Plan to work at least 2 hours in the afternoon (Writing, not research, not playing online, not answering emails.)

11. Get up and stretch for 5 minutes every hour.

12. When stumped, set the timer for 15 minutes and practice writing without worrying about quality or whether or not I’m going to keep it. Just get the words on the page.

13. At the end of the day, brainstorm. Jot down ideas for what might come next and about the characters.

14. Plan at least 2 fun outings a week to counteract hermit tendencies.

15. Reward myself with fun reading.

I’m always looking for new ways to stay fresh and energized as a writer. So tell me: What works best for you when you need to keep your “butt in the chair and your hands on the keyboard” (BIC HOK)?

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Dorothy, thank you so much for this excellent post. No one needs a new set of "best practices" like I do, so the timing for your guest appearance and your choice of topic was perfect.

For more information about Dorothy and the White House Gardener Mystery series, visit her website and sign up for her e-newsletter. Dorothy is on Facebook and you can also follow her on Twitter: @dorothystjames

Wednesday Scramble

Tomorrow's Guest

Dorthy St. James, author of Flowerbed of State: A White House Gardener Mystery, will be here tomorrow with an excellent post about her best management practices.


Ten More Things Elspeth Has Learned About Writing

If you don't already follow Elspeth Antonelli's It's a Mystery blog, you really should. Her Ten More Things post is right on.


The Best Throw-It-Together Stir Fry Ever

I tend to stir fry mostly with chicken, but this time I used frozen shrimp marinated in low sodium soy sauce, combined with sliced carrots, sliced green onions, snow peas and shredded spinach. It was colorful, tasty and very, very fast.


Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference

Today I registered for this September conference in Denver and signed up to take one of the new master classes scheduled for Friday morning. I chose the attorney-taught session on copyright and contracts.

Did you know there's a contest associated with this conference? Unpublished novelists with a completed manuscript should take a look. The deadline is June 1st.

The Giveaway

Don't forget to leave a comment here for another entry in my 300 followers giveaway. If I get to 300 by Saturday evening, I'll give away one $25.00 amazon.com gift certificate.

Chiseled in Rock Tuesday: What's New from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers?"

I've compiled a great list of recent and newly released books from the members of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, so come on over to Chiseled in Rock blog and shop for your next great read.

And don't forget to leave a comment here for another entry in my 300 followers giveaway. If I get to 300 by Saturday evening, I'll give away one $25.00 amazon.com gift certificate.

It's Monday Again

Reminder -- There a $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com to be won if I reach 300 blog followers by May 14th. The details are here. I still need 20 more followers, so please help spread the word.

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My giveaway is not the only game in town. Check this one out:

Sweet and Tangy Shrimp Bruschetta, plus a Saucy Mama Giveaway! at Foodie Road Show. Be sure to tell Angela I sent you.


And a contest for writers:

The 2011 Weta Nichols Writing Contest from Ozarks Romance Authors.


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I don't know why I have such a problem coming up with a topic for my Monday posts. Maybe it's because I take off Saturday and Sunday? I should probably write my Monday posts on Friday, before my brain takes off for the weekend.

Anyway, I'm a busy lady this week with critique groups, writing group events including a presentation by journalist Greg Campbell who just returned from "getting the story" in Libya, a launch party for our Senior Center's Mountain Scribe Anthology, and a Sandra Dallas book signing.

And somewhere in there, I need to create a schedule for the revisions of my suspense novel, Dead Wrong, which I now plan to pitch to an agent in September at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Writers Conference. I'm starting to get excited about writing again after a pretty long stretch of doing everything but. But first....a nap.

Just Stuff (and a Reminder About the Giveaway)

Reminder -- There a $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com to be won if I reach 300 blog followers by May 14th. The details are here. I still need 20 more followers, so please help spread the word.

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Check out the Friday question each week on the Northern Colorado Writers page. This week the question was submitted by NCW member Dean K. Miller.

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Lesa Holstine is giving away two cozy mysteries from her blog this week. Check it out at Lesa's Book Critiques.

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I'm back on my old Monday through Friday posting schedule. I'd like to end the week by re-posting one of my favorite writerly videos from You Tube. This is YA author and NCW member Amy Kathleen Ryan with her reaction to amazon reviews:

Sticks and Stones

When I was a little girl, I lived on a farm in east central Illinois. The grade school I attended was in a tiny little town called Seymour. The red brick two story building contained an office, four classrooms with two grades in each room, a cafeteria, and a gym. One teacher taught two grades, alternating with one group while the other group studied. The school's kindly principal, Mr. Shelton, taught seventh and eighth grade and coached the basketball team.

Only boys were allowed to play on the basketball team.

I was the first kid on the school bus in the morning and the last off at night, an hour ride each way. The ride was roughest in the wintertime, and sometimes the walk through the snowdrifts from the corner to my house, about 1/8 of a mile, was pretty rough for a little kid.

The school had a cafeteria that served hot meals, provided we didn't forget our lunch money. The best meal they served was deep-fried fish and French fries on Fridays. The worst was a ham salad and corn fritter combination I just couldn't stomach.

When I graduated from the eighth grade in 1956, our class, as far as I can remember, included only three girls and four boys.

Sounds sweet and old-fashioned and safe, doesn't it? Read on.

Most of the students were farm kids, but there were also a few from the town. The town kids I remember were girls, and most of them were meaner than junk-yard dogs.

My friends and I were knocked around a few times and threatened often. We complained to teachers a couple of times, and we were all called in to "clear the air." But it never stopped for long. When the bully girls were on the rampage, we shadowed the teachers to stay safe. And when we went to the restroom or the girls' locker room, we stayed together, hoping to find safety in numbers. We weren't total wimps. We stood up to the girls from time to time...and promptly got slapped or slammed against the lockers.

To add one more cliche to those I've already used, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. At least, it used to. The bully girls didn't kill us, and they didn't destroy our lives. Did it help that we farm kids were already physically and mentally strong? That our parents and teachers didn't coddle us? That we were expected to be tough and solve our own problems?

I don't know the answer to that. I wish I did.

Wednesday Scramble

Guest Bloggers

I have no guest blogger to announce for tomorrow. However, I would like to remind everyone that I love hosting guests, especially guest authors with new releases to promote. If you check the schedule in the sidebar, you'll see plenty of openings in June, July and August. Let me know if you're interested and I'll send you my guidelines.


What I'm Reading

One unpublished novel for critique.

And at the same time, I'm working my way through Stephen King's Under the Dome. I'll have lots more to say about King's book when I finish. I will say I'm loving it. And I'll also say I wish I had bought the book after I got my Kindle. My arm muscles are sore just from lifting this monster-sized hardcover into my lap.


My Giveaway if I Get 300 Followers by May 14th

I invite everyone who visits here this week and next (by midnight Mountain Time on Saturday, May 14th) to become a follower if you have not already done so. And feel free to spread the word on your blog, Twitter, or whatever.

Be sure to leave a comment and a way to contact you (in your profile or in the comment), whether you follow the blog or not. If I reach 300 followers by the deadline, I'll give away one $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com.

I'll be selecting the winner from comments left between now and the 14th. Remember, it's not the "follow" that enters you in the drawing, it's the comment you leave. I'll count one comment per person each day as a separate entry.


A Great Wrap-Up Post for the A to Z April Blog Challenge 2011

Check out Jenny's post My A-to-Z A-to-Z at The Writing Bug.


A Post All Bloggers Should Read

Is Blogger Copyright Dead? at Problogger Blog Tips. This article addresses blog "scraping" and other illegal reproductions of your original blog posts.


Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference 2011

Here's another plug for Colorado Gold scheduled for September 9, 10 and 11 in Denver. The RMFW website has the complete brochure and workshop descriptions available online. Don't forget there's a contest associated with this conference. The deadline to enter is June 1st.

And over the next few weeks, many of the agents and editors attending the conference will be interviewed for Chiseled in Rock blog. My interview with Rachelle Gardner was published yesterday.


Auntie Pat Says...

Writing is like exercise. We procrastinate and resist and make excuses--all to avoid doing the very things that make us feel great. It makes no sense.

Chiseled in Rock Tuesday: An Interview with Rachelle Gardner

I've interviewed literary agent Rachelle Gardner for Chiseled in Rock blog, so join us there today if you have time.

And don't forget to leave a comment here as well as an entry in my giveaway. Don't know about the giveaway yet? Scroll down and check out yesterday's post.

See you tomorrow with a Wednesday Scramble.

Monday, Monday: Announcing a Giveaway

Not only that, but it's May.

The A to Z April Blog Challenge is over. Thanks to Arlee Bird at tossing it out for all his hard work and for setting up such a great team of sponsoring bloggers.

Thanks to Elizabeth Mueller who designed this cool award and presented it to the bloggers who participated in the challenge. Thanks, Elizabeth:




I still have a long way to go to visit all the blogs that participated in the challenge, but I'm going to spend a lot of time over the next couple of weeks doing just that.

In the process, I hope to reach 300 followers. Toward that end, I invite everyone who visits here this week and next (by midnight Mountain Time on Saturday, May 14th) to become a follower if you have not already done so. And feel free to spread the word on your blog, Twitter, or whatever.

Be sure to leave a comment and a way to contact you (in your profile or in the comment), whether you follow the blog or not. If I reach 300 followers by the deadline, I'll give away one $25.00 gift certificate from amazon.com.

I'll be selecting the winner from comments left between now and the 14th. Remember, it's not the "follow" that enters you in the drawing, it's the comment you leave. I'll count one comment per person each day as a separate entry.