Blog Feed: A Writing Life

Only Colin Firth Can Be Mr. Darcy

Published on 2012-05-21 18:15:00

When I’m reading a book, I get a very distinct picture of the characters in my mind. Sometimes a certain actor or actress will seem like the perfect fit. Often, the images are just > read more

Writer's Voice Contest Edition!

Published on 2012-05-03 10:00:00

Hi readers!I'm entering a contest that asks me to post my query letter and first 250 words of my young adult novel, HANNAH'S HALF.Mandy QUERY18-year-old Hannah Spencer would give anything for a dead-free day. For most of her life, she’s ignored the Visitors who appear in her bedroom each morning. After all, they’re dead, they don’t speak and they rarely stay more than a few minutes. > read more

Sing Your Song (Even If No One is Listening)

Published on 2012-04-25 15:26:00

Yikes! Where did April go? And how did I forget I had a blog? Oh yeah… I finished revising my third novel and began pitching it to literary agents. (Three have already asked to read it!) I developed and presented a writing workshop for Goodwill senior-level staff who are in a development program to become Goodwill CEOs one day. This was some of the most fulfilling work I’ve done in my almost eight years working for Goodwill’s national office.Because I don’t have time to develop anythin [..] > read more

Throat Chakra: Strangle with Care

Published on 2012-03-30 14:32:00

Friendships between women are exhilarating, transformational, messy, necessary, life-giving and sometimes devastating. This past week, I made the decision to leave a friendship. Over the years, I felt less and less authentic. My emotional and physical health began to suffer – but I put myself second so I wouldn’t hurt her. Well, I did hurt her. But I’d hurt myself much more.In dealing with my decision, I found a very interesting passage online about the throat chakra:The throat chakra is t [..] > read more

I'm Not Really an Extrovert, I Just Play One on TV

Published on 2012-03-12 15:39:00

I’ve taken several personality/work styles tests over the past 20 years, including the well-known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Most recently, my employer had us take a test from Emergenetics. My results held no surprises for me:Low on the social and expressive scales (I prefer one-on-one time to big parties; I prefer to work in solitude)High on the structural and analytical (I meet and beat deadlines, I like lists and rules and order)Several co-workers said my scores had to be wrong. (“You� [..] > read more

A Sussie a Day...

Published on 2012-02-29 15:32:00

My head is swimming from all the big ideas I picked up from speakers during my company’s annual meeting in mid-February. Themes from the talks are sure to come up in future blog posts but today I’m going to write about humor. (Mostly because I am in a humorless mood today!)I’m not talking about one’s ability to tell a good joke, or put on a lampshade and become the life of the party. I’m talking about one’s openness to joy, laughter and lightheartedness even when the world seems to b [..] > read more

Busy Bee, Just Be

Published on 2012-02-13 17:10:00

I’m in that weird space between books – meaning I’ve finished writing one and don’t feel like starting another just yet. The manuscript is now out with a few beta readers and then the revision process will begin.I think this ebb and flow of energy and creativity is something we all experience. We put in time and effort toward a goal – all hands on deck, so to speak – and it’s natural to feel low energy when the goal is accomplished.It’s also natural to feel like we’re being laz [..] > read more

Little Bites of Self-Care Easy to Swallow

Published on 2012-01-31 18:22:00

We writers – and I suspect all creative types – tend to get down on ourselves a lot. A couple (or a dozen) rejections arrive in the email box and it’s “I’m crap! How did I think I could write and sell a novel? Are my thighs getting bigger?”Back in December I blogged about showing ourselves some tenderness. And this blog has a similar theme: self-care. And more precisely, internal self-care.A good friend gave me a book titled The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being P [..] > read more

Where Everybody Knows Your Name (and Your Business)

Published on 2012-01-13 16:08:00

I’ve been in Texas all week visiting my sister and her family. She lives in Glen Rose, a town of 2,100 people. It’s the kind of town where the pharmacist knows my sister by name; the kind of town that turns out in full force for the opening of the new school gymnasium; the kind of town where gift shop owners on the square encourage shoppers to visit their competition.Glen Rose is double the population of the town where I grew up; a town I dreamt of escaping my whole childhood. And boy, did I [..] > read more

Try a Little Tenderness in 2012

Published on 2012-01-01 11:54:00

My goal in 2011 was to blog once a week. You can see from the posts listed at the left that I did not achieve that goal. I didn’t even make it to two posts in December. On this bright, sunny New Year’s Day morning, I have vowed to let it go. No guilt. No regret.Which brings me to the word of the year: compassion. Consider it my one resolution for 2012.A dear friend used to remind me that we seem to have a limitless capacity for compassion – but for others. We rarely have this level of co [..] > read more

Nothing Like Memories to Send Sadness Packing

Published on 2011-12-19 09:00:00

During the holidays, I can get as giddy as a 9-year-old. I listen to Christmas music 24/7 (just the oldies like Bing, Perry and Burl) and watch my lit Christmas tree in a darkened room, and bake cookies to deliver to friends, and obsess over wrapping paper and ribbon and tags. I even think about renting a child so I can show up at the Santa pancake breakfast at McDonald’s.With a few pounds, I could be Mrs. Claus. In fact, I’ve thought about using Ancestry.com to determine if I have relatives [..] > read more

Savor the 'Now' Like It's the Best Sandwich You've Ever Had

Published on 2011-11-30 16:26:00

It must be a function of aging that time seems to fly by at an astounding and alarming rate. December? Already? What happened to November and the six months prior to that?My (mostly unspoken) fear is that time flies by so quickly because I’m not fully awake; present and attentive to what I feel and do and say each and every day. Kind of like when you drive a familiar route and then, wham…you’re home and you don’t remember passing landmarks along the way. Just yesterday, I was 18. And tod [..] > read more

Society's Idea of Beauty is Beastly

Published on 2011-11-17 12:47:00

My brain is noshing on the notion of beauty today – what it is, how it differs for each of us, how society shapes our ideas on what’s attractive or sexy.Tawna Fenske, a writer I follow online, recently posted a fun blog entry called “Not so hot boys who make me want to get naked.” She talked about men who have a certain charisma that transcends societal norms of attractiveness. Case in point: Lyle Lovett. (yummy)Then, last night, I had dinner with my dear friend, Joelle, who is dog-sitti [..] > read more

When $35 Million Doesn't Equal Success

Published on 2011-10-30 15:32:00

Last night I stayed up until 11 p.m. (I know! Can you believe it?) to watch From the Sky Down, a documentary about my favorite band U2 and the production of their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The film chronicles the difficult recording period and the group's creative process.In April 1987, my friend, Christi, and I saw U2 at The Summit in Houston. Joshua Tree was an astounding album and a phenomenal tour. In fact, we had to stay up all night at IHOP, eating blueberry pancakes and discussing the expe [..] > read more

On Growing Old and the Kindness of Strangers

Published on 2011-10-21 09:18:00

Last night as my husband and I were about to fall asleep, he said, “I can’t believe you’ll be 64 tomorrow.” Then, he backtracked furiously about having dyslexia and of course, he meant 46. I told him I feel awfully spry for a 64-year-old, or awfully rickety for a 46-year-old. Most days, I fall somewhere in-between. Just a couple of weeks ago, my sister visited me. It’s weird to realize how we’d both started worrying about our aging bodies at about the same time in our lives. Age spo [..] > read more

An Ode to Dreams Come True

Published on 2011-09-23 10:14:00

I'm in awe of those writers who keep up their blogs. I'm either a procrastinator or time is now on supersonic speed and days fly by faster than ever before. (Probably a little of both?)So, today's post is an ode to dreams coming true.First, my awesome friend and college roommate, Christi, is inches away from being a REAL PUBLISHED AUTHOR. She signed a two-book deal some months ago and the first book debuts in early January. She's just released the cover to NIGHT SCHOOL -- which makes me all ting [..] > read more

Can We Exercise Our Imaginations?

Published on 2011-06-22 15:01:00

I recently saw a tweet from an agent who said she wanted to thwack the next writer who talked about his or her muse. She asserted that writing’s hard work and that you can’t wait for inspiration to strike.I agree with the “not waiting” part b > read more

Does Your Gratitude Adjustment Include Leprechauns and Red Leotards?

Published on 2011-06-16 19:08:00

Last week, Andy’s back went to spasms so I had to drive him to a massage appointment one evening. Bored and with nothing to do in the waiting room, I began leafing through a small book on the coffee table titled 14,000 Things to Be Happy About by B > read more

The Memorial Day Weekend Movie Edition

Published on 2011-05-27 09:15:00

This long holiday weekend is the un-official start of summer …which means movies, movies, movies. I go to the movies almost every weekend (all year long). I love the whole experience, from popcorn and Diet Coke to previews to the end credits.Rarely > read more

Choose Your Weapon: Words or Sticks and Stones

Published on 2011-05-19 20:45:00

We were taught at a very early age that “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” I’m sure our parents meant well, but let’s face it…they lied. Words have a lot of power. To hurt. To heal. To inform. To deceive. To > read more

Why I Need Your Crazy Aunt Myrtle's Dentures

Published on 2011-05-16 19:24:00

As I writer, I keep my eyes and ears open for interesting settings, unusual people, strange conversations at the coffee house. I jot down these details in case they’re a good fit for a novel or short story I’m working on.It may just be a germ of > read more

One End, New Beginnings

Published on 2011-05-04 11:14:00

Yikes! Where did the month of April go? And shame on me for not blogging once. I found these two quotes recently and wanted to share: “The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you didn't write.”“If you wait for inspiration to wr > read more

Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Published on 2011-03-29 17:19:00

One goal of The Artist’s Way course in creativity is finding ways to silence the destructive voices that derail when we try to follow our dreams. They warn us:1. You can’t do that.2. You’re not good enough.3. People will laugh/talk/judge. I > read more

What's That, You Say?

Published on 2011-03-15 20:26:00

Clear communication is as rare as unicorns. And it’s easy to understand why. Even when words are in black and white, we all read with a lens that is uniquely our own. That lens draws on the baggage, beliefs and assumptions we’ve accumulated over > read more

The Ripple Effect

Published on 2011-02-27 08:56:00

Last week I was in Charleston, SC, for Goodwill’s annual meeting. To make a long story short, I hate to travel for work. The flying, the food, the hotel stays. BUT…the bright spot is visiting with Goodwill colleagues I don’t see but twice a yea > read more

Friday, Friends and Rollercoasters

Published on 2011-02-18 17:29:00

I hate rollercoasters. Yet, I’ve chosen a profession that makes me feel like I’m trapped on one.Whhhheeeeee! Manuscript finished and ready to send to beta-readers. Whoooaaaaaah! Revisions, twists, turns, can I actually make it up that incline? Ye > read more

What Would St. Valentine Say?!

Published on 2011-02-11 02:01:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, Oasis for YA, an online community for writers of young adult fiction, has asked writers to post a romantic and/or sexy excerpt from their books. The following is from my novel, Hannah's Half. A bit of info to set the scen > read more

May the Force Be With Us

Published on 2011-02-08 13:12:00

All I can think about today is the VW commercial where the little boy in the Darth Vader outfit runs around trying to manipulate things with his awesome power. I found many of the Superbowl commercials to be so-so. The VW one, though, is getting univ > read more

Paying It Forward in the Tweeterverse and Blogosphere

Published on 2011-02-02 17:34:00

Recently I sat down to make out my ‘wish list’ of agents to query for “Hannah’s Half,” the YA paranormal novel I finished (and am revising!). I was hopping around Twitter, trying to find a particular agent to follow when I happened upon a w > read more

On Expanding One's Reading Horizons -- Or, I'll Only Read That If You Make Me

Published on 2011-01-31 18:01:00

I am known for horning my way into book clubs...well, the same book club actually. When I moved to Durango, CO, in 2003, I heard my staff talking about their book club. To make things really awkward, I asked if I could join. How do you tell your new > read more

To Buy (Or Not to Buy) a Book -- That's a Loaded Question

Published on 2011-01-20 16:57:00

I've blogged, tweeted and Facebooked about a great web site called Page99Test.com. Authors (published and not) load page 99 of their book onto the site and readers comment on whether they'd turn the page and if they'd be inclined to buy the book.I'm > read more

Gleeful Journeys

Published on 2011-01-08 07:56:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m in Texas visiting family. My niece, Haley, received the first season of Glee on DVD. Watching the series has become a family activity. Everyone (including my 20-year-old nephew) loves it. Each time we hear the cl > read more

Gratitude in Gran's Garden

Published on 2010-12-31 10:14:00

I'm staying with my sister, Tessa, in Texas for a while. After my mom passed away in 2003, Tessa began creating an outdoor space she's called Gran's Garden (my niece and nephew called my mom Gran). It's beautifully and magically overgrown with bushes > read more

Yes, Virginia, You CAN Wait for Santa Claus

Published on 2010-12-21 10:27:00

When I was a kid, waiting for Santa seemed an interminable space where day-to-day life was put on hold. “I can’t wait! I can’t wait!” became my daily (internal) mantra.I’m not waiting for Santa this year but I’ve put myself in a similar t > read more

The Gift of Voice

Published on 2010-12-10 16:23:00

The best Christmas present I received this year was from a complete stranger: an author who put an excerpt of my book in front of 13 literary agents, editors, published and unpublished authors. (see previous post)While I received some great input on > read more

On Selflessness and Rejection

Published on 2010-12-02 14:03:00

This is the “speechless” edition of The Writing Life.1. The Good SpeechlessI follow the blogs and tweets of several literary agents and writers. I’m utterly dumbfounded by the generosity of some to help up-and-coming writers. AuthoressAnon, a w > read more

Giving Thanks for Blessings: Big and Offbeat

Published on 2010-11-20 13:34:00

Welcome to a special Thanksgiving edition of A Writing Life. I noticed that since moving to Durango I’m much more aware of the blessings in my life. For one, I look at the valley and mountains EVERY DAY and am friggin’ elated that we moved here i > read more

Take Anything, but Not My Blankie!

Published on 2010-11-17 11:11:00

My niece had a cuddly toy bear she named Chubby. It was one of those soft toys made out of terry cloth. After years of loving, Chubby was worse for the wear. My sister, an excellent seamstress, fashioned a new body out of a cotton, waffle-weave baby > read more