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A comfort to me…

My Granddad had always been a comfort to me. There was something we shared between us that I could never quite put my finger on. During one of my visits with him, while he was in the hospital, we had the opportunity to chat. Just him and I.

He expressed exactly what I felt. We discussed many things, over the course of several visits, but mostly we just knew each other and what the other was thinking. It’s something I always enjoyed. Most times we didn’t have to use words. We’d say it with a look.

When Granddad passed away on the 5th of July. It just happened that my husband left earlier that same day to go work in Nebraska. I felt very much alone and prayed for some relief, and boy did I find it.

Though it was hard and it took some time. Writing became an escape, a comfort to me. Like a warm blanket on a cold day.

Over the past few months I’ve thought of Granddad and recollected memories, which I’ve shared with my husband who is back home now. And I realize how much I miss having our Granddad’s around. (Michael lost his the year before). We discussed how we can keep their memories alive by talking about them and telling our kids about them.

Then, last night my mom stopped by with a gift. (Her and dad went by to visit Grandma the night before). Mom hands over one of Granddad’s sweaters. One of my favorites actually. And as I hugged it, the same ‘warm blanket’ feeling came over me.

I will be comforted by him as I go forth to write. Just as writing comforted me through a time when I had to say goodbye to him. Both are blessings.

Where the work gets done…

After posting what it is like to write on the road, it only seems fitting to discuss where a majority of my work actually gets done.

This is ‘my side’ of our home office. (Though my husband rarely comes in, unless to check e-mail or find a part for whatever project he has going.) This is the place my stories and characters develop. The place where I go to work early in the morning, until sometimes very late into the night. It is a haven for the imagination.

To create a ‘mood’ in the room while I write I normally I sit with the small lamp above the computer turned on and the rest of the lights off, and keep my play-list, playing in the background. I tend to listen to anything that draws me closer to my characters personalities and any music that encompasses the general theme of the story.

When I’m in my office I get in my zone and focus much of my attention on where the story is taking me, like a movie playing in my mind wanting to get out. I often try and allow my characters to decide what happens next. On occasion I plot in hopes to provide a path for my characters, but most times they do what they want and I put it down.

It’s good to have a place where I can be me. Once in a while I even have company. 

I have twenty-three cars and counting….

As I contemplate what to write next in my current manuscript, my youngest son walks up every other minute and adds a toy car to my desk.

I’m stumped at what to write so I turn my attention to him.

I say, “Are you having fun?”

He just laughs and heads back upstairs to find one more car to bring down.

I ask myself, “Why he isn’t bringing down the whole bucket.” It would be faster if he thought to bring a bunch at one time. Then, it hits me like a bucket of cars. 

One at a time. One chapter, one scene, one page, one paragraph, one sentence, one word, one letter.

He’s brilliant! I just wrote out the scenes for a whole new chapter because he had the patience to bring me one car at a time. Twenty-three of them…make that twenty four…this last one was a Lightening McQueen.    And he said, “That’s it Mom these are all of my favorite cars.”

Perfect timing too. My scenes written and it’s time for me to make lunch.

What we learn today…

Taking the kids to school  inspires today’s post. As I hold back tears and fight my nerves to reassure them, I am reminded that what they learn today brings them one step closer to who they’ll become in the future.

Today, I step back and consider where I thought I’d be at this point in my life.

In grade school I struggled with both reading and writing. So I can honestly say, an aspiring author was no where near the list.

So how is it that I came to a point to try my hand at being an author?

A love of the story. A story that plays out so clearly in your mind all there is to do is put it to paper. And who did I call on when my confidence to write faltered? My sister (who also writes). She encouraged me to read in grade school when I struggled to get through a sentence in a book. She’s always told me ‘I can’.

After that, by the miracle of kindness I found a true friend. An author, C.D.Yates, extended a helping hand to me after we’d both taken an on-line editing course. She read a few chapters, gave me some pointers, and extended her kindness further. She suggested I apply to her writers critique group, Passionate Critters.

I became so nervous I battled within myself. Those school fears rushed back. What if they don’t want me to join their group, what if my writing sucks, what if they laugh?

And I remembered what I tell my kids, “Sometimes you just have to have the courage to try.”

The women in this tight knit group have not only taught me so much, they are my newest friends. Their wins are mine, and someday mine will be theirs.

My writing is growing everyday because the opportunity to learn is never ending. Thank goodness.

Thanks to: Rebekah, Cyn, Debora, Silke, Bethanne, Chelle, Jenn, Jenifer, Kate, Kit, Stephanie, Tatiana, Valerie, Vanessa.

Writing on the road. (And I’m not talking sidewalk chalk.)

One of the perks of writing is taking it with you and I have to say I’m thrilled I did. On a recent trip West I found one more of the  joy’s of writing. On several occasions I took out the trusty pen and paper and jotted ideas, scenes, a chapter. At one point, while I was driving my ten year old wrote for me as I dictated a scene that kept gnawing at my mind.

On the days I wrote I didn’t feel much accomplishment, but then I was vacationing and enjoying my family so I didn’t focus a whole lot of my time on that aspect either.

At the end of our almost two week excursion West, I found that those few minutes here and there totaled much more than I anticipated.

-1 chapter finished

-A few new twists

-3 scenes for future chapters

-And a bunch of great research, since we returned home through the Upper Peninsula. My husband took the time to bring me to the town my book takes place. It was fantastic to be in the very place where my story unwinds, develops. My family had lunch where my character goes to eat with her mom. I saw where she goes to school, talked to a few locals, listened to some locals talking…I’ve seen/heard the town. And though it was actually much as I pictured it from my research, it filled me with inspiration just being there.

So again, one of the perks of writing is you can take it anywhere and in turn Writing Takes You Places Too!

Something Smart to Say.

There are times I hesitate to post. Times I hesitate to write. Even times shocking enough, I hesitate to speak. Because there is nothing I have to say that is witty, exciting, smart. And I think, ‘hmm, someone reading this is quickly going to see how uneducated I am’,  ’someone hearing me speak is going to realize I don’t have a clue’.

And that is how it goes. I prepare to hold myself back for fear I won’t make the cut. My hesitation lasts a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, sometimes years.

The times I hesitate only a second is when courage is my friend, and I am clear and confident in my goal. Other times I hesitate for longer, an hour, a week, a month – when I lack the courage I need to face what is in front of me. This is when I seek those that are more courageous then I myself could ever hope to be. Until finally I am able to look deep inside myself and jump. Eyes wide open I soar into the unknown.

Which brings me to the point of hesitating for years.

How, you ask can someone hesitate for so long. The answer is simple. It is fear. It took me years to set aside my fear and write the book that was in my head. It took years to believe that I could write with enough eloquence, that anyone would care to read even a page written by my hand. It took years to realize that sharing the stories inside me was more important then hiding behind self-doubt.

Yes I’m uneducated, often times unorganized, and more often than not afraid to fail.

BUT in the end I am more afraid to never have tried.  Because the hesitation is far more frightening then the fear of rejection. This particular post may not be smart, but I have the courage to write it.

Do you to have the courage to jump into your life?

Music and Me.

The way I write is like musical chairs and the music I choose makes or breaks me, since I am a genera jumper. I write historical, contemporary and just recently am trying my hand at futuristic romance and YA. So music choices can change the feel of my writing.

While Bach, Pachelbel, Mozart, Debussy and of course Beethoven topped my list for easy listening while I wrote my regency historical. Nat King Cole, Dorris Day, and several others are topping the list for my post WWII ms. As far as the contemporary goes, the sound of kids screaming, the dog barking, phone ringing, and cars flying down the road is all the music I need. Don’t know what I’ll listen when I get further into the futuristic romance. Maybe I’ll regress to the 80’s electric sound. A lot of that sounded futuristic. Lol.

One of my all time favorite songs is, What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. This song has touched my heart in so many ways at different times in my life. There are a lot of bad things that happen and sometimes it is hard to remember how fortunate we are. I’ve added it here on my side bar under music, for you to listen to on YouTube.

What do you listen to?

Send me a link if you want, I’d love to hear it.

Home again…here are some pics of the travel though.

I’m back…with the kids and the dog. We made it. And my muse is

packed away somewhere. I plan on unpacking soon. I was so glad

Muse went with me. I wrote another full chapter (ch 3) and started

the 4th. Now I just have to type it out.

Nebraska was hot, hot, hot. I’m glad to be back in Michigan

although I do miss my husband already. Especially after coming

home to a garden consumed by weeds and a yard that needs

mowing.

The State Park he was in was beautiful, with four or five lakes,

a pavilion, fishing dock, a bridge. The kids and I walked a ton. It was

nice. Like a vacation. But like all vacations it was time to come home.

We are considering a second trip in late August before schools are

back in session.

Anyone else taking trips this summer? And do you leave your muse

at home?

Hitting the Road.

Packing for a road trip is hell…clothes, check. Tent, check. Kids, check. Dog, check. Writing utensils, check. Muse…muse. MUSE! Check.

Off to Nebraska to see hubby I go. About 11-12 hours on the road and we’re there.

Unfortunately, no Wednesday Writing Review this week. Be back hopefully in time next week to post a new one. Until then.

Congratulations to my first Wedn. writer, Rebekah ‘R.L.’ Purdy for getting several requests from agents this past week for her posted story. She’s working hard, editing well and on her way. I wish her the best of luck.