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NaNoWriMo, Sex Scenes, and Community
There’s nothing quite like writing intensely to get me going. It’s such a thrill, so satisfying, so intoxicating. Yes, the word “sex” is in the title of this post, but I don’t mean like that (except when I do); I’m referring to a more holistic satisfaction. Intellectual intercourse, if you will. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, in case you’ve no idea what I’m talking about) is an annual event encouraging writers to commit to pounding out 50,000 words in one month. Or more, if you’re ambitious. (Yeah, that’s me. 80,000 is my goal.) I hadn’t meant to do it this year, but last minute I said, “F*ck it, I’m in.” On par…
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Be Kind, Be Gentle, Find Love Amidst the Chaos
Inspired by the book THE BODIES OF MOTHERS by Jane Beall, I’m sharing this image of myself and the raw truth of my experience. The purpose of this post is partially to remind myself of my own innate beauty, and partially because I feel compelled to remind other women of theirs. The following thoughts were sparked by a mother who, through her own bitterness, helped me realize that I want to stop feeding the bitter voice in my head. To the woman behind the till at the grocery store today, the one who told me she has two sets of twins, you could have said something else. You didn’t have to say, “They’re easy at this age, wait…
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Writing a Contemporary Romance in 30 Days
It’s funny, how things work out. I entered my last manuscript in #PitchWars, and then got hit with an insanely inspired idea before they even announced the winners. It’s a good thing I didn’t get in, because I would have had to switch from writing to editing, and it’s possible it would have broken something in my head to slow down this story. My latest manuscript, WILD HORSE HEART, is set for publication in May of 2017. It was a new adventure for me as a writer; one I couldn’t be more thrilled about. The premise came to me in a dream. Miraculously, I woke up and got it down before it vanished to…
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Riding the Wild Horse of Creativity
There’s something beautiful about getting to your knees in the middle of a road and scrawling in a notebook as fast as your hand can write. Okay, so it was a dirt road, and there wasn’t any traffic, but still. I continue to be blown away by the intensity of my creative process. The more I indulge my imagination, the more ideas flood in, just like this quote by Maya Angelou: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maybe you know what I’m talking about. All of us have something within us that longs to be expressed, in whatever form makes sense to you, be it…
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Read a Book and Slow Down
Throughout this blog post, you’ll find inspiring quotes about books, living your dreams, and never giving up. Because I think we all need those reminders, from time to time. Life is often overwhelmingly busy. But, even though time can still fly when immersed in a good book, one thing I love about reading is the way it invites us to slow down and stop worrying. Think about it: you might feel rushed, or like you have to work as fast and as hard as you can for much of the day. On top of that, there may be something out of your control that you’re working towards, but that requires patience. I’ve never…
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Classical Music Spotlight: The Waltz, Fairytale Style
I love classical music, but I’d never thought much about the Waltz until recently. To me, it was just a type of dance typically found in fairytales and historical films. And then, I followed a link that led me to a new discovery: André Rieu and his orchestra performing And the Waltz Goes On, composed by Sir Anthony Hopkins. I was touched by the music, and the boys wanted And the Waltz Goes On again and again. We watched this video something like seven times over the course of breakfast. Listening to an orchestra perform a moving piece of music is a pleasure, but watching outstanding musicians play the music is even better. My children and I watch…
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What’s Your Dream? Me, I’m Dreaming of Horses. #DreamBig
I’m a firm believer in dreaming big. Setting intention and taking steps toward the life of your dreams is the only way to live it, right? Whatever you want to make happen, no matter how large or small, a thought or vision is the first step. We bring it into intent, then into the physical through word or action. Lately I’ve been daydreaming about horses. A lot. In the interest of bringing my dream a little closer to reality (and for the simple fact that I know I’m not the only horse lover out there), here’s some horse eye candy for you. As a mother, I’ve discovered how crucial it is…
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Keeping the Fire Alive – A Discussion on Divinity, Gods and Goddesses
Saints, profits, gods, goddesses and masters of all kinds are part of the creation just as we are. They simply are operating with a much broader library of knowledge and ability than those of us journeying through the experience of humanity. Sacred fire is a common theme in the cultures of our world, both past and present, just like gods and goddesses often bridge different faiths and the cycles of time. Flame speaks of spirit, of inspiration, of light and magic, warmth and life. Today is a good day to write about gods and goddesses (although I’m all for contemplating divinity every day). This blog post was inspired on the first day…
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Getting Distance from Your Manuscript
You know it’s vital to gain perspective on your writing, but it’s hard to do when you’re the one who has slaved over the story, loved and hated it in turns, and revised it more times than you ever thought possible. How can you be objective? What I’m finding, as I edit the first two books of my trilogy—yet again—is that the more I’ve read the story, the more objective I can be with it. But that wasn’t the case a short while ago. I seemed to have reached a tipping point. Having an editor helps. A lot. Or at least someone with a writing background (not your friends or…
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Why We Love the Piano Guys: Fun, Beautiful Classical Music
The uber-talented Piano Guys play brilliantly composed songs that are moving, mind-blowing, and even comical. ~~~ Some of their best songs are sophisticated mash-ups of pop music and classical. Love them! My children and I listen to a lot more classical music because of them. Many of their videos have over 20 million views! How many of those are from people like me who can’t get enough, I wonder? It’s easy for me to put on a YouTube playlist in the background and groove along in the kitchen. If the kids look up from their play, they see pianos and cellos, beautiful nature scenery from around the world, and people who are engaged…
