The Muse Wore Flip Flops

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Yesterday, I wrote a blog post about how excited I was to flip flop my schedule (summer pun intended) and put writing first. My schedule has been cooperating, too -- April and May have offered up writing events including my critique group's semi-annual writing retreat and Lancaster Christian Writers' Super Saturday, and the Pennwriters conference is just around the corner, promising workshops, socializing and a weekend where writing takes center stage. Earlier this week, I created and sent out my first ever author newsletter, complete with giveaway. Summer writing time is indeed in the air. 

We writers are a diverse bunch. There are those who live for silence and solitude, unable to work anywhere noisier than the library. Others depend on active social lives to get the neurons firing; without  feedback from the outside world, there can be no new ideas, no story lines, no dialogue. 

For many of us, the writing life is a tenuous balance between extroversion and introversion, with one providing inspiration and the other providing time to realize it. Sometimes the opportunities to exercise extroversion occur by choice; other times they come in disguised as day jobs and family obligations, perhaps even masquerading as roadblocks. Some writers seek solitude; others find it, unbidden.

Under ideal circumstances, each writer achieves his or her own balance, but sometimes circumstances weight the scales for us. Deadlines and job responsibilities tip the scales -- and not always in the way we'd like -- as do procrastination and exhaustion. Sometimes finishing a writing project is more like climbing a mountain than a date with the muse.

Yet we keep climbing. Whether we've chosen writing, or it has chosen us, it keeps showing up on our to-do lists, often at odd hours of the day. The longer we pursue it, the more likely it is to drag along companions of its own -- social media, promotional activities and platform building -- forcing us to open the door a little wider and grant them admittance, hoping they bring their colleagues acceptance and royalties to the party as well.

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But somehow, no matter how crowded or boring or monotonous the party gets, a serious writer keeps coming back. She joins the crowd, or finds a quiet corner or like-minded colleague and tips the scales in favor of productivity. She refills her water jug at the junction of conference and conversation and returns to her work because nothing is quite as satisfying as a writing day well-spent.

Except perhaps a good review and a royalty check.

Speaking up

I'm reposting this from last Saturday on my blog. It's too important not to spread the word.

I woke up today, psyched that it was a Saturday -- free time, which means writing. Loosing into words those ideas that have been building up inside my head all week.

But I can't. My head's reeling with outrage and indignation. I read Delilah Dawson'spost and it left me stupefied. I wanted to reach out and hug her for all she's had to endure. I wanted to tell her it will be all right. Things will get better.

Except I don't believe it. Especially after reading Ann Aguire's post (linked to Delilah's), and the ugly comments that followed. Horrendous replies that attacked her personally, and bordered on threatening. All because she's writing what she loves.

And then I began remembering all the times I hadn't spoken up.

The time when another author said she "didn't understand women's fiction and would never write it." (A YA author.)

The time I got so excited that Margaret Atwood came to speak at a local college, but she quashed my decades-old awe of her by literally laughing at the romance genre. When my turn in line came to have my book signed, I couldn't say anything to her. I couldn't understand why a writer of her superstar status felt the need to put down other writers. So I said nothing as she signed my book, and I didn't even say thanks or goodbye afterward.

Other instances have left me puzzled too.

Writers who started out the same time as me, before I began writing romance but who now look at me as less than a serious writer.

It astounds me even more when writers within the same genre bash each other. It's almost a given that non-romance authors consider romance stories to be fluff. But romance writers bashing other romance writers?

And the latest head-scratcher: complaints about authors helping other authors promote their work. Alex J. Cavanaughmentioned it in this post. Which -- unbelievable as it is -- was part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Alex is an amazing guy who helps other writers regardless of genre, and I applaud him.

So now I'm responding.

Delilah Dawson and Ann Aguire, I truly wish I could say things will get better. They won't. There will always be people who feel the need to belittle others. Be sorry for them. And then keep writing awesome stories.

What I should have said to the YA author who "didn't get" women's fiction:  Fine. Don't read it. Plenty of readers "get it" and love it. Read whatever you like.

To Margaret Atwood: Bullshit. An author of your status should be encouraging other writers, not creating divisive cliques to exclude certain types. Leave that for your fiction.

Me, not a serious writer? Really? I spend every spare moment of my time either writing, promoting, or trying to better my craft through how-to books. And I read as often as possible--mainstream, scifi, urban fantasy, fantasy, contemporary, historical, steampunk. Whatever. Genre doesn't matter to me. I'm drawn to stories with compelling story lines, engaging characters and dialogue. Well written stories. (Because face it, crappy stories exist in every genre.)

To romance writers: Romance has a myriad of subgenres. Some stories don't fit the specific definition of romance, but end up there because it might contain a romantic element. It's a marketing gimmick, nothing more, but that's the way it is. It doesn't make your subgenre any better than another. Again, let the readers decide which they prefer.

To those who object to authors helping each other promote, I'll repeat my response that I left on Alex's blog: Why anyone would object to one another helping another with promotion is beyond me. Writers work hard enough to write a great book, but promotion is another full-time job. If blog visitors don't want to read about an author's work, they're fully capable of skipping over it. I love to help other authors spread the word about their work, and I've been blessed with plenty of generous writers who help me as well.

To anyone who feels the need to lash out at a writer--for whatever reason--get the hell over yourself. If you think you can write a better book, go for it. That's how lots of writers started out. Some succeeded, others discovered it isn't such a cakewalk to create great stories. It's damn hard work. Again--and I'm not sure why this is so difficult a concept to wrap your head around--support the writers you do love by buying their books. If you don't like an author's work, don't buy it. Period.

Author or reader, let's have some respect. If you can't manage that much, then I hope you learn someday how to embrace your humanity.

I encourage other authors to read both Delilah and Ann's posts. Then speak up as well. Bigotry's rooted in a lack of education, so let's educate everyone. Even ourselves.

And now, I've already lost half a day. I'm going to write.

Peace.

We're thrilled to be the first stop on an exciting blog tour for Tameka Fryer Brown, who is launching her book, MY COLD PLUM LEMON PIE BLUESY MOOD. With a title like that, you just know it’s going to be a great read. In fact, I was so struck by the title that it was the first thing I asked about when I interviewed Tameka:  



I adore your title, Tameka, and the way you play with words. I'd love it if you could talk about how you come up with your creative ideas and then pull them together in such a lyrical way.

Thanks, Laurie. It is a pretty cool title—but I can’t take sole credit for it. My agent, my editor, the art director, sales and marketing...all of us were involved. It was a major team effort. I suppose my ideas come to me much the same as most writers’ do: an interesting turn of phrase, human behavior, song lyrics, memories, even dreams—these are all things that have influenced stories I’ve crafted. The lyrical part, I suppose that’s just a characteristic of my personal voice as an author.

 Even when I’m not attempting to write in rhyme, my stories tend to emerge in some poetic fashion. For example, MY COLD PLUM LEMON PIE BLUESY MOOD (Viking Children’s) came out as free verse—and when I say “came out,” I mean that literally. One day I was being self-reflective, acknowledging that my behavior that day was due to my being “in a mood.” Immediately it struck me that this would make a great title or first line of a picture book (first lines and titles are what usually come to me initially). Once I sat down to write the story, the words just started flowing.  

Here’s a sneak peek at the book trailer:

 

Can you tell us a bit more about your other books--published and in process?  

AROUND OUR WAY ON NEIGHBORS’ DAY (Abrams, illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb) is my debut title. I describe it as a love story between a young girl and her close-knit, multicultural neighborhood. MY COLD PLUM LEMON PIE BLUESY MOOD (Viking Children’s) is my second book. It’s illustrated by Shane W. Evans, winner of last year’s Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, and I am extremely excited about it! I fell in love with the sketches when I first saw them, and the finished artwork does not disappoint. The pictures are so colorful and lively—I believe kids are going to adore them as much as I do! I am working on another picture book project, but I’m keeping the details a secret for now.

Can't wait to see that secret project go public. And how lucky you are to have two talented illustrators for your books. I loved the art in Shane W. Evans’s award winning title, Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom, which is quite different from his work on your book. But both of these books have amazing illustrations. And Charlotte Riley-Webb has a wonderful vibrant style in your book as well as in her many other titles, including Sweet Potato Pie and Our Children Can Soar.

***  
Everyone always enjoys hearing authors’ success stories. Can you tell us yours?

I decided to pursue children’s book writing after being a stay-at-home mother for about eight years. I felt it was time for me to get back to some type of cerebral pursuit and, having read tons of wonderful and not so wonderful picture books during that time, I was sure I could write some pretty good ones myself. Of course, I had to learn what “pretty good” was and was not, but I do believe my hard work and persistence are finally paying off.  

And I don't know about you, but I always enjoy seeing pictures of an author as a child. Tameka was kind enough to supply a picture of her as a youngster and as a fifth grader. I'm betting she was a talented writer and storyteller even then.

 For more about Tameka Fryer Brown you can visit her website or visit her Facebook page. And be sure to follow her whirlwind blog tour this month.

No words needed...

Going Green

To celebrate Earth Day, I thought I'd post about one of the greenest writers I know, Bonnie J. Doerr. Bonnie writes tween eco-mysteries where green teens capture poachers and save the environment. Bonnie's most recent release, Stakeout, was a finalist for the Green Earth Book Award.

But Bonnie doesn't just write about the endangered animals, she does hands-on research. Here's one example of how involved she gets in her research.

 

In an interview with the Authors for Earth Day blog, Bonnie explained why she writes her books: "My dream is to rekindle that spark of wonder and fascination with wild things by providing fun, fast-paced stories featuring young teens as environmental heroes. I write stories that organically show, rather than tell, young impressionable readers how fragile our environment is. I write especially for ages ten to thirteen. Readers this age are shaping enduring personal goals and values." Bonnie hopes those values include caring for our fragile planet.

She's taken time out of her busy schedule to share a bit about her writing life and passion for the environment.

Please tell us about your journey as a writer.

I began to write poetry first, then short stories. But by the time I drafted my first novel, the die was cast. Each piece of writing had brought me closer and closer to natural settings, to crimes against the environment, and finally to where I am now—writing ecological mystery/adventures.

How does Earth Week inspire you?

During Earth Week I’m reminded more than ever about why my writing took off in he direction it did. A deep appreciation of nature and the need to be immersed in the outdoors on a regular basis has defined my mental health for as long as I remember. I've been astounded to learn how many people are missing that gene. In recent years my astonishment turned into alarm. This lack of dissociation from nature, I believe, is in many ways at the core of our environmental crisis.


Is this disassociation from nature a problem for kids?

Watch the wonder and delight on a young child’s face when first observing a nest of eggs hatching, a tadpole growing into a frog, or a bean sprouting and reaching for the sky and you know how much joy children naturally find in nature. It's important to nurture that appreciation.

It's sad to see how that spark goes out as young children become teens and tweens. And what about kids who live in the city or whose lives are too busy for this kind of play? And what of adults who are too busy to spend time enjoying nature?

Without first having experienced something, how can we come to care for it? It seems tragically understandable that a lack of association with the natural environment leads to ecological abuse, or at the very least, taking our natural environment for granted.

So how do you get your message about being green out to kids?

I realize not every child can visit a wilderness, or explore a National Refuge, but every child can feel like they have when immersed in my novels. Teens can learn how much fun it is to be outdoors, how sensitive the environment is, and how they can set a good example for the adults in their world. They can virtually join other teens as they work to improve the Earth and save its creatures. It’s one small thing I can do to inspire environmental stewardship.

It's great to know that you and other authors are working to make kids aware of how important it is to be green.  

For more great books to celebrate Earth Week, check out the Mixed-Up Files blog. 

And, Bonnie, thanks for taking the time to share your passion with us.


To learn more about Bonnie J. Doerr, visit her website and her blog BonnieBlogsGreen. Bonnie is also featured on the Girl Scout website, Aurora Reviews (who gave Stakeout a 5-star review), and TBR.

From now until the end of the month, Island Sting and Stakeout are both on sale in the Leap Books store for 40% off. And the Island Sting e-book is FREE for Amazon Prime members and only 99 cents for other Amazon shoppers. Watch for the Stakeout e-book coming soon. If you leave a comment below from now until April 30, 2012, your name will be entered in drawing for a free e-book or an autographed paperback of Stakeout or Island Sting.

Are Published Writers Divas?

If I'd had a crystal ball, I would have made a prediction about an anthology I've been editing. Several well-known authors have contributed stories. Very exciting, except I was worried about dealing with divas.

And I definitely am.

They fight every suggestion made by me or the other editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders. Even when five people on the editorial team insist something isn't working, they totally ignore the suggestions. They skip over requests for edits, so the manuscript has to be sent back multiple times requesting the same rewrites. They're so tied to their words that they argue about even small changes. Exactly what I was expecting, except...

The writers who are doing this are NOT the big-name authors.

The multi-published authors are a dream to work with. They turn in their edits on time and do a wonderful job on any requested rewrites, making the story stronger each time. They say "thank you" for the suggestions and say that the edits have improved the story. And every single one of them ends with a final line something like this: "If this doesn't work, please let me know, and I'll be glad to rewrite it."

So who are these divas I'm working with? They're the pre-published writers, the newbies, the ones who have had two magazine stories published in local magazines. They're the ones who are so puffed up about being included in an anthology with "real" authors that they cling doggedly to every word, every idea. "If this story was good enough to get me accepted, it should be ready to publish as is" is their mantra. They fail to realize that most editors accept on potential, not perfection. And sadly, they're making a name for themselves as being hard to work with, which may mean this could be their only shot at publication.

So while my peek into the crystal ball was accurate, the details were murky. I've learned that far from being divas, published authors are willing to work at their craft and seek ways to improve what they write. Which, most likely, is the real reason they're published.

I just received word that Pirates Through the Ages is on the way. Yay!! Can't wait to see how it looks. The editor said it turned out terrific, so I'm excited about holding it in my own two hands. Here's a mock up of the cover.

Looking back, I wondered while I was immersed in it if I'd manage to get it done by the deadline, but I did. Now I'm wondering the same about my latest assignment--5 books due one month apart. What is it about writers that they'll put themselves under this much pressure and agree to practically impossible deadlines, then slog through long hours day after day to produce a book? What is it about this profession that's so compelling? It's obviously not the money. As most writers discover, this isn't a lucrative profession. So what do we get besides the pleasure and excitement of holding a book in our hands?

Feed Your Addiction

In the past few weeks, we've celebrated Teen Read Week. Tomorrow is National Bookstore Day. And this month is NaNo, National Novel Writing Month. With all this emphasis on writing and writers, it's evident that people care about books and reading. Most of us wouldn't be writers if it weren't for our love of reading.

My addiction to reading extends to everything under the sun. I'll even peruse every word on a cereal box if nothing else is handy. As an elementary student, I constantly got in trouble for reading books hidden my desk. And at home I hid under the covers with a flashlight to finish those final pages of an exciting novel. Did you do the same?

Why not share that passion with a favorite teen?

Leap Books is offering online Exclusives--free mini-books with pages that turn--all zooped up with fun graphics to enhance the reading experience. Share them with your favorite teens, or enjoy them yourself.

Many websites offer book excerpts to whet your appetite. Others offer short stories to showcase their writers' work. Some of our Susquehanna Writers have free reads or book excerpts online. I hope they'll post the links to share the fun. And feel free to leave links for your favorite free online reads, so we can check them out. The only thing readers like better than reading is sharing books they've enjoyed.

Looking Up

I just spent part of today in a redwood forest. I find forests inspiring; they have a hushed, holy feel. And this one with its undergrowth made me think of untouched wilderness. I always come away with a deep desire to write, to pour out my soul on the pages.

But as I stood there today, I was reminded of the writing process. The primal understory with its tangle of vines, the deep, fertile ground of subconscious. Those huge redwoods towering overhead grew from a tiny seed, and each one was different. Some had many branches and offshoots. Others went straight to the sky. So like the writing process that springs from a tiny seed buried deep in the subconscious and grows... and grows... Until like the towering redwood, it's large and impressive, awe-inspiring.

When we stand there and marvel at the trees, we often forget how long it took them to get to that height and all the hardships they endured along the way--droughts, fires, being overshadowed by other larger trees. Still, they persevered and lived through the pain, struggled to reach their heights. And so will we.

When I look at the Susquehanna Writers, I feel the same awe as I do in the forest. I knew many of them when they were struggling, unpublished writers. We were saplings together. Sharing the pain of rejections, the frustration of learning the craft, the struggle to find someone--anyone--who appreciated our work enough to take a chance. And now we've all arrived at the stage where we're published authors; most of us are multi-published.

At one time, we thought that was the goal, the be-all and end-all. Now we know, though, that like the redwoods, we still have much more growth ahead of us. We all continue to write and submit, of course, but now we're branching out with a new skill--marketing. Which means the growth process is ongoing. But someday soon we'll all be towering redwoods that inspire others.

Serching for Sensory Details

I've noticed that writers are often travelers. And I once read that a large proportion of writers have lived in more than one country during their lives. Something about being displaced forces one to write, perhaps? Or is that these writers have absorbed two different cultures, two different settings, so creating new worlds comes easily for them. The more sensory details you add to your repertoire, the more those will pour out in your writing.

It's not easy writing in a vacuum. You can create a description of a place you've never been, but often the details are missing--the sounds, the smells. Visuals you can recreate from reference photos, but the essence is missing if you haven't walked the streets, sniffed the air, tasted the food, heard the cadence of the language, or danced to the beat of the music.

Maybe that's why they often say "write what you know." The only way to truly capture the whole experience on paper is to experience it for yourself. So much of writing is sitting at a computer and typing in words. But if that isn't balanced by sensory stimuli, a key component may be missing from your page. So push yourself away from your desk regularly and get out into the world. You'll not only come back refreshed, but you'll return with plenty of new details to add to your story world.

Let's Not Outsource Writing

The Hartford Advocate tried an experiment. It outsourced some of its writing assignments to freelancers in India. Here is one of the news stories that was submitted:

Because of the Dog Bowl, the House Owner Faced a Damage of $215,000

The fire officers of Bellevue, Wash., state that on a bright sunny day, the dog's glass bowl and the sun ray combined and gave rise to blazing fire which burnt the back side of the house. Eric Keenan of Bellevue Fire Department Limited says that the investigators determined that dog's glass water bowl focused enough of sunlight
to work like the magnifying glass, because of which the fire began at the wooden deck of the house on Sunday. Investigators said that apart from this there was no other cause found which could give rise to the fire. During this incident, homeowners weren't at home and the neighbor noticed the fire and informed the fire department. The dog had been rescued and the damage is approximately $215,000.

Hmm. Seems to me that some things should not be outsourced. I am not against any freelance writer making a few dollars by writing news stories. But, I think you get what you pay for. And, well, the work speaks for itself.

Here is the explanation for the experiment directly from the paper:

It wasn’t our intention for our little outsourcing experiment to put us out of a job. But it’s clear that in an age when publications are aggressively cutting costs and reducing staffs, India’s millions of wired English speakers may present an irresistible resource. If so, our Indian colleagues will have earned the last laugh.

Call us old-school, but we think good, old-fashioned shoe-leather journalism is worth the price. Outsourcing could certainly fill pages, probably very cheaply, but what’s lost is the very essence of local newspapers: presence. At city hall, the local music club or out on the street talking up average folks, presence is what sets local newspapers (dinosaurs though they are sometimes) apart, and what outsourced news could never replace. But don’t take our word for it. Have a read and decide for yourself.

Here is the complete article. You can see other examples of the outsourced writing, too.

-- George Sheldon, www.georgesheldon.com

Connections

Years ago when I was a struggling--and starving--writer, I agonized about paying the dues for a national writing organization. At that time, it came down to a choice between paying the dues or buying groceries for my five children. Which would you choose? Of course I forked over the dues--after squirreling away nickels and pennies for a year and setting aside my birthday money. And I've never regretted the decision. It set me on the course to being a professional, and well-paid, writer.

This week, when I was contacted to write material for a high-profile, national TV series, that sacrifice paid off big time. I traced a line back from this job opportunity to a writing assignment 3 years ago with a major textbook company, which came about from contacts at a CA book publisher who was shutting down, which came from a referral by a magazine editor, who knew and had published work from one of my critique group members--a friend I'd made through that writing organization more than 10 years ago. Without that friend, I'd never have found my first paying writing gig. Without that friend, I'd never have had my first book contract. Without that friend, I never would have made this long, convoluted journey to being a paid writer.

Each one of us is interconnected, and you never know when an author you meet may hold the key to your success. And conversely, you never know when you might be that vital link in the chain for another writer. I've heard it said that you're only 6 people away from publishing success (provided you've studied your craft and worked hard). You never know who that person might be, so it pays to be generous with your time and knowledge whether the person you meet is a newbie or an experienced writer. Help others as much as you can. Someday they may help you in return.

As a I look back along my writing path, I see many friends and critique partners who contributed to making me the writer I am today. I could have never done it without their support. And, though I still have a long way to go and much to learn, these cheerleaders, mentors, and supporters have moved me much farther along that path than I ever could have gone on my own. I only hope that I, in turn, aided them in their journey. So many thanks to all of you out there for what you've contributed to my life. You know who you are...

And so, I offer you all a networking opportunity. Here's a chance to meet one of my many groups of colleagues, friends, and fellow writers:

Several of The Wild Rose Press authors have banded together to offer a blog bouquet today. Twenty authors are each offering a different prize for stopping by and commenting on their blogs. Who knows what possible connection might open up for you by meeting these authors! I wish you all the wonderful friendships and possibilities that meeting other writers can afford. Good luck!!

Hope you enjoy getting to know every one of them:

www.amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com
www.authorsstudio.blogspot.com
www.bettyhanawa.blogspot.com
www.christineclemetson.blogspot.com
www.findagreatromance.blogspot.com
www.freewebs.com/lesmora
www.freewebs.com/teriwilson/apps/blog/
www.grgiall.blogspot.com
www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
www.jennfrancesca.blogspot.com
www.joycemoore.blogspot.com
www.lianalaverentz.blogspot.com
www.LindaHopeLee.blogspot.com
www.lje1.wordpress.com
www.noveltrails.blogspot.com
www.plotsandthoughts.blogspot.com
www.tanyahanson.blogspot.com
www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
www.traveltheages.blogspot.com
www.willtravelforromance.blogspot.com

Mindless Plotting

We all have moments when a scene isn't working or the next plot twist isn't moving the story like we wanted it to. So we push away from the keyboard and think. I for one can't do that while sitting in my computer chair staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. I turn to other things.
I have a few hobbies that lend themselves to letting my imagination run wildly about while still accomplishing something. Crocheting is a favorite. I can count, change colors, do multiple stitches without giving it one bit of my conscious attention. Jigsaw puzzles are probably my favorite mindless activity. I have a like-minded sister who lives out of state. For over twenty years we buy each other a jigsaw puzzle for our birthdays. We try to stump each other with an impossible puzzle. We're both very good and haven't managed to defeat each other yet. Even while doing the most difficult, challenging puzzle, I can plan the next scene, the next dialogue and still complete that lovely puzzle.
Mowing the grass at our house takes at least one and a half hours. Riding the lawn tractor is truely a time given to thought. Driving a car is a similar time for reflection but I have to take more care. Yes, last night I drove right past my daughter's hockey field while thinking of the dire situation my protagonists were involved in.
I wonder how other writers let their imagination free. What do they do when they're just stuck? Not with writer's block, but with a simple plot point.

Work or Work?

There have been a few posts here lately about time management and the challenges of dual careers. I thought I would take the opportunity to weigh in on my own frustrations.
Like so many writers, I have to keep that full time job to pay the bills. It's not only the money, it's the health benefits that must be considered. I have children so that means large expensives in health care, education and FOOD. So I fit my writing in around working and all the responsibilities that go with being a parent.
I'm luckier than some writers in that my 'day job' is in education. I'm assured of having every weekend off and holidays. After Monday, I'll have the summer months off except for a few days of inservice training. (Must schools switch their grading systems every few years?) Looking at all these days off, one would think I get a lot of writing done in the summer months, but I don't.
It's not having the children at home. They're all teenagers or older, but I wish I could blame it on them. Yes, I'll spend many evenings going to their baseball and softball games. I'll work out with my daughter on her summer conditioning for field hockey, but I do all that during the school year. It's the daytime hours that escape me.
I spent this morning mowing the grass after days of rain. The weeds look like some kind of alien flora invasion into my flowerbeds. I have three stacks of branches and trimmings I need to send through the chipper.... You get the idea. I have plans for stripping wall paper and painting inside for these weeks of 'leisure.'
Even with all that, why do I get less writing done in the summer than during the months I'm teaching? I'm not sure, but I think it's because I spend the days under the illusion that I have so much free time, I can write 'later' after I finish this one more flower bed, clean this one more room or try this one new recipe. At the end of the day, I'm tired, feel fulfilled by my accomplishments and just know I'll have more time to write tomorrow. After all, I do have over two months off.
What about you? Is there a time of year when your writing output is the best? Is there a time when it's the least? And does it make sense that it should be that way?

A New Printer vs. a Replacement Cartridge

My color laser printer needed a new cartridge. It had a hissy fit, refusing to print until I jammed in a new magenta cartridge. So I went to the store, ready to pay $92 for the replacement cartridge.

I decided to look at the new printers. I spotted a combo Lexmark – it’s a printer, copier, fax, scanner, photo printer. It is also wireless, connecting onto my wireless network through the router. And it was only $79. I can position the printer anywhere in my office. It does not need to be tethered to a computer. It stands alone anywhere. And I can print from my laptop, even if I am in the backyard writing and working, and need to print a page or two.

I am no fool. I bought the new printer. It even came with OCR software that really works! I can’t believe. I tested it with five pages of a manuscript. It automatically feeds the pages, and it looks like 100% recognition. The final document ended up in a new Word document, ready for me to work on it.

And it prints envelopes! I hate a printer that doesn’t print an envelope.

I am probably going to buy, sooner or later, a small black and white laser. For manuscripts and proofing, it seems to make sense to me to print quick and cheap copies of pages. I still prefer to edit on paper. I will probably never change. It’s a matter of me being an old dog not willing to change to do a new trick. But then again, I may not. I might just use this new printer exclusively. It really does have a lot of neat options! I need to get some photo paper and try printing out a couple pictures. If that works as well as I suspect, I may be spending too much time printing photos rather than writing.

I am amazed at the quality of this inkjet printer that was cheaper to buy than an ink cartridge. I just can’t believe what $79 buys these days.

-- George Sheldon, www.georgesheldon.com

Balancing Act

Sometimes, being a writer is all about balance. Balancing work and life, balancing a full-time job and writing, balancing the things you want to write and the things you have to write. I work full time as a school counselor, and in my "free time," my writing projects include articles on spec and on assignment, along with the projects I want to work on, and assignments for a writing class I am taking.

For better or for worse, I am mood-driven in my approach to my writing; I tend to work on the projects that appeal to me in the moment. As long as I keep deadlines posted on paper and/or in the back of my mind, my approach works fine ~ in fact, it works quite well because I write better when I'm focused on something that appeals to me.

George's blog yesterday focused on a similar kind of balance ~ the balance between pleasure and responsibility. Simply by taking his laptop out into the warm sunshine, he managed to achieve a balance between two things that can be so contradictory.

And so it is with my mood-driven writing. By focusing on the project ~ or a part of it ~ that is my heart's desire, I bring my writing out into the sunshine. It doesn't happen every day, or with every bit of every project, but when it does, the writing just flows and everything is easier.

Here's to sunny writing days and unclouded evenings.

It's Perfect Weather to be a Writer

These words are being composed on my laptop. Me and my laptop are in the backyard, under a maple tree. It's a perfect weather day, and it's a perfect day to be a writer.

I am just fine tuning chapter two of my next book. It's just being tweaked.

My laptop is WIFI compatible, and it's talking to my wireless router, giving me complete freedom to be outside as I write, but keeping me connected to the world via the Internet. Technology is just too cool.

One of the questions I get asked often is 'why do you write?'

My reply has been, "Because I must."

If I were asked why I write today, I would likely say, "It's a perfect day to be a writer."

And of course, I'd add, "Because I must."

You Can Write With Just a Pen and Paper

I just finished reading a profile of Elmore Leonard in the July/August 2009 issue of AARP Magazine. It's a great article about this prolific writer.

One of the things that fascincates me is that Elmore doesn't use a laptop or desktop computer to compose his prose. He uses a ballpoint and a yellow legal pad. He said he can’t imagine typing words on a screen. When he finally has a handwritten page the way he likes it, us then puts it on an IBM Wheelwriter 1000.

Elmore is known for giving writers the advice, "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."

My favorite lines in the artile was at the end: “After 58 years you’d think writing would get easier. It doesn’t. If you’re lucky, you become hard to please. That’s all right, it’s still a pleasure.”

-- George Sheldon, www.georgesheldon.com

They're Out...

Two of my books from two different publishers are out today!

My YA biography, Rihanna (People in the News) is out from Lucent and Summer Lovin’, a YA anthology of summer love stories is out at The Wild Rose Press.

You can check out the blurb for my story, “Summer Storms,” as well as those from fellow authors at the Climbing Rose blog: http://twrpclimbingrose.blogspot.com/. The e-book is available for purchase at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/summer-lovin-p-1249.html. Print release will be 7/10.

Rihanna’s up for sale at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Rihanna-People-News-Laurie-Edwards/dp/1420501291/ref=sr_1_1/192-9522716-1062700?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242999286&sr=1-1. The e-book's available at the Lucent website.

Blurbs:

SUMMER LOVIN’ is a collection of love stories by six Climbing Rose authors about life on a ranch, summer jobs, sandcastle competitions, the tragedy of a flood, and falling in love with a rock star. My story is in the anthology is "Summer Storms": Sixteen-year-old Paige nearly drowns trying to rescue a Pomeranian trapped in floodwaters that sweep through her town. Chase, the hottie who saves her, wants to help her and her mother, but Paige won’t accept charity. And can she risk him unmasking the family secret she’s kept hidden?

RIHANNA (PEOPLE IN THE NEWS) tells the story of R&B singer Rihanna, who loved to sing as a child, but had a rough homelife with a cocaine-addicted father. Discovered at age 15, Rihanna auditioned for Jay-Z and rose to stardom. My book offers a behind the scenes peek into Rihanna’s childhood, her rise to fame, her Grammy win, and some of the celebs she’s connected with, including Shia LaBeouf, Timbaland, Maroon 5, and Chris Brown.

WIN A FREE COPY!

Anyone who comments at my blog http://lje1.wordpress.com/ or friends me on MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter from now until May 31 will have their name entered to win a copy of Summer Lovin’. Winner will be announced at noon on June 1, so stop back to see if you've won.

Laurie J. Edwards

http://lje1.wordpress.com/

http://www.myspace.com/lauriejedwards

Twitter Screen name: LaurieJEdwards