The Forever Blog

Contest at Nathan Bransford's Blog!

2011-01-25T21:27:00.001-08:00

I entered the contest over at Nathan Bransford's blog tonight!

Oh what fun! I haven't even been doing anything related to writing lately and I just happened to see he had a first paragraph contest going...so I ENTERED! Heehee!

Here's my submission:

If there was ever a time in my short life I felt normal, I couldn’t remember. This was my normal, sitting beneath the window of this dark, abandoned house. Unknown creatures scurried across the broken glass littering the floor as I waited for him to emerge from the house next door. I peeked through the blinds hanging haphazardly on the busted window frame. His red aura lit the room around him, casting an eerie glow across the distance of the two yards. I couldn’t see him, but at least I could track the glow. I could have just barged into that house and taken him out. I’d done it before, many times in fact, but hopefully tonight would be the last time. I was getting tired of these games. It was exhausting being the only Demon Hunter in the greater Portland area.

Book Lovers Unite!!!

2011-01-21T22:24:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd take a moment to talk about a few things!

First, I pulled out of book tonight, after a few long months, and...yeah it isn't so great. I think I am very sad about this! There are pieces that are like "Wow! I can't believe I wrote that!" good. AND THEN...there is absolute, horrific CRAP with a capital C! anyhoo, is it saveable? I'm not so sure :'(

Ok, but the real point of this post was to pass on to all of you book lovers a series I just recently read! TO DIE FOR! OMG! It's call the Mortal Insturments by Cassandra Clare. As of right now there are 3 in the series and then she has a prequel called Clockwork Angel. There will be 3 more in the original series with 2 more added to the prequel series, called Infernal Devices. And....(insert drum roll here)...I read on her website there is talks of a movie....

The next Twilight???? Me thinks so! That is honestly how much I enjoyed this series. It's got a little bit of every kind of paranormal, lots of humor and some seriously crazy twists! Keeps you hanging in a way I have never really encountered. LOVE IT! Much praise for Cassandra Clare!

Need I say more? GO GET THE BOOKS ALREADY!!!

Hellos and Happy Holidays from a writer turned photographer!

2010-12-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all that jazz! How are you all doing? I wish I could say all these months that I have been hiding out were spent in the depth of a fabulous new novel...but sadly, I have not been anywhere near either of my manuscripts or a new one for that matter! Maybe the real reason behind the name of this blog was not after the intended trilogy The Forever Series, but after howe long it was actually going to take me to finish it! :)

I somehow found myself with 4 jobs! Yes count them FOUR!!!! YIKES! Plus add the 2 kiddos into the mix and I was crazy busy! I have got it down to just 2 now, so lucky for me I now have a moment (however brief it may be) to say a quick hello and update you on a new and exciting twist my life has taken!

Some of you may know that I have spent the last 17 years working for a wonderful couple at a photography studio. They have decided to retire to Mexico (SO JEALOUS!) and they have very kindly, pretty much handed me the business. So it appears that I am suddenly a professional photographer, with a very well-known photography studio! I am so excited (and petrified!) I have started with a few senior portraits this year, but as the weather turns cold and rainy (or rainier here in Oregon) it will most likely be put on hold until the spring, but I look forward to starting the next year of seniors and hopefully by then I will have found the perfect location!

Wish me luck! As I wish you luck and love on all your endevours next year, whether they be in writing or not!

Great reads

2010-09-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have been sadly amiss from my blog and all of yours. I think my creativity went an extended holiday, maybe even to a different planet! So all I have been doing is reading, reading and more reading. Oh and that pasky little thing called work! I have gone through a gazillion books(Pretty sure that's a real measurement). I thought I'd pass on a few of my recommendations in case anyone is interested.

First and foremost (After Twilight of course) is the Shiver series by Maggie Stiefvater. I believe it's actually called the Wolves of Mercy Falls. I instantly fell in love with the love story between Grace and her part-time wolf boyfriend Sam. Shiver is followed by Linger, a much anticipated sequel where Grace and Sam's love is tested by a surprising turn of events. Soon to follow will be Forever due out in Summer of 2011. I cannot recommend these books enough nor can I hardly contain the yearning for the third one!!!

Second on my list is Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, soon to be followed by Crescendo, in October of this year. Fallen angel meets great MC with lots of twists and turns that keep you hanging!

Next is Uninvited by Justine Musk. I must say I wasn't sure how I would like this book when I first opened it up but it sucked me right in and I finished it in the hours of my second night of reading it!

And for a fourth and final, I recommend Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. You will cry so be prepared, but it was such a new and different story line I just loved it!!!

I miss all of you and our friendly little chats. I will return someday, I hope!

Old and new and a hello to you!

2010-05-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all of my lovely ladies! How is everyone? I have been too long gone from my blog and I feel like I am missing all my friends! :) I have nothing important to talk about, just wanted to catch up!

I have taken a break from Chasing Forever. I'm not feeling it anymore. I feel like it's not where I want it to be and I'm not sure how to get it there. So, I have done nothing. Nada. Zero. I have been reading up a storm though! Wowzers! I have finished 3 books recently and am halfway through the 4th. They were all good so let me know if you are in need of reading material!! I haven't updated my reading list on here, I will soon!

Good news though, last night in the middle of reading, I was hit with a story idea. It was totally random, and I just started writing away...and away...and away, but I literally mean "writing" the hubby was hogging my laptop and I had to actually use a pen and paper! EEK! My hand was cramping so bad! Anyhow, I'm really excited about it and it just flowed, it was so great. I have no plan, no outline, but once it got going it was just coming out! LOVE those moments and I can hardly wait to see where this one goes, now having learned so much more than I knew when I started Chasing, maybe there is hope! Can't wait to share some of it with you!!

See you all real soon ;) (In cyperspace) MUAH!

12 steps to writing your first novel

2010-05-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

As most of you have read by now, I am oh-so-very close to finishing my third rewrite. It's there, I can see the end, but I don't like the original ending so I am now hanging in limbo, unsure how I want to proceed...

But I have to admit that in re-reading my first draft (and second) that it is absolute crap!!! I mean, not just haha, this is SO bad, but truly, horribly CRAP!!! (and I am so not exaggerating) Along with the bit of disappointment that comes with realizing this, I have to say I am also feeling a twinge of pride!

Pride?!?! Yes, pride because darn I have come a LONG way since writing those horrific words! I still love the idea of the book and I still adore my characters and I will make it happen! But really, I can't believe how far I have come in just a short year. At least I can now recognize that it wasn't any good, but I know I still need to work on the how to get it to be better. It's like a twelve steps program!

Step 1: Wow, I just had this really great idea for a book. This is going to be SO easy!

Step 2: Man, this is going great! I have 5 chapters down and my fingers are just flying off the keyboard, double checking word count every two seconds.

Step 3: HALFWAY!!!

Step 4: I am SO going to be a published author! LOOK OUT STEPHENIE MEYER!

Step 5: FINISHED!!!

Step 6: Send it to every agent you can find!

Step 7: Receive rejection letters from every single one of those agents.

Step 8: Find a writing website such as Agent Query Connect and meet lots of other aspiring writers who very nicely (Most of the time) tell you your work is not so great.

Step 9: Want to crumple up all 400 printed and reprinted pages of the first draft, maybe even stomp on them, definetly light them on fire!

Step 10: Start rewriting...and rewriting....and more rewriting.

Step 11: Get out the red pen and do lots of crossing out!!!

Step 12: Realize that this is the hardest, funnest, best thing you have done in your life!!!

One Year to a new woman!

2010-04-25T12:14:00.001-07:00

Today marks the one year anniversary of the day I sat before my computer and decided to be a writer. Today marks one year ago that I changed my life!

While I may be forever hectic and forgetful, for some reason I remember that day with absolute clarity! I had just finished reading the Twilight series (All 4 in 6 days) and felt like I needed more! Not another book to read because at the time it just didn't feel like I could find another that would make me feel the way that one did. So I decided I was going to write my own!

I have written on and off for most of my life, poetry, unfinished, horrible romance novels, but something was different this time. I WAS MOTIVATED! I wanted nothing more than to finish this novel and have it be amazing! Now you have to understand, I have never really been motivated about anything in my life. I am content with pretty much whatever life brings me. All I ever wanted in life was to be a mother. I didn't want a career, or to go to college, but it feels like this is it! This is where I want to be, writing this novel that will hopefully someday sell!

So now here I am one year later, almost done with the third (and hopefully) final rewrite with mass amounts of editing to look forward to! I have learned so much and grown in ways I never knew I could. I have made some amazing friends that maybe, just maybe, someday I will be able to meet in person. And I am honestly loving every second of it! I feel like this is what I was meant for, besides being a mom, that has already been accomplished :)

What made you start your very first novel and how has this changed your life?

Girlie Wisdom!

2010-04-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

1 A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills... she has 14 kids but she doesn't really care..

2. One of life's mysteries is how a 2-pound box of chocolates can make a woman gain 5 lbs.

3. My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

4. The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

5. The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does.

6. The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat are really good friends

7. Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today...

8 Sometimes I think I understand everything, and then I regain consciousness.

9. I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting fire to my panties.

10. Amazing! You hang something in your closet, for a while, and it shrinks 2 sizes!

11. Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like...'You know sometimes I forget to eat!'.....Now, I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name, and my keys, but I have never forgotten to eat. You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat!

12. The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing -- and then they marry him.

13. I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day!

It's all in a name

2010-04-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

So I am random. You may have noticed this by now. My posts have no rhyme or reason. This is how I live my daily life also. Thank God for my sister who keeps me on track and makes sure I get my kids where they need to go semi on-time and get all the Happy Birthday phone calls made on the right day!

Here's my random post today, has nothing to do with anything, just something I was chuckling about the other day. Do you have nicknames you call your children? My poor kids probably don't even know what their real name is, especially my daughter whom I often refer to as Miss Gertrude (her name is NOT Gertrude nor anything close), Schmoopsie Poo, Darlin', Little Britches, Punky Do, Nerdaleeacha and so on. I don't have a set list, they just come to me throughout the day. My son is a little better off, he gets Bubba and Buddy, and little Mister, but also the same mushy ones, I don't discriminate! What names do you use?

I also LOVE to sing very random, very nonsense songs. My kids are often asking me why in the world I make up those songs all the time and when one of them is actually a real song that I knew when I was a kid, it's like I'm the smartest person EVER! My daughter always had her full name sung to the tune of Winnie the Pooh and my son gets his long four name full name sung to head shoulders knees and toes. What songs do you like to sing to your kids, or animals if that's the case?

Blogging friends..unlike any other friends!

2010-04-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

I was reading a blogging friend's post today and it got me thinking.... (TK Richardson)

She mentioned that she feels like her blog is like sitting down to a cup of coffee with friends (not a direct quote). And it just really hit a spot with me! It is SO true!!!

Though I may never meet quite a few of you, I feel like I know you. I have started this scary journey that has led me to places I never dreamed of going and along the way I found some very helpful, very sweet and darn funny people, whom I would have never had any contact with otherwise.

I feel like this is a whole other person I have become and I am liking it! If my book never gets published...well, that will just be ok because I have enjoyed the ride!

Thank you to each of my followers, now and yet to come! Can't wait to see what the future holds for this dreaming writer!

I would like to thank the academy...I mean fellow writer LISA!!!

2010-04-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

WOW! I came home from a wonderful weekend with no kids at the beach where the weather mostly behaved with my husband who was sweet and funny to a blog award!

*SQUEEEEAL*

Thank you Lisa! What a wonderful surprise! Check out her witty blog Random Thoughts To String Together

And hopefully to brightened a few other's day, I would like to pass this on to some more wonderful people:

Charlie Eve: Kids Book Junky
Layinda: Layinda's Blog
Jemi (Who I know already received this but she's just such a darn sweet follower, I had to mention her): Just Jemi
Eisley Jacobs (Who I just found on Twitter and started following her blog and think she's hilarious!): Eisley's Ellipses
Kathi Oram Peterson (Who has given me some good advice so far): Kathi's Writing Nook

Happy Anniversary to me!!!

2010-04-08T10:25:00.001-07:00

Today is my 10 year anniversary! Now I know you're all thinking, "But she's way to young to be married that long!" Thank you, but I'm not!

My husband and got on a plane and headed to Vegas a mere 10 years ago (We did not elope) and had a 5 minute ceremony with the cutest litte french minister at the Candlelight Wedding Chapel. We have had our share of ups and downs, the loss of a child, and the birth of 2 beautiful babies! There were many times when it just seemed like nothing could go right, but it all worked out...eventually.

Now I am happy to say that after 10 years, he is still my best friend, he is my love and I wouldn't trade him for anything (ok maybe a million buck-JUST KIDDING...kinda) No really though, maybe it took 10 years of growing and maturing, of pain and struggles to appreciate that what I have is truly what I want.

I believe women live in a world where they think fairy tales really can come true. That there really are men like in romance novels who will ride in on their white steeds and rescue them from the everyday mundane. But I'm afraid there really isn't!

My fairy tale has turned into having a man that I love enough to share my life with and who is my best friend share in the mundane, everyday things. I want him to grow old with me and watch our children grow up and have kids and spend all those days together doing the things we enjoy! I can't think of anything better!

I love you honey!

Realistic Goals

2010-04-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here are my goals for this year:

#1 LOSE WEIGHT, I mean live a healthier life style
#2 FINISH MY BOOK (not helping when I am blogging and Facebooking and now Tweeting)
#3 FIND AGENT FOR SAID BOOK
#4 SPEND MORE QUALITY TIME WITH THE KIDS
#5 SAVE MONEY (or make lots of money from selling said book-heehee)

Ok, so are these realistic goals? Heck if I know! I would like to say yes! But then here I sit doing a lot of not writing on that book and not exercising for that matter.

Where do you find the motivation to make these dreams happen? What are your New Years resolutions, in April?

Mystery! Intrigue!...or not!

2010-04-02T22:02:00.000-07:00

So I have been doing some serious thinking and plotting about where I want to take my story. Yes, I have at one time completely finished it, giddy and foolishly sent to 6 agents (NOTE TO AGENTS: I greatly apologize for making you read that garbage. Hopefully, you just skimmed through and will not recall my name in the future) and after finding much helpful advice, mostly from the Agent Query Connect website, I started my second rewrite, much to my sister and mother's and mostly hubby's, dismay. Quote sis and mom "But it was *so* good. I just don't see how everybody doesn't love it!"

I got halfway through the second rewrite and just "wasn't feeling" it. Enter the third rewrite. I had an epiphany! With the help of a critique partner and a book I read that I loved, I realized I knew exactly what needed to happen! (DISCLAIMER: am not copying said book that I loved)

Now comes rewrite numero tres! I'm feeling it! I'm loving it! I'm losing momentum! Another thwack on the head and I realize the things I need to do to make my peeps (that's my characters-heehee) sound the way they really are in my mind.

I need mystery! I need intrigue! I need to figure out what in the heck to do! I know how they are in my mind, but I'm just not seeing it on the pages! Him: dark and mysterious with a secret past. Her: spunky and sad, longing to start a new life, but unwilling to accpet anyone's crap along the way. *SIGH*

What do you do when you get to this point, when you're feeling a little lost? What is helpful to you when you feel like packing it up and calling it quits?

My Beginning Game!

2010-03-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

I would like to play a little game that really only benefits me :), but I could use some help and opinions and honestly feel free to say what you think. As you know I have done 2 workshops on my beginnings (2 different beginnings) and did not receive great reviews. So I'm brainstorming and doing some messing around and would love to hear what you think!

I'm going to post 3 different beginnings, just a few paragraphs each. You comment and tell me which you like best or none at all if that's how you feel. Do you connect with Sophie? Do you feel anything? Would you keep reading?

Ok here goes:

#1-This is my original starter-Preface critiqued by Mary Kole with some tweaks

I shouldn't have followed him, but I couldn't let him go without me.

I didn't like the look in Jaxen's eyes when he came to tell me goodbye, though I didn't know that's what he was doing. I struggled not to run into his open arms, the fear on his face held me back.

"I love you, Sophie," he said for the first time. "I have to go now. I'm so sorry."

Without a word I let him walk away. I watched until his tall form became nothing but heat waves on the horizon. My heart shattered with each parting step. I wanted to scream and beg him to come back to me...but I didn't.

And now I lay with blood pooling in a sickening puddle beneath me. I wasn't ready to die. I wasn't ready to leave him.

#2-The original chapter 1 start-not good feedback from Miss Snark's first 25

Wind carelessly messed his blond hair as he swooped in behind a herd of cattle. Sunlight sparkled all around him and I found myself frozen, staring in wide-eyed fascination. Like a movie scene playing in slow motion, he leaned low over his white steed, moving as one with the impressive creature. Chiseled muscles strained against a t-shirt stretched too tight across his chest.

A gust of wind from the running cows whipped my hair from beneath my cowboy hat, assaulting me with the stench of dirt and manure. He pulled hard the reins, the horse skidded to a stop mere inches from me. Dust swirled around me. I couldn’t blink, afraid he would disappear before I could memorize every feature.

Dangerous black eyes stared down, sending shivers of awareness through me. I lifted a hand to my forehead to block the bright light. That hauntingly familiar gaze traveled from the tip of my worn cowboy boots coming to rest on my too-full lips. I couldn’t read his expression. It was hard and soft all at the same time.

His mouth quirked up at the corner, but his eyes remained piercing, “Watch yourself,” he said, his voice tight and controlled.

My knees went weak and my mind exited the real world. Strange tingling sensations rippled through my stomach and I stumbled backward just out of the way of a stray cow.

And #3-Brand spankin' new-never been critiqued

I wished I could go back to the time before the accident when I was happy and carefree. Before my brother’s death devastated the whole town. Before my parents curled up into a little ball and let the world pass them by.

But I couldn’t find that girl anymore. I wasn’t her. She wasn’t me. And try as I might, I could not move on. His memory hung in every corner of every place and I could not escape it.

I had become that person, the girl that every one coddles with the sympathetic smiles and the “How ya doin’, hon” pats on the back.

I didn’t want to be her. I wanted to flourish, to grow wings and fly far away. Away from the never-ending rain and my parents who had forgotten they had a second child, a less popular and outgoing child, but she still needed their love.

Things that are hard to say when you're drunk!

2010-03-30T09:19:00.001-07:00

Ok, time for more fun stuff because I kicked major writing booty last night and feel like doing something fun! Here is one of my all time favorite emails:

THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon

THINGS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. Specificity
2. Anti-constitutionalistically
3. Passive-aggressive disorder
4. Transubstantiate

THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. No thanks, I'm married.
2. Nope, no more booze for me!
3. Sorry, but you're not really my type.
4. Taco Bell? No thanks, I'm not hungry.
5. Good evening, officer. Isn't it lovely out tonight?
6. Oh, I couldn't! No one wants to hear me sing karaoke.
7. I'm not interested in fighting you.
8. Thank you, but I won't make any attempt to dance, I have no coordination. I'd hate to look like a fool!
9. Where is the nearest bathroom? I refuse to pee in this parking lot or on the side of the road.
10. I must be going home now, as I have to work in the morning.

How to make your blog stand out!

2010-03-29T10:28:00.001-07:00

Just finished reading a great blog about...well, blogs! Guest blogger Angela Ackerman writes for the Guide to Literary Agents blog on ways to make your blog stand out. Here's the link: http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/Creating+The+Breakout+Blog+A+Platform+Guide+For+The+PrePublished+Writer.aspx

Win Paranormalcy before you can buy it!!!

2010-03-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Win a copy of Keirsten White's YA Debut novel Paranormalcy at I heart monster http://www.iheartmonster.com/2010/03/paranormalcy-by-kiersten-white.html

19 ways to a keep a healthy level of sanity

2010-03-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

In light of my severe irritation at my email provider for changing EVERYTHING and making me go through 2 years and 100+ emails before they vanish, I thought I would share some of the funnier ones that I had been clinging to-in case of an emergency ;)

Here are 19 ways to keep a healthy level of sanity:

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Marijuana".

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy".

9. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go".

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area and Play tropical Sounds All Day.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.

17. When The Money Comes Out of The ATM, Scream "I Won! I Won!"

18. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

Another Contest...part dos

2010-03-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

hmmm...so far I have not received good comments over at Miss Snark's. DARN IT! So the preface didn't work and neither did the first chapter. Time for some serious rethinking!

Another Contest!!!

2010-03-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

Miss Snark over at http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/ had a contest yesterday for your first 25 words. Other readers will comment and tell you if they think it's worth reading on or not, pretty fun! She has posted her first 90 entries, I believe mine should be coming up later today. Check it out! It could be helpful...

Win a free book!!!

2010-03-24T15:25:00.001-07:00

Just saw this posted on Twitter to win a book. http://meow-mix85.blogspot.com/2010/03/25-follower-giveaway.html

Beta Readers

2010-03-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing and reading a lot about beta readers lately. You need them, use them, they are helpful. Great. How do find them?

Do you use beta readers? Are they people you know?

Here's my vision of a beta reader: I send my story in a neat little package to someone that I have never seen or talked to. They read it and write down things they like and things they don't like. They send it back to me in the same neat little package. I never have to see them or talk to them.

Now, of course this probably isn't how it really works, but I am slightly shy (no laughing from the people who know me) and would be incredibly embarrassed to see the person, don't ask why!

And, naturally, my mother and my sister think "it's so good. I can't believe anyone would not like this".

My husband's friends, who have just discovered that I write have asked me to send it to them and they would give me their honest opinion. WAY too humiliating for me. First of all, it's totally a chick book and second of all, what if they think it's horrible and laugh? And what it they do tell me the truth, that they hate it? Nope can't do it.

So who do use? Where do you find these people? I don't want a critique, I want a random person who likes my genre to read it and tell me yay or nay. That's it!

Rewrite and revisions

2010-03-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

As most of you know by now, I was selected in Mary Kole at Kidlit.com's workshop for beginnings. If you haven't heard, go check it out http://kidlit.com/2010/03/16/workshop-submission-1/

It was truly an amazing experience. What better way to learn what you are doing wrong than straight from an agent you intend to query (And boy was mine filled with stuff I was doing wrong, I mean, I'm pretty sure it was the whole entire thing!)?

So here is some questions that arose for me: When you are given critique like this, how much do you take and change? Do you think, OK, I'm going to do every single change she suggested? Like for me, she instantly didn't like the idea of the preface, so do I take it out and start at chapter one? Of course you all don't have any idea what my chapter one is like, but on my blog I do have the very first paragraph of ch 1. So that would be the beginning of my story. any thoughts? Anyhow, my point is it is one persons opinion, how much do you let it affect you?

I did get a lot of positive feedback from others and most agreed on one place that they liked and felt I should start, which leads me to believe that would be a good place to begin, but then I still have the preface.

WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO? Send me some feedback while I'm mulling this revision around.

Blog Award

2010-03-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

I would like to thanks Jemi over at http://jemifraser.blogspot.com for bestowing me with a blog award! She has been a wonderful follower on mine and was kind enough to mention me on hers! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

Now, since I'm feeling saucy, I think I'll play here tag game :)

(In no particular order)

I like SUNSHINE!!!! Which is out in plenty today!!! YAY!
I like writing
I like traveling (Especially Disneyland)
I like tattoos
I like reading Young Adult books (Hey, I can be young at heart)
I like dancing
I like happy endings
I like being an American

I love my family-(Sorry Jemi had to use the same one) My kids and husband, sister and her girls mean the absolute world to me!!!

I hate MORNINGS!!!
I hate bad drivers
I hate the rain (most of the time-then why do I live in Oregon you may be asking)
I hate rudness-can't we all just get along ;)
I hate lying and sneaking
I hate the anxities I have developed in the last year :(
I hate waiting....for just about anything!!

Now you play!!!

I would like to mention a few blogs also, go check em out:

Charlie Eve: http://kidsbookjunky.blogspot.com/
Lisa Gibson: http://lisadgibson.blogspot.com/
3 Lovely Ladies at: http://whimsyandromance.blogspot.com/
Jean Oram: http://itsallkidsplay.blogspot.com/
TK Richardson: http://eveningfades.blogspot.com/
Calista Taylor: http://awritercooks.blogspot.com/

Sorry had issues with the links-tried for 30 minutes-grrr!

Tweeting Twitters!

2010-03-14T17:53:00.001-07:00

So I bravely confronted the new frontier of blogging! I like to think I'm fairly computer literate, I do work on a computer for a living for Pete's sake, but seriously when it comes to this, I am clueless!!! I am happy to say I think it's going ok so far...So I only have 12 followers, I am darn happy to every single one of them!

But, I find as I snoop around on all these blogs I have started following; agents, published authors, new writers and so on, that maybe, just maybe, I need to be on Twiiter.

WAIT WHAT?!?!? I have no idea how to Tweet and retweet (Ok, I just think it's funny to say it), and frankly, it scares the heck of me!

I would love to hear your point of view about Twitter and if you have any advice, please chirp it on over (hah...Oh, man sometimes I crack myself up) No really though, I could use some help with it. Give me some thoughts...

Being a mother...

2010-03-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I've finally come to the conclusion that I will not be winning a Mother of the Year Award. It's a hard thing to come to terms with, but I'm sure I'll manange because I may be scatterbrained and impatient, but my kids are happy and healthy (Not to mention BEAUTIFUL).

So, there may be days I sit at the computer all day and never even take a shower, but they are always fed and cared for. So there may be times I lose my temper and scream things I really probably shouldn't, but they are, for the most part, not wild and crazy, disorderly heathens. And there may, possibly be one single day out of my kids whole life where I forgot to pick one of them up from the bus stop, but she has recovered though I have not.

Yes, I may not spend every second playing with them and I may let one of them play on the Wii far longer than he should. I don't do crafts and make smiley faces out of fruit for their snack, or take them to play group every week or even the park when it's finally sunny out. But does that make me a bad parent? No I suppose not, but I may never reach that Mother of the Year status.

Oh, well, they love me and I love them more than life its self! There's nothing more I could ask for!

What's your worst parenting moment or habit? Do tell...

Voice Journal

2010-03-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

I found this great blog post at www.alanrinzler.com called: The writer's toolkit: a voice journal for character development. So I thought I'd spend a minute or two (well, ended up to be more like 30) to sit down and do this exercise.

Wow did my pen fly across the paper! What a great way to really get to know your character! I found out things about Sophie that I didn't know before and she really laid it all out for me. I would recommend this to every writer out there, whether you have just started or are on your fifth rewrite, take a moment to ask your MC some questions. This may never have anything to do with your story but it's your baby and you have to believe in them so much that they become a real person and have real stories.

Here's a little of what came out in mine:

I wanted to know just a little about Sophie, this is what she told me. My name is Sophia Layne, everyone calls me Sophie. I'm 17, but I'll be 18 in June. A gemini. I'm not a typical gemini though. I don't do the whole split personality thing.

I'm a Senior at Sandy High School, soon to be done with it(not soon enough). My bestie, Renee and I are moving to Cali after graduation to go to UCLA. We made a pact when we were 7 to move away from this rain-soaked town. So naturally, California seemed a good choice. My grammy lives there, right by the campus. She is absolutly my fav person(beside Renee and my other bff Brandon), even though I don't get to see her much. She was my main comfort after Matty died.

I still wonder if I will ever truly get over that. He was so young and promising and the best brother any one could ask for. I never knew depression before I lost him. In fact, I never know loss of any kind. My small bubble that I lived in had never experienced death, not even a fish (that's because my parents refused to let me have a pet).

There was more, but I don't want to bore you too much ;)

Deadlines

2010-03-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

So the hubby comes in to find me reading a new book (one of many lately) and says, "WHen are you going to finish your book?" "I don't know," I shrug. "Maybe you should set yourself a deadline and really stick to it. How about 2 weeks?" "Pffft," I scoff at him. "Ok, are you half way done?" "Pfft," I scoff again. "Ok, 3 weeks then."

AS IF!!!! Does he seriously think I can have this masterpiece (cough) done in 3 weeks? But then I get to thinking, maybe that's not such a bad idea! Ok, maybe not the 3 weeks, but really setting a deadline for myself and following through! I have no work in the near future, if I spent half the time on it that I do playing on Facebook, I could really get something accomplished!

But what is a realistic timeline? How long does it take to whip out the next 200 pages? Do you set deadlines for yourself and then actually follow through? What are some tricks that keep you on task?

Getting to know all about you...

2010-03-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

I see that I am becoming quite popular...11 followers!!!! YAHOO! I couldn't be more excited (ok, maybe I could be a little more excited if I had more) but the point is, I really don't know some of you and I would really like to!!!

Ok, I do know pretty much everything about my beloved sister, Crystal and my best friend for pretty much my whole life, Wendy, but for the other 9 of you, I would love to get to know you.

Comment me and let me know a little about yourself. Where are you from? Why do you write? What do you do when you aren't writing? What do you do for a real job? Do you have kids? What's your sign ;)? How did you hear about my teeny, tiny little blog? Anything you want to share, I would love to know you!!!

Can't wait to hear from you all ( All 9 of you :) )

Reading...

2010-02-27T09:29:00.000-08:00

So I have been a major reading kick. I am obsessed with all YA paranormal, thank goodness for Borders rewards or I would be broke!! Ok, well maybe I am anyway, but whatever, I have a ton of new books and can't seem to stop reading.

So I started a series, I will not mention the name here. It was a fairly decent book, enough to keep me reading, but about halfway through the author uncovers a secret about the female MC that I did not see coming, there were no hints, no leading up to it, no nothing and frankly, it almost ruined the whole thing for me.

I had a mental picture of her during the first half, and it was all blown to heck when this secret came out. I don't like that!!! It makes me feel different about the character that I have come to know and feel for. And maybe the author was trying to make you feel how the male MC would have felt at that moment, but darn it, I just didn't like it!!!

How do you feel about sudden plot twists that change everything you knew about the main character?

Rewrites...

2010-02-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

And so it begins...#3 complete rewrite Of Chasing Forever, but I am truly inspired this time! I have a plan and I'm not afraid to use it! I love this new direction my characters are taking and can't wait to let it flow! Stay tuned for snippets of chapters as they are complete :)

I am anxious to get this all under way, Stealing Forever is screaming at me to have a turn.

How many times did you rewrite before you were finally happy? Did you do complete overhauls or just parts here and there? Any advice?

Oh recently read of a great book called Writing the Breakout Novel by Donal Maass. Supposedly it is very helpful for us first time writers. I plan on buying it sometime soon. Has anyone read it? Is it helpful?

Good day all, the weather is beautiful here in Oregon and I just can't complain!

Author Maggie Stiefvater

2010-02-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

I have recently discovered the world of Maggie Stiefvater. I laughed, I cried, I loved. Shiver was an absolutly wonderful story of a girl, Grace who falls in love with Sam, a boy that leads a double life. In the winter he is wolf, and summer he is human. But he struggles to stay human to be with Grace.

*Sigh*

It was love at first paragraph for me. I immediatly ordered her 2 previous book about fairies, Lament and Ballad and am impatiently waiting for them to arrive at my doorstep.

She has a contest to receive the newest of the wolves of Mercy Falls-Linger, before you can buy it!(and frankly, I'm dying to read it-July is a long ways away. I don't do well with patience)

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.

Over The Top!!! (revised)

2010-02-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, I lied, I do have one blog to pass this on to! Whimsy and Romance! A great brand spankin' new blog following three up and coming authors/moms!

http://whimsyandromance.blogspot.com

Over The Top!!!

2010-02-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

Thank you Charlie for considering me for your Over The Top Blogs award! What a great way for all of us to get to know each other! Here goes, rules are answer the following questions in one or two words! (I LOVE these things)

Where is your cell phone? Counter
Your hair? Blonde
Your mother? Caring, helpful
Your father?
Your favorite food? Taco Bell
Your dream last night? don't remember
Your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper
Your dream/goal? Published
What room are you in? Dining Room
Your hobby? Writing, reading
Your fear? kids dying
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Right here
Where were you last night? Home
Something that you aren’t? Selfish
Muffins? ALOT!
Wish list item? Kindle
Where did you grow up? Oregon
Last thing you did? Played Farmville
What are you wearing? Jeans, sweatshirt-the usual
Your TV? keeps breaking
Your pets? annoying ;)
Friends? A few
Your life? My family
Your mood? Sleepy
Missing someone? son and Nana
Vehicle? Jeep Commander (LOVE IT)
Something you’re not wearing? lingerie
Your favorite store? Too many!
Your favorite color? Red
When was the last time you laughed? Today
Last time you cried? Last night
Your best friend? Sister
One place that I go to over and over? Disneyland and Vegas
One person who emails me regularly? Charlie
Favorite place to eat? Melting Pot

Well, I don't have anyone to pass this onto because all of my bloggers have already done it!

Random...

2010-02-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hi there my dedicated 7 followers ;) I don't have much to mention today but I did want to point out 2 things:

There is a romance contest over at http://chasethedreamcontest.wordpress.com. First 1000 words of any type of romance (Well, almost any. I didn't see any mention of YA, but I thought I'd give it try as a big girl romance) Every Wednesday they post a pick and critique. Pretty great stuff!!

And speaking of romance, I found a great blog about Romance and kids-good combo!! http://whimsyandromance.blogspot.com

Have a wonderful day!!!

Batter up!!!

2010-01-28T09:54:00.001-08:00

First of all, I would like to thank Charlie for pointing me in the direction of the pitch contest at Caren Johnson Literary Agency! And for helping me with said pitch (which my husband liked better than mine) And to everyone at chat on AQ last night, what an awesome job of helping each other(Well and the "post your pitch" thread also!). It's really amazing to see a group like that, that are all going for the same contest but so willing to help others get theirs just perfect!

At just a few minutes after midnight (because it was 9 for me) I posted my pitch, there were only maybe 10 in front of me, but I periodically went back and checked all night. I was so excited to see fellow AQers on there and to see how good their pitches turned out! BRAVO!!!!

But, the whole process of getting to that pitch was a huge journey, made in just one short day, but man was that hard! You don't get 9 innings to win the game, you don't get 3 strikes and then you're out. You get 100 words!!! How do sum up your baby, your passion, your wonderful characters who are like family, in only 100 words?

Well, I guess you don't really, but you want to say just enough to make someone think hmmm, I would really like to know where this is going. What I really wanted to say was "Hey, my book is wonderful, and I really think you should sign me because my characters are fun and their love is amazing, so what do think?" but that probably wouldn't have worked so well. So I squeezed it all in to less than 100 words (WOOT!) and am keeping my fingers crossed!

Once again thanks to everyone and good luck! Can't wait to hear the good news :)

Poetry

2010-01-24T01:25:00.000-08:00

I was feeling emotional so I thought I'd whip out some poetry. Tell me one of yours!

On bended knees, I pray for you,
My little angel, my shining star
You smile down at me from afar

Magic in the moment I held you in my arms
Tiny eyes to never see
A love so consuming taken away from me

Little fingers and little toes
Gone so cold
Never to be mine, lost from my hold

Heavens hold my one precious child
So beautiful and sweet
I count the days, the hours, the moments until we meet

I send my love to you on angel’s wings
Everyday I love you more
Forever with you is all I wish for.

Show vs. Tell

2010-01-18T10:10:00.001-08:00

Show vs. tell

This may be the death of me.

I have such a hard time with this. Ok, let me a sentence up here and tell me how it could be show vs. tell:

I made my escape through the garage door and stumbled to the orchard, cursing these beautiful sandals pinching my feet.

Up and away

2010-01-15T08:16:00.000-08:00

I have nothing important to say today, well as if I did the other days. I just have been chuckling to myself as I am editing and cutting and destroying. How many times is it even possible to use the word "up"? Now you wouldn't think anything about this harmless little word. You'd never even think to do a search for it in your ms, but I tell ya, I probably cut my word count in half deleting all those teeny, tiny, two letter words. "She glanced up, he looked up..." Seriously? Why can't it just be glanced or looked? It doesn't always have to be up! I mean, he suppose to be tall, but really, enough is enough!

Random thoughts for the day....

Motivation

2010-01-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

Wow everyone, thanks for the great comments! This is fun :)

Ok, we did inspiration, let's do motivation...

What motivates you to write?

There are days when I stare, well, more glare really, at the computer screen and wonder what in the heck am I doing? Is anything ever going to come from all these hours and sweat I have bled into this story?

The answer...I have no idea! So what motivates me to keep plugging away, well, I guess it boils down to the fact that I absolutly love it! I may not be the best, but darn it, I am having a good time with it. The longer I do it and know all of you wonderful writers who whether you know it or not, have helped me so much, the more I love it. I feel like after 32 years of not wanting to do anything except be a good mother, I found my niche. I finally feel like I can be someone to inspire my kids. I sat down yesterday with my 7 year old daughter and we started a kids picture book (keep in mind, I am horrible at drawing) but she had a blast! and we laughed and had fun! Will it ever become anything, maybe not, but what a wonderful way to spend time with her!

Inspiration?

2010-01-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

I would love to know what got you all inspired to write? Or even what inspired you to write the story you are writing now? Discuss....

I wrote alot when I was young, you know the whole angsty teenager bit, but I let it go for a long time, it didn't help when my husband accidentally threw away my binder full of stories and poems. When I read the Twilight Saga, I fell in love with her writing and was inspired to sit down at the computer and type away. That was my inspiration!

2010-01-08T09:00:00.001-08:00

WOOHOO! I have 2 folllowers! Oh, wait I guess that means I have to acually do somehing on here!

2010-01-07T22:05:00.001-08:00

Well, I did it! I entered the contest! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! This is the first I've entered. EEK!!!

New Years Contest!!

2010-01-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

Check out this contest at http://kidlit.com/kidlit-contest/