You shake your head at all the energy one little girl exuded. Mari's infallible energy never ceased to amaze any of us. She could run through the house dancing, singing, both at the same time. She wasn't picky. Mari truly didn't care what other people thought of her. She'd run around at school, church, the store or any place that had a floor. So basically everywhere. I remember one day after the church service watching Mari in her normal exuberant self run all around making her Mari … [Read more...]
Day 59: What Writers Can Learn from Six-Year-Olds
As writers, we love to go into the recesses of our brain and come up with stories out of no where. It's what fuels the fire of our story as we write out each word. I think of Mari as I'm writing this today. Sometimes while Mari would be sitting in her chair, and it looked like she was starring off into space, she would start to giggle incessantly over what appeared to be nothing. You could take your hand and move it back and forth in front of her face and she didn't see it. She had retreated … [Read more...]
Day 58: Retreating to Play
We can look at kids with all the energy we wish we still and get tired by looking at them. Sometimes we joke and say, "Man, if I could bottle all that energy and sell it I'd make millions." We all laugh and agree. I think sometimes we forget what it's like to play. I'm not saying to go out to the monkey bars or anything. I'm talking about taking time out to do some fun adult things like rock climbing, paintball or going to a dance club to just let loose. Kids are undeterred by what holds … [Read more...]
Day 33: Diving, Not Drowning
When I went to go read today except, this was the first line: "The fear of going back into your past — reliving trauma or grief — sometimes can block writing about the most important part of your story." This struck me to the core. I have so many things in my past, the good, the ugly and the tragic. All of which have shaped and molded me into the person I am today. The unfortunate part to all of this is there has been those very ugly things that no one ever wants to have happen to themselves or … [Read more...]
Day 32: Improvisation
When we think of the word improv, we typically think of actors and actresses in an acting class. All they may be given is a word or a phrase. From there the true magic behind acting comes forth. They get to play out whatever comes into their heads. Sometimes its funny. Sometimes sad. Sometimes it just makes you think. The bottom line is they have fun doing what they love to do most and that is to act. This should be the same for us as writers. To be able to tap into our own creative muses and … [Read more...]
Day 8: The Voice that Chirps and Chirps
We all have a little voices inside our heads. Sometimes its just one. Sometimes negative. Sometimes positive. And sometimes they even go to war with each other. Kind of like the character Kronk in Disney's movie "The Emperor's New Groove". Whenever he's about to do something he shouldn't, an angel with a halo clothed in white appears on his left shoulder and a guy who seems to appear as a devil with horns and a pitchfork dressed in red pops up on his other shoulder. One represents good. The … [Read more...]
A slight bump in the road
First I want to thank everyone for being loyal readers of my site. I appreciate the time you take to come and read about those who have a book they are sharing or sharing their writing journey with all of us and how God has been their with them through it. At the very end of August my husband and I had to make a sudden, unexpected decision in regards to whether or not I would try to keep my job or officially quit due to pain issues that start back in March and have kept me out of work since … [Read more...]
Featured Book: Rodeo Ashes
Rodeo Ashes is written by Shannon Taylor Vannatter. Back cover blurb: It’s never too late to start over. Lacie Gentry, a young widow and mom, is struggling with the aftermath of her husband’s tragic death. When she bumps into former classmate Quinn Remington, her future is undecided. She accepts a job teaching kids to ride at Quinn’s neighboring ranch, hoping to revitalize her life with an old pastime but soon sees in Quinn a chance to move forward with new love. . .if she’s ready. It’s … [Read more...]
The Journey with Morgan Busse
Please welcome this weeks guest Morgan Busse for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? How have you seen God work in your writing journey? It started eight years ago when I first started writing. Like any writer, I dreamed of publishing a novel. It was a long process. I was a mother of four young children, so the only writing time I had was during naps and late at night. Finally, after a couple years, I had a finished manuscript. Now … [Read more...]
The Journey with Kathy Harris
Please welcome this weeks guest Kathy Harris for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? I’ve often wondered how we can know at a young age what we want to pursue in life. No doubt God places the desire within our heart as a calling to be fulfilled at the time and place He ordains, the path remaining uncertain. By the time I was seven or eight, I knew I wanted to be a writer, and I followed that dream through high school and college. … [Read more...]
