The Amazing Book

Have you ever wondered about the things we do to relax and the things we do at work? What about the things that binds them together?

For example, some of us use pencils to balance spreadsheets but then use pencils to create wonderful pieces of art. Some use a camera to catch the scene for the front page of the newspaper (those that are still in circulation) but also uses it to capture the joy of children at play. I cannot think of a better way to relax then to settle down with a good book. I find that ironic since I write books and as we all know, writing can be a tough hill to climb. If you think about it books are everywhere and impact every facet of life. We refer to books at work; we read and sing from books in church and what do we do when we are working on something or building something? You guessed it, we read the book (or at least we should).

If we look at the other side of the fence we will see that books are also used as an escape from the world. We relax and have fun as we become absorbed by the unfolding tale. Heck, we often get emotionally charged by the books we read but there is no doubt about it; books add character to our surroundings and life in general.

I remember sitting in the sun while a cool breeze blew. It was a hot summer day so that breeze was a welcome one. As much as I enjoyed looking out over the scenic view I must be honest; whenever I think of that day I instantly see the romance novel that I was reading in my hands. It is as if the memory is stored there because everything is rich in detail as I recall what happened in the book as butterflies fought the breeze to find the next flower around me.

When you think of books and reading what memories come to life in your mind?

Time For Spring Cleaning!!

Spring is in the air! Can you smell it? Can you see it? This is the time of year when new life is spawned. Trees, flowers, and grass stretch out their winter sore joints and reach for the sun. Around the same time each year we also partake in an aged old tradition - Spring Cleaning. I know that many of you are hanging your head at the thought of cleaning, dusting, and repairing but cheer up. These activities bring about a fresh new feeling in our homes. The thought of throwing open the windows so the fresh air can roam through the house puts a smile on my face every time.

Like everything around us that enjoys the dawning of spring so to does our writing...or it can. You never know you could be dusting or cleaning an office space and stumble on some notes of a story long since forgotten. Maybe you will dust off that manuscript tucked away in the corner of a bookshelf and decide to finally finish it. The invigorating energy we get from spring, the sunshine, the fresh air can be directed at anything; including that old project that was seating there unfinished.

Many see cleaning as a burdensome chore that must be done (on occasion) but I see it as an opportunity to start fresh. Does anything beat that feeling of starting a new writing project on a spotless desk free from dust and a computer screen so clean the words jump out at you? I can't think of anything at the moment. I welcome spring each year with open arms. My cleaning supplies ready because, honestly, it doesn't take to long for me to clean. I tend to not make a big mess around here.

Spring is about new life, new ideas and new opportunities. Be careful and look around you; what you find could be the next idea for your new writing project.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Call me cynical or call me eccentric but at times I enjoy reading the reviews written by others about my book. Oh how that sounds...self centered? I assure you that this is not the reason why I venture over to where my book is sold to read. I find that it provides a sense of realism for me. I enjoy reading what the readers think and more importantly feel about my books. If I discover that they are feeling the emotions in which I wrote the book then I am elated!

I know that not everyone who reads a book will like or connect with my book. To be honest, I enjoy these reviews as well. What feelings and/or thoughts did the story provoke in these readers? Can I use this insightful information? Of course, an author writes for their fans, friends, family and readers to a certain degree. How the readers feel and what they think are important things to authors.

Mind you, I have my own style and the stories I write are mine as well but the joy comes not only in completing the story but sharing it with all of you; which makes the reviews prepared by others all the more important to me. It is an interesting line we authors walk between writing our own story yet maintaining contact with our readers and fans. It is a line I gladly walk.

What else do I see in a review? I see honesty. I know that some will sugar coat some of their thoughts; however, the feelings that drive the review cannot be covered or hidden. This is refreshing to me. I like to think that I write with honesty. I know my work is fiction but the feelings are real, the situations are real (even though at times built up a little) and my desire to develop a truly enjoyable work is very real.

I want to thank all of you who have written a review for my book. I am simply overjoyed by the positive words said about it and me.

A New Discovery

 The following is a comment I received from my last post which I admit was some time ago. I enjoyed this comment as it got me thinking. Anything that gets my mind working I count as a benefit - it keeps us sharp. Anyway, back to the comment I was talking about. Here it is for you to read:

"Your last post dealt with age. I believe this goes hand in hand with today's post because as we age we experience more experiences! It truly is a wonderful teacher. It is much easier to write about something we've experienced first-hand, however, I've found at times I get an idea for a story that I have no experience in at all....or maybe I do but it has been a good many years and I have to update myself to make it more timely. Those are fun times of writing too as I get to learn... I love being taught by my characters, which you'll probably agree with me that we are taught whether they are walking through something we've previously experienced or not."

This comment brings about a great point. As nice as it is to write about what is known and within our comfort zone it is equally enjoyable to write 'outside the box' of our comfort and learn in the process. Research is a wonderful tool that not only develops our stories but enriches life. It is a win-win situation. However, I believe there needs to be a middle ground, a gray area if you will. Experiences we have in life can add a special element to our story and an intimate knowledge of a setting can add a new level of vivid description but we also need to sprinkle in the element of new discovery. It is in this new discovery that authors find their fire to progress a story to the end.

Writing is an extension of discovery. Even if we write a story about marriage because we have many years of experience being married there is still an element of discovery. Though writing we get to inspect a topic from different vantage points which oftentimes leads to learning something new that we may have missed before.

My thought on this is to find that balance between memory/experience and research/new knowledge. When combined properly we will end with a new discovery.

Sometimes the Story is Right in Front of You

I am often asked where I found the inspiration for my book "As Long As He Needs Me" and how I selected the setting for it. To be honest, I did not find it as much as it found me. You see, the premise of the book is about a married couple who go on a cruise for vacation. During the cruise some tough situations arise that bring tension and problems they thought hidden in their marriage to the surface. As the reader gets deeper into the story they see the strain these things have on the marriage. Will the marriage survive? I can't tell you that, you'll just have to read the book.

I had been married for thirty five plus years so I have experienced the ups and downs of marriage. I have observed my friends in their marriage and I can tell you, I learned that at face value any marriage can look....well, perfect but there is, most of the time, something lurking underneath that the couple must handle privately. Don't get me wrong, getting and being married is a wonderful thing but it is not always a bed of roses. While writing my book I drew upon these experiences and observations.

The setting is another instance of drawing upon my memories of the past. My husband took me on a cruise some years ago along the coast of Canada, which happens to be the same cruise in the book. I remember it very vividly from my pictures and thoughts. I am the type of person that journals constantly; a habit that has served me well with my writing.

The point is this; life presents us with a vivid tapestry of experiences, memories, people and places of which we can add to our writing. What better way to ensure the realism and believability then to write about something we know firsthand?

Age is but a Number

In this era of always looking young we, as a whole, look at age in two ways. One, as something that should be hidden to the best of our ability and two, as something remarkable because we have reached a milestone that is not normally heard of. I think of Al Roker while he put a spotlight on birthdays while on Good Morning America. We would see men and women in their nineties or even over one hundred. It is easy to marvel at the fact that there people have been on earth for so long and wonder what it would be like to reach that age. Many of us fear getting that old because of the things that come along with old age.

What is a true marvel is when we hear about a woman in her seventies who is still attending college and still earning degrees or an elderly man running everyday through the neighborhood or even in a marathon. We stare in awe at how sharp their mind is or how fit they are. How do they do it? What is it about these people and the many others who are of higher age yet enjoying life and accomplishing goals?

I will tell you. It is not a secret but it is a truth that is often denied. Age is but a number. Granted, there are some who are stricken with illness, disease or fall to injury but even then, age is but a number. As we grow older we begin to slow, this is true, but this is not an indicator that we cannot take care of business and do what we set out to do. If you look at those examples I gave above there is one consistent among them, they are always smiling and have a twinkle in their eyes.

A number cannot get in the way of a mind that wants to learn and wants to be used. A number cannot get in the way of a heart with strong determination and a desire to experience something new everyday.

We cannot avoid growing old but nor should we stop living life because of it.

For The Love of Words

I may be aging myself here but that's alright. You have to live life in order to make memories, gain wisdom and impart both to the next generation. What will I impart today? I cannot say it will be wisdom; however, you may find my memory useful as such so I will simply share a memory with you that traveled with me.

I grew up during World War II. That should tell you a great deal about the era and circumstances surrounding my youth and family. I would not say we were poor as it is hard to judge such things during war time. Everything was rationed and everyone worked hard to provide what they could for their family. A sense of pride and connection resonated from everyone as we listened to the radio and read the paper about the war. Very rarely did we focus on fashion or what car the neighbors had.

During that time many life lessons were taught to me and many stayed ingrained in my mind. Of that though, the one thing I cherish from that time that has lasted my entire life is the love of books. To this day I read or attempt to read two to three novels a week. It all started back when I was young. Both my mother and father were big readers. My father would review books for the local newspaper and there was never a shortage of books in the house. They both encouraged me to read and as I got older they encouraged me to read and write. My mom use to say that I began writing novels at the age of twelve. I'm not sure about that but I did love reading and writing then as I do now.

What kind of wisdom can you take from this memory? Encourage your children in whatever it is they want to do. If it is reading and writing then make sure books are available. Read with them and let them see you reading. Be a part of their endeavors and one day they to will have memories to share with others like this.