Excitement of new beginnings...

Thought for today - "Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory." George S. Patton

Today I am starting a new manuscript. I am so very excited. A new story. New characters. New ideas to pick up, turn over, move around, and play with, like the pieces of a puzzle.

For me, when finding that next story, more often than not, the location of the story, the background, comes first. This story idea is no different. I have been playing with three different possibilities for the last couple of weeks and this one just wanted to be looked at more than the others.

Next, out of that background or location, comes the suspense plot. The mystery to be solved. The puzzle to be worked. All the ideas aren't formed at this point, but they are starting to take shape.

Then come the people. For many, especially those that write romance of any kind, the characters seem to come first. Not for me. They sneak up on me after I have figured out where to look for them. After I've found that background and am starting to see the mystery and suspense unfolding. Then my characters come to me and I find myself asking them, "How did you get yourselves into this perdicament?"

The characters for this particular plot are still quite shy. They haven't shown themselves to me yet. I'm in the early throes of researching the background and unraveling the mystery/suspense, and well, my characters are still in hiding. I do know that my hero is the one in the middle of the "storm" and the heroine will be the one to help him find his way. But I don't know much else. No names. No physical description. No emotional hang-ups. Nothing. . .yet.

But as my characters before them know, you can hide but sooner or later, I will find you!

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Rejection is part of the business...

Thought for today - "Nobody ever died of laughter." Max Beerbohm

Rejection is part of every writer's career. Even those incredibly blessed individuals that managed to sell each and every story they ever wrote, were rejected at some time, on some level. It's a tough part of the business, but if we use the feedback we receive wisely, we can indeed gain from it.

In January, I sent out several requested submissions - some to editors, some to agents - all hoping to receive positive feedback. While not all responses are in, one in particular - a strongly worded rejection - challenged my strength and determination as a writer.

The specific editor giving the feedback pretty much hated what she had read of my work. She hated my hero. Hated my heroine. Might like my villains with a little work. Didn't like the first meeting of the hero and heroine, to the point she didn't think the plot would even work after that point.

The good news is, I certainly evoked strong emotion in her; the bad news is, it wasn't the emotion I was going for!
It was all very hard to hear.

She went on to say that she realized her feedback was quite "direct," but that she felt she would be doing me a greater disservice - both short-term and long-term - to sugar coat the message than to lay it out straight and bruise my feelings.

While it was very difficult to absorb, she was totally right.

Okay, maybe not right about the hero and heroine and the plot line, but right about giving me direct feedback. Her words, while they stung, also caused me to stop and reevaluate, both the story I had submitted to her and the direction I was moving my career.

Her words made me look closer at the plot of my story and at the key characters. While I don't necessarily agree with her assessment, she did give me a perspective a first time reader might have that I hadn't given thought to. And she gave me the perspective of a person that might eventually buy the book - the person that would eventually be responsible for "the bottom line" of whether it was a profitable business decision or not.

The other thing that her feedback did was make me slow down for a moment and look at how I felt about my writing career. There will always be rejection. If my only goal is to seek approval of others, perfection in getting only positive feedback simply isn't obtainable. I will make myself crazy in the search for it.

A writer really does need to write what they love. Some days - many days - that will be the only reward he or she will reap.

To the editor with the strong words that I really wasn't looking to hear. . .thank you!

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Three day weekends...

Thought for today - "Hang on to your humour. Don't ask for permission, just do it! Make everything fun." Georgia Ulrich

Almost everyone I know lives for Fridays. They signal the beginning of the weekend. What's not to love about that?

This weekend, for us anyway, is a three day weekend. Monday is Family Day here in Alberta. What a great holiday. And what a great place to live, despite the cold temperatures and the three feet of snow currently outside my window. Where else (besides Disneyland) do you get to celebrate having kids and being part of a family?

This weekend, two of the kids have soccer games, and then the rest of the weekend belongs to us. Unscheduled, free-flowing family time. Time to play a game of Clue. Time to bake some cookies. Time for an old fashion snowball fight. Time to build a 1000 piece jig-saw puzzle. Time to laugh.

Not so very long ago, I would have had "a list." The list would contain all the unfinished projects we should conquer during the three days. Rooms to clean. Clothes to mend. Repairs to be made. Homework to be done.

Then all of a sudden, one of my children became a teenager. Gone, so it seemed, were the days of coming to me and claiming to be bored and wanting to spend time together. Now there are friends and malls and she has her own "list." When did "lists" become my enemy rather than my friend?

Thankfully, she's a "young" teenager and I still have time. I've put away my list. It will still be there on Tuesday. The aroma of fresh baked cookies and hot cocoa, the challenge of that jig-saw puzzle, and the music of laughter in front of the fireplace can still intrigue her and coax her out of her room. For the next three days, we are simply a family of five, loving, laughing, and enjoying being together.

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thought for today - "You can only lead others where you yourself are willing to go." Lachlan McLean

Happy Valentine's Day! That's the good news for the day. Now for the bad...how to celebrate a holiday that focuses on candy and flowers, when you're newly diagnosised as having impaired glucose tolerance and allergic to pollen. Life does provide some interesting opportunities, doesn't it?!

Having three children also provides some opportunities. Opportunities to teach them to "think outside of the box." So what if today's holiday is about hearts and flowers and candy; it can actually be more if we just let it. Today's holiday is really all about saying, "You're special to me," to whoever it is that you share it with. And, saying it in your own way. For me, "my way" now means no candy or flowers, so what's a mom to do?

Try visiting the "Warm Buddy" website for ideas. These cute stuffed animals have an inner core that is removable and then heated in the microwave, making the animal more warm and "snuggly" than they already were. And really cute. So, we are now the proud owners of a black and white kitten, a spotted puppy, and a cozy leopard cub. They also have a moose, lambs and several teddy bears available. For more information go to www.warmbuddy.com to see your options.

However you choose to celebrate, have a wonderful day!

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Entering writing contests...

Thought for today - Don't wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it!

For the most part, I write romantic suspense. Perhaps my tales are more to the "cozy" side than the "graphic" side, but none the less, there is suspense. And sometimes, after working with a story over a long period of time, the suspense starts to lose some of its excitement - for me. I know what's going to happen next, you know?

So, one good way to "see" your own writing is through the eyes of another person, specifically, through various writing contests. And as a romantic suspense writer, one very important contest is the RWA Mystery and Suspense Chapter (commonly known as the Kiss of Death) annual Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence. There is both a published and an unpublished division for the contest. This will be my first year entering the contest.

In preparation for entering, I am polishing my first fifteen pages one more time, checking the opening hook, purging extraneous adverb usage, polishing point of view, and all the other things writers do to try to make their entry the best it can be. And I'm taking it one step further. I'm imposing on two close writing colleagues to actually use the score sheet for my category (available on the KOD website) and "score" my entry.

It means a lot to me that these two writers would do this. At first glance, it seems like its just taking a few minutes of their busy days, but really, it is much more. They are willing to share with me that awkward dance that writers need - someone to be painfully blunt so that improvements can be made, all the while giving those warm, so needed hugs of support after that help a writer once again face his or her keyboard.

Wish me luck!

Carpe diem,

Kellie

Winter wonderland...

Thought for today - "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." Vincent T. Lombardi

Wow, it's February already! I have the feeling that 2007 is going to move along just as quickly as 2006 did. In a way, that's good, as I'm really ready for spring to be here. Did the ground hog see his shadow? Winter is still here and getting ready to dump another load of white wonder on us.

Living in Canada, especially central Canada, during the winter is not for the faint of heart. Getting up in the morning to -25 C temperatures, piles of snow, and kids that just don't want to leave the warmth of their beds takes tons of focus, determination, and sheer willpower (not to mention, hot coffee!).

Yet, there is something magical about new fallen snow. White, fresh, unmarked, full of potential - will it be a snowman, snow fort, snow balls - so much potential. Just like starting a new story is full of so much potential.

This is the view from my office window as I ponder the potential of the day.

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Query letters...

Thought for today - "All things are difficult before they are easy." John Norley

Query letters. They strike fear in the hearts of many writers. And probably most agents and editors.

Just once, I would like to write a very candid, what's really in my heart letter. It would go something like this:

"Dear person that I've never met (or only met for 30 seconds in the bathroom at a conference):

"Please buy my book. I love writing and want to make money at it. I don't want to work part-time somewhere else to pay the bills. Please buy my book. I want to write.

"It's a great story, even my mother thinks so (except pages 137 through 151, but she still thinks of me as her child and too young for sex, so what can I expect). That said, I admit it's not a perfect story, but gee, whizz, does anyone ever get it perfect on the first try? Please buy my book. I will make whatever changes you want to see (or at least I think I will, as long as it's still my story when we're done).

"I was published in my high school yearbook. It was a very sensitive haiku. I am quite proud of it and this follow-up story will take my writing career to the next level. Please buy my book.

"Thank you for making time to read my full manuscript. I apologize for the last few pages being in colored ink; I ran out of black but really wanted to get this in the mail as soon as possible. I was desperate. Please, please buy my book.

"I look forward to your call to discuss contract terms."

Well, OK, maybe there is a reason we don't send such an informal, pouring out of our feelings. Writing, and selling books is a business, isn't it? So, a business letter it will be. No mention of my mother. No begging to please buy the book (they know that because I sent the letter, right?). A few points about the actual story told, maybe even the length or genre.

And always, a sincere thank you for making time to actually read at least the query letter.

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Five words to describe your marriage...

Thought for today - We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.

Last night, when I was having trouble settling down to sleep, I ended up watching Oprah on television. (Who knew Oprah was on at 11:00pm?) The topic was five words to describe your marriage. It was an interesting show.

There was the usual set of unhappy couples that brought forward some very negative words to describe their marriages. That was predictable, but what caught my attention was the discussion presented by guest, Gary Zukav, as he tried to help these couples. He focused on how each individual needed to find their own "spiritual self." He didn't use the term spiritual self in reference to direct interaction with God or attending church, but in finding and releasing the "best you" there is.

As the show progressed, the idea immerged that each of us seeks out other individuals that "push our buttons" because we need this confrontation to grow through becoming our best selves. Some how, we are drawn to the specific challenge that we need to help us grow. I found this idea very intriguing.

At one point in the show, Oprah went so far as to say that "romance was the problem" behind many of our unhappy relationships. Her thoughts being that unrealistic ideals about a romantic partner completing us, making us whole, caused individuals to put all the responsibility of changing and growing on the other person, not themselves.

I can understand why she would present this idea for the audience, but what occured to me was, Oprah has never written a romance novel.

If we look closely at what really happens between the hero and heroine in a romance, don't we find exactly what Mr. Zukav and Ms. Winfrey have suggested? Its certainly not all hearts and flowers and candle-light. Don't our two main characters push each others buttons, to the point that they seem like they will never be able to spend five minutes together, let alone embrace happily-ever-after? Don't both individuals have to eventually grow, through their own realizations and efforts, to finally reach that satisfying end of our story? Isn't this emotional challenge and growth exactly why we find that promise of happily-ever-after so satisfying - because the characters have worked so hard to get there?

I know many read romance as an escape from their daily realities. That it is far easier to tolerate the odd, irrating habits of a fictional hero than those of our own spouses. But don't we seem to find that the best loved romances are really mirrors of reality?

Carpe diem,
Kellie

The best laid plans...

Thought for today - Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.


Today I had every intention of renewing my membership at Curves and starting to work out regularly again. I had even gone so far as to schedule time with one of the personal trainers to take a new set of measurements. I was ready to face balancing my life more and focusing on my health.

Then life - more specifically, two of my three children - got in the way. Why is it when "Mom" finally schedules something for herself, the flu bug decides to come visiting?

So, today found me calling the trainer, explaining that I really wasn't giving up on all my new year's resolutions so quickly, and that I wasn't avoiding her and her painfully truthful tape-measure, but instead I was dealing with the simple change in schedules that every mother faces when her little ones need her. She laughed out loud at me, and rescheduled me for Wednesday.

And I was suddenly faced with the question of whether this change in schedule was going to derail my first efforts of focusing more closely on my own health or whether it was just a simple obstacle to be danced around.

Did you know that a jar of spaghetti sauce can make a fairly reasonable hand weight for exercising your arms while reading various stories to your daughter? And that those fancy stair-climbing machines were modeled after, well, you guessed it - the "real" stairs between the mainfloor and the laundry room in the basement?

It was pretty amazing just how much activity I found around the house that I could turn up a bit in intensity and build into a reasonable workout. I definately earned a long soak tonight in a warm tub!

Still, I am looking forward to the friendly faces of the women at Curves on Wednesday. There just something about having someone else to share your pain with that helps it go just a little bit smoother.

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Letting go of fear...

Thought for today - The man who believes he can do something is probably right, and so is the man who believes he can't.




It's January for those of you that haven't noticed. And for me, that means letting go of some of my private fears and getting the two manuscripts that I have been working on for the last few months off my desk and out the door.

Submitting your manuscript. Is there any other single step in the writing process that can stir up so many conflicting emotions? Excitement at the potential for success; fear at the possibility of rejection. Wonder at having finally completed that story; worry over whether it is "good enough." The need to have others read your work; the fear of others reading your work.

Last May, when I was fortunate enough to win the year of being mentored by Brenda Novak as part of the Junvenile Diabetes Research Foundation auction she hosts, I was aware that I was doing something important for my writing career, but not truly aware of how important. We’re just a bit past the half way mark of our year together, and from my perspective, each month that we’ve worked together has clearly advanced my writing career beyond anything I might have imagined. Brenda has been a wonderful, positive, patient, and determined coach in helping me improve my writing, pushing me ever closer to my goal of publication.

But now it's time to push out of the nest and see how much I have actually learned and grown as a writer. Time to get those manuscripts off my desk and out into the real world. Through Brenda's efforts, both directly by introducing me to individuals, and indirectly in giving me advice, guidance, and coaching, this month - January - has become “submission month.” The manuscripts that we have been working with have been requested by four different editors and five different agents, with several interested in seeing both. What a marvelous, if not slightly overwhemlimg way to ring in the new year!

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Carpe diem,
Kellie

The magic of David Copperfield...

Thought for today - The mind, like a parachute, functions only when open.

Monday evening, my family and I had the opportunity to see David Copperfield perform live. My husband and I have seen him perform once before, twenty years ago when he was young in his career and we were young in our relationship. Mr. Copperfield's performance was just as entertaining to us this week as it was twenty years ago, perhaps even more so as I watched the joy and wonder and delight reflected in my own children's faces.

I will never be able to do magic as Mr. Copperfield does. His illusions, my favorite being making the Statue of Liberty disappear, are filled with a special kind of wonder that I can only dream of. But in our own way, each writer creates a special kind of magic, telling tales and creating new worlds.

Through the magic of books, I have traveled around the world and to other worlds. I've met characters that are doctors, detectives, warriors, aliens, vampires and much more. I've learned about surviving in the wilderness, dancing with wolves, living on other worlds, solving a mystery and falling in love.

My mind has expanded to embrace all of this magic and much more.

Like Mr. Copperfield's illusions, the writing of a book takes creativity, skills, discipline, and great amounts of patience and work. As I continue to write my own stories and create my own kind of magic, I wanted to take a moment and thank all those authors out there that have spent countless hours making the magic of the many books that have touched my life and inspired me to attempt to follow in their footsteps and write.

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Good news at the doctor's office...

Thought for today -- "Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises." Demosthenes



Today I received wonderful news. In an attempt to emphasize the importance of keeping my doctor's appointment, the doctor's nurse was a little strong on her choice of words and I don't actually have diabetes - yet.

I actually have impaired glucose tolerance, which is often called "pre-diabetes." It's a warning that my system isn't functioning as should be, but isn't in crisis yet either. It's a wake-up call and a blessing.

So, with this new diagnosis, I will still be taking multiple blood glucose readings per day, be aware of what I am eating and when and how it impacts my body, but I also feel like an apprentice circus performer - I have a safety net. At this point, if I mess-up and eat something wrong, or too much, or at the wrong time, my body will tell me about it but won't completely revolt on me.

All my hopes and dreams and plans as a wife and mother and writer are still all possible. Probably even more attainable than every before as I add focusing on my own health to the daily mix of my life and start to safe-guard rather than ignore my own mortality. Learning new "good" habits and letting go of old "bad" ones will be at the heart of my journey.

So, can a writer really survive without chocolate? It's time to find out!

Carpe diem,
Kellie

Setting up and testing the new template...

Thought for today -- Be careful what you wish for...you may actually get it.

Today is one of those days when I want to write, but I find myself fiddling around to actually avoid it. Like setting up this new blog template to better match my current website. While that is something that needs to be done, it really wasn't on the schedule for today.

But then, nothing this week has gone as scheduled.

I wished for better balance in my life. This week my doctor's office called and indicated that I had tested positive for diabetes. It was a humbling experience. Better balance is something I will no longer be taking for granted and simply wishing for.

But still it is not lost on me that I have many blessings in my life and I shall carry on.

And just for today, I'll allow myself time to fiddle around with my website and blog and scrapbook pictures and such, rather than worry about pushing a schedule.

Just for today...

Carpe diem,
Kellie