Every Day is a Saturday

Since hubby retired I've lost all track of time. All my summer TV shows have ended. Once Upon A Time starts again next Sunday. Can't wait! Hey, did any of you catch the first episode of Sleepy Hollow? Wow! It grabbed me. I don't remember Irving's Ichabod Crane being so cute. Tonight I'll be enthralled in the second episode. Will  you be watching it?

I watch Duck Dynasty periodically--always good for a laugh and a few life lessons. I know of some Louisiana people that are insulted by them, but really, this bunch could be from anywhere. I'm originally from East Texas and I have family members that look, sound and act just like the Duck Dynasty bunch. Come to think of it, I sound a little like them too.

I'm once again wrapped up in Project Runway--the only reality show I'm dedicated to. Odd since I can barely sew on a button much less create something one could actually wear. My mother almost put me up for adoption during my Home Economics sewing project.

Without my TV shows, I never know if it's a Tuesday, Wednesday or a Thursday. Truthfully, every day feels like a Saturday. Nothing feels real since we left Oklahoma.

 And as you know I haven't blogged.

I suppose all bloggers need a break now and then. Unfortunately, a break can turn into a very long time. I loved my blogging habit. I think I started in 2006 or early 2007. Now, I'm in non-blogging mode. Time to get back on track.

This weekend daughter invited her dad to see the LSU-Auburn game with her. They left around noon and got back to Lafayette around 1:00 A.M.

 While they were doing their thing, I met with a couple of very dear writer friends. When we lived in New Iberia, I'd drive into Lafayette to visit Barbara and Ro. We were all members of the Writer's Guild of Acadiana. That was 27 years ago. After we moved away, the three of us still visited each other, entered contests and went to conferences together. We all eventually got published one after another--books, short stories or poems. Barbara sold ten Silhouette Romances before she quit writing. Ro  published poetry and short pieces and ghost-wrote a nonfiction book. Her novel Hero's Welcome is available now and I can guarantee it's a wonderful read--about the POWs in Louisiana. She studied under Ernest Gaines and her novel--prepublished--won all kinds of awards. I've read it several times but I can still remember my very first reading, and how excited I was that it  was so wonderful. You know how you feel when you get hold of a really good book. I read Hero's Welcome straight through without putting it down.

When hubby, daughter and I moved to Luling, Louisiana, we added another writer friend to our circle: Barbara Colley, author of several romances, a Women's Fiction/saga and the Maid for Murder series set in New Orleans.

I love these friends. I wish we could go back to the way it used to be--meeting every week, keeping each other motivated, encouraging each other. Sad to say nothing stays the same. Believe it or not, I think I'd like it if things were always the same... as long as 'same' was good.

What are you guys doing? Finishing up manuscripts? Blogging daily? Have you sold anything? Let me hear from you.

Learn to be Fascinating!

Charisma- Compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.A divinely conferred power or talent.

Charisma is a word and a personality trait that has always fascinated me. I was certain if I had more charisma, I'd be perched up there with best selling authors. In fact, that thought was reinforced when I attended a writers' conference with a woman who exuded charisma. I saw exactly what charisma could do.  Powerful stuff!

There's a book out called Fascinate by Sally Hogshead. I checked her out on YouTube. Yep, she's fascinating. Looks like she has charisma to me, but she's taken it to another level. Sally said, "In a competitive environment the most fascinating option always wins. Always." Her interesting video will motivate you to take another look at yourself, your brand and the way you play around with social media. Check it out. And you might want to pick up Fascinate and learn how you can become ...  fascinating. It'll help you sell books. It might even help you get an agent. I've actually seen it happen so do yourself a favor. Become fascinating.

Bayou Writers Group

The Bayou Writers Group congregate from 10-12 on the first Saturday of each month at Carnegie Library in downtown Lake Charles. We're a friendly bunch of writers--published and unpublished. Our goal is to encourage each other and keep each other informed about marketing and writing and that ever-changing world of publishing.

We'd love for you to join us. We have a great little conference each year so mark your calendar for November 15, 2008. I'll tell you all about our speakers later.

In the meantime, write on!