10 Great Reasons to Write

When I took the Memoir Writing class at McNeese a few months ago, this poster was displayed outside our classroom. At first glance you might think it's strictly for nonfiction writers, but look again. We can accomplish all these things in our fiction too. Here are some interesting quotes I've found to go along with the 10 great reasons above:

1)Ideas won’t keep; something must be done about them. ~Alfred North Whitehead

2)If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough ~Albert Einstein

3)Why do you laugh? Change but the name, and the story is told of yourself.
~Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus)

4)It’s all storytelling, you know. That’s what journalism is all about. ~Tom Brokaw

5)A reader is not supposed to be aware that someone's written the story. He's supposed to be completely immersed, submerged in the environment. ~Jack Vance

6)Writing is the best way to talk without being interrupted. ~Jules Renard

7)The pen is the tongue of the mind. ~Miguel de Cervantes

8)We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection. ~Anais Nin

9)Don't say it was "delightful"; make us say "delightful" when we've read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers "Please will you do the job for me. ~C.S. Lewis

10)My purpose is to entertain myself first and other people secondly. ~John D. MacDonald

BLOG TOUR for The Friends We Keep by Sarah Zacharias Davis

Book Summary:
During a particularly painful time in her life, Sarah Zacharias Davis learned how delightful–and wounding–women can be in friendship. She saw how some friendships end badly, others die slow deaths, and how a chance acquaintance can become that enduring friend you need.

The Friends We Keep is Sarah’s thoughtful account of her own story and the stories of other women about navigating friendship. Her revealing discoveries tackle the questions every woman asks:

• Why do we long so for women friends?
• Do we need friends like we need air or food or water?
• What causes cattiness, competition, and co-dependency in too many friendships?
• Why do some friendships last forever and others only a season?
• How do I foster friendship?
• When is it time to let a friend go, and how do I do so?

With heartfelt, intelligent writing, Sarah explores these questions and more with personal stories, cultural references and history, faith, and grace. In the process, she delivers wisdom for navigating the challenges, mysteries, and delights of friendship: why we need friendships with other women, what it means to be safe in relationship, and how to embrace what a friend has to offer, whether meager or generous.

Author Bios:
Sarah Zacharias Davis is a senior advancement officer at Pepperdine University, having joined the university after working as vice president of marketing and development for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and in strategic marketing for CNN. The daughter of best-selling writer Ravi Zacharias, Davis is the author of the critically-acclaimed Confessions from an Honest Wife and Transparent: Getting Honest About Who We are and Who We Want to Be. She graduated from Covenant College with a degree in education and lives in Los Angeles, California.






Summary for 40 Minute Bible Studies

The 40 Minute Bible Study series from beloved Bible teacher Kay Arthur and the teaching staff of Precept Ministries tackles important issues in brief, easy-to-grasp lessons you can use personally or for small-group discussion. Each book in the series includes six 40-minute studies designed to draw you into God’s Word through basic inductive Bible study. There are 16 titles in the series, with topics ranging from fasting and forgiveness to prayer and worship. With no homework required, everyone in the group can work through the lesson together at the same time. Let these respected Bible teachers lead you in a study that will transform your thinking—and your life.

Titles Include:

•The Essentials of Effective Prayer •Being a Disciple: Counting the Cost

•Building a Marriage That Really Works •Discovering What the Future Holds

•Forgiveness: Breaking the Power of the Past •Having a Real Relationship with God

•How Do You Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk? •Living a Life of Real Worship

•How to Make Choices You Won’t Regret •Living Victoriously in Difficult Times

•Money & Possessions: The Quest for Contentment •Rising to the Call of Leadership

•How Do You Know God’s Your Father? •Key Principles of Biblical Fasting

•A Man’s Strategy for Conquering Temptation •What Does the Bible Say About Sex?


About the Author:

Kay Arthur, executive vice president and cofounder of Precept Ministries
International has worked with her teaching staff to create the powerful 40-Minute Bible Studies series. Kay is known around the world as a Bible teacher, author, conference speaker, and host of national radio and television programs.

Too Busy to Blog - Here's Everything in a Nutshell

Last Saturday we had our Bayou Writers' Group meeting. Our speaker, Erin Cormier, writes for some of our local magazines. She is also the assistant editor of Sotto Voce, an online literary magazine. Erin gave us a list of no-nos that come across her desk on a regular basis.

1) too much telling and not enough showing; too much exposition
2) pov confusion
3) the use of too many adjectives and adverbs
4) shifts in tone
5) the story is too little to be big
6) grammatical problems--obviously we all have trouble with commas.
7) poor dialogue-we need to know how our characters speak; they don't all sound alike.
8) no new stories - we should look at our stories through different eyes and from different angles.
9) Satisfactory endings need to wrap things up. So often they don't.

These tips apply to our novel writing too. These aren't things we haven't heard before, but they sure are things we can't seem to master.

After our meetings we always adjourn to Picadilly cafeteria to eat and visit more. Seems we just can't get enough of each other. That's a good thing; it makes for a close-knit, happy writers' group.

I got a sweet gift from Janice, my favorite cousin who has finally, finally joined BWG. I just have to share this fun gift with you. I hung it from the door, but that didn't do justice to this precious Elvis apron so I let Mel model it for you. What'cha think? Some of you know that my book, The Groom Wore Blue Suede Shoes was about an Elvis look-alike. Needless to say, Elvis is still dear to my heart. Yep, I love anything Elvis. Thanks Janice! Too cute, too cool, and so, so thoughtful!

My work week has been busy in spurts. I had interviews on Tuesday, lunch with friends on Wednesday, rewrote chapter 1 of my novel on Thursday, ran to the post office, the cleaners and the grocery store each day, but on Friday around one, I hung out with the rich and famous. Well, maybe 'hung out' isn't quite the right phrase. I went to a press conference and rubbed shoulders with these two guys: Actor Chris Mulkey on the left. I must have had a blank look on my face when I met him because he smiled and told me he worked for Verizon. Was I in shock? :)

The wonderful Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is on the right.

Ahhhhh, the life of a . . . journalist.

Happy Birthday to Me

We were on vacation last week and celebrated each other and my birthday. Brian came in from Little Rock, Chaney bounced back and forth from work. Here we are. The bright colors seem appropriate because it was such an exciting, fun week of being together.
Don't we look happy? I love my guys and gal!

The Honest Scrap Award - What an Honor!

I went to one of my favorite blogsites today--check it out HERE--and saw that I've been awarded the Honest Scrap Award. How cool is that! Thanks Erica!

So the rules of the Honest Scrap award are to reveal Eight Honest Things about me. Okay, but let me warn you that what's honest today might not be honest tomorrow, or next week or next month, but here goes:

1) I'm thirty minutes early every place I go. Really. I hate being late. When I was young--before I could drive--I was late for everything because my mom felt no sense of urgency. Actually, she always tried to do too many things on her way out the door. We missed an entire wedding once; got there just in time for the reception. If you ever invite me to your house, I'll be thirty minutes early and I'll drive around the block until time to knock on your door.

2) I'm addicted to Diet Coke and I don't want to be. Especially since my daughter read Breathers. She hasn't sipped a Diet Coke since. You can read about it HERE.

3) I love the dumb movie Music and Lyrics with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. Don't ask me why. There's no rhyme or reason to my taste in movies since I also love Hoosiers, The Pelican Brief, The Music Man, Must Love Dogs, You've Got Mail ... but I watch Music and Lyrics a couple of times a month. It's a feel-good movie.

4) I collect cookbooks but don't get a lot of joy out of cooking. I really enjoy reading recipes. Call me weird.

5) I grew up loving dogs. I owned Ricky, Doogan, Hissy and Sissy, Blue, Freckles and Rigger, but once I got older, I got really scared of dogs so I steer clear of them. If you invite me over to your house, I'll ask you if you have a dog. Yep, I'll be that rude. Here's something strange: I love watching dog shows on TV. I think it's really neat how they perform. They look so proud of themselves. :)

6) I love music. Just about any kind. Guess Music and Lyrics proves that, huh?

7) I look forward to seeing American Idol each season, and guess what! Project Runway starts in August. Yippeeee! I wish I could sew. Yes, I took Home Ec and during the sewing portion of it my mother almost disowned me. I sewed the bottom of my dress together. Hopeless...but we own three sewing machines. \o/ I'm a wannabe seamstress. :-D

8) I was a substitute teacher for one day. When the school day ended, I marched to the principal's office and told her to take me off the list. Never again!

Wow! this was so much harder than I thought it would be. My nominees for the Honest Scrap Award are:

Linda

Mindy

Pam

Winona

Debra

Starting Over

My mind is blank when it comes to blogging these days. I'm not sure why. I feel as though I'm starting everything from scratch. Nonfiction writing, being president of the local writers' group and handling our contest, thinking about our upcoming conference and in charge of a couple of the speakers, doing a few one-on-one critiques with new writers, trying to fit in with a new crit group . . . all of this feels overwhelming. It's not that I'm busy with all things constantly--just constantly thinking of all these things. I find myself escaping into the "I wish I designed jewelry" mindset. That's where I escape to when I mentally procrastinate. I find it relaxing to design jewelry in my mind. :-)

I'm thinking of other things too: the 2009 NaNoWrMo and finishing the novel I started last year. That's my goal for November. Every year I write 100 pages of a book. Thanksgiving comes around and I quit writing, so it makes sense to start with page 101 and finish the book before Thanksgiving. Right? Sure it does!

My biggest problem is: rewriting Miranda for the secular (general) market place.
Or do I? That's the big question--do I? I really wanted to be a part of the Christian writing arena but I'm not sure I fit in.

Another problem is: looking for a new agent. Or do I?
Why should I? Answer: I've lost faith in my agent. He hasn't been encouraging or knowlegeable about the markets available to me. I don't like his submission methods. He has no follow-up. I think he handles too many clients for what he's capable of. This is my observation only. But when I see clients leaving him and going to other agents, I feel as though I'm the last rat on a sinking ship.
So why shouldn't I? I should. I just DID. I needed motivation and I got it because. . .I've spotted a new agent that seems interesting and has a lot on the ball. She's a former editor. That gives her an advantage in my opinion. I think she'll make a name for herself. Now I'll have to decide if I have the courage to query her. ;/

It would be nice to have someone tell me exactly what to do. I'm good with deadlines. Really good. I wish I had an editor or an agent who would give me one, take control, tell me exactly what I need to be doing. Guess that's asking a little too much, huh? And like my husband says, "if you have to ask, then you already know."

I'm not starting over. I'm just chasing my own tail. Trying to accomplish something but not getting anything done. I've become so fascinated with 'chasing my tail' that I Googled it to see if there is a remedy for curing it. Of course, there is. (There's a remedy for everything. All you have to do is Google.)

The remedy applies to dogs but makes sense for humans too. Here are 3 solutions for tail-chasers:

1) Get involved in a lifestyle enrichment program, including increased exercise, and a healthy diet.
2) Alleviate oppressive circumstances such as excessive periods of confinement.
3) Medication.

Some people have tried amputation of the tail but that does not resolve the problem.

I've taken the first step. I'm agent-less now. And that doesn't bother me one bit because God is in control. He may bring me this new young vivacious agent - or He may send me back to the secular market. He gave me the desire and the talent; He won't abandon me.

So this week I resolve to focus. On something. Pray that I don't focus on chasing my tail.
Have a good week.

Blog Tour: Holy Roller by Julie Lyons

My husband enjoys reading honest accounts about how the Holy Spirit moves in the lives of those in desperate need of deliverance so I passed this book on to him. He says:

Julie Lyons' description of her spiritual experiences in the Pentecostal church in south Dallas portrays not only the power of the Holy Spirit at work in people’s lives but also the false preachers who prey upon the congregation. This was an easy to read, honest account. The story moved smoothly with no dead spots. Julie Lyons obviously has no ax to grind since she still attends this church.


SUMMARY:

Julie Lyons was working as a crime reporter when she followed a hunch into the South Dallas ghetto. She wasn’t hunting drug dealers, but drug addicts who had been supernaturally healed of their addictions. Was there a church in the most violent part of the city that prayed for addicts and got results? At The Body of Christ Assembly, a rundown church on an out-of-the-way street, Lyons found the story she was looking for. The minister welcomed criminals, prostitutes, and street people–anyone who needed God. He prayed for the sick, the addicted, and the demon-possessed, and people were supernaturally healed. Lyons’s story landed on the front page of the Dallas Times Herald. But she got much more than just a great story, she found an unlikely spiritual home. Though the parishioners at The Body of Christ Assembly are black and Pentecostal, and Lyons is white and from a traditional church background, she embraced their spirituality–that of “the Holy Ghost and fire.” It’s all here in Holy Roller–the stories of people desperate for God’s help. And the actions of a God who doesn’t forget the people who need His power.


Author Bio:
Julie Lyons is an award-winning writer, editor and investigative reporter who for more than 11 years served as editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper owned by Village Voice Media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a B.A. in English from Seattle Pacific University. She and her husband, Larry Lyons Jr., live in Dallas with their son.

You can purchase this book from Amazon or from Random House.