Everyday miracles

     You can take the girl out of the South but there ain't no getting rid of her southern fears.  At 5:30am, I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I walked down the hall.  Some of you will recognize the following routine.

     Keep walking and start praying.  "Please God, don't let that be what I think it is."
     Stop walking, start talking to self.  "Don't be stupid.  It's not what you think it is.  Can't be.  CANNOT be."
     Turn around, slowly.  "It isn't moving.  That's a good sign.  I should turn on the light.  I don't want to turn on the light.  PLEASE, God don't let it fly."
     Turn on light (while preparing to run).  "OK. Breathe.  It still didn't move." Actually breathe.
     Slowly retreat to go grab a shoe.  Walk around complete opposite end of kitchen to get a paper towel.  Continue inner pep talk.  "You live in Indiana.  That is not what you think it is.  Repeat.  Not.What.You.Think.It.Is."
     Move closer, try not to close eyes.  "It's just a moth.  Oh Lord, it's The Biggest Moth Ever."
     Try not to panic because deep down, you know it is still going to fly.  "Please God, just don't let it fly in my face.  Please God."
     Move in.  "Please God."
     And it's just dog hair.  "Thank you, God!  Thank you, God.  Thank You, God!"

     I've just admitted my house could use a cleaning but we've not yet invited roaches and thank the Lord, Indiana roaches don't fly!

     One more cup of coffee and I'll be ready to write another southern scene. ;)

The UnConference (Part 1)

There is nothing like a writing conference to re-charge your creativity.  Attending an "Un-Conference" is, so far, even better!

Unfortunately, I've been sick on-and-off since it started so I only imagine the level of awesomeness for attendees who attended all of the sessions, today!  More to come...I'm here all week!

If you would like to follow along all sorts of writerly advice, go visit over on Twitter:
@Writer Unboxed
#WUUncon

Pocketful of Sunshine

Packing up "the library"/aka "my room" has been a slow, work-in-progress.  Each time I try to fill a box, I find a book I've not yet read, a draft of a novel I never finished or a box of photos I swore I'd scan or, at least, organize.  I've mentioned, I have a tendency to keep EVERYTHING.

Every so often, that makes it worth it.  Determined to finish this room tonight, I finally got to my file folders.  And I found artwork by and photos of Natalie and Christian from years ago.  Much, much too cute!

Under those were some more novel drafts.  Why didn't I finish those?  Under those--my answer.  A folder stuffed with "Volunteer Appreciation" certificates.  Each and every time someone takes the time to print one out, I shake my head and swear that I don't volunteer in order to receive any recognition whatsoever.  And I mean that.  I don't.  I don't need the certificates or thank-yous or gifts.

That said, I was tired from a busy day plus tired of packing and tired just thinking about moving and then to find so many things still unfinished...I will say it made my day to find a folder full of "thank-yous."

As it turns out, just because I don't have a folder full of finished products/novels/projects, that doesn't mean I haven't seen things through.  I am just a little better at finishing things you can't really see.  But for those who took the time to notice anyway, it's my turn to say Thanks!

Indebted

A college roommate used to remind me to "make a wish" every time the clock read "11:11." I had never heard of such a thing before but now I do it often (and think of her each time)!  Today, on 11/11/11 my wish is that each and every service member returns home safely--and soon.

When I was young and stupid, I declared that I would never marry a military guy.  I grew up in a warm town near three naval bases and I knew there were only two things in life that I would never do:
1. Become a military wife.
2. Live in any location where it got cold enough to snow.

So I left home to go to college, met a guy with an ROTC scholarship and while the Army paid for him to go to medical school, I married him.  He graduated and I became the wife of an active duty service member who, later, was assigned to Alaska.

I had my first child at an Army medical center and thought that "nervous" or "apprehensive" would be good terms to describe how I felt about having so many residents--most no older than me--coming and going, in and out of my room.  I didn't realize that only a few short years later, each one of them would have a chance to assist laboring women in Iraq and Afghanistan.  That sounds a tad more nerve-wracking.

Two of my children were born at that medical center.  They saw men and women in uniform every day for the first few years of their lives.  My daughter would yell, "Daddy!" and point at some man in uniform every time I took her to the PX or commissary.  These were approachable heroes--my kids were impressed but not afraid.

Those soldiers put on a brave face before each deployment and a happy one upon each return.  Of course they are afraid but they do not show it--the definition of courage.  With the possible exception of one soldier.  He was young, obviously new to Post, far from home, trying to find his way around the PX when a toddler in pigtails grabbed his leg and yelled, "Daddy!"  I'm pretty sure I saw a flash of fear, that day.

Back to work

The good news is: I can still be taught!

The SCWW conference is over and I am ready to get back to work!   I knew the book was not perfect but I went to the conference anyway, knowing I would still learn a lot.  I signed up for a critique, query and pitch.  I was most afraid of the pitch.  When people ask what my book is about, I tend to ramble...

(If I could get the idea across to you quickly, I'd write short stories, right?)  Wrong.

While much of the information put out at conferences can be found on various websites or in countless books, it can sound different when you hear it.  Thank God I took Chuck Sambuchino's class on Friday afternoon.  When he said, "For those of you pitching at this conference..." I sat up and listened.  He talked about summarizing your book in one sentence.  (I couldn't do it then but I'm getting better.)   He went on to say that the second paragraph in your query letter should be about 3-7 sentences.  That paragraph should be your pitch when you sit down in front of an agent.  I heard the lightbulb click.

I learned many other useful things in that hour and fifteen minutes.  (There was more but I had to leave for a critique.)  I took those suggestions and reworked, revised and rehearsed my pitch all over again. It worked.  The agent requested 30 pages!

Of course, anyone can have an idea.  That doesn't make me a writer.  This same agent was not blown away by my first two pages in another seminar but now I have a second chance to impress.  I have recognized that I was not just rambling about my book before--I was rambling in it, as well.

None of this is a guarantee that anything further will ever happen with this book but it is a step forward.
I was going to skip the conference this year, knowing the book wasn't completely right, yet.  I was going to skip the pitch, out of pure and simple fear.  I went and was inspired and challenged.  If only I hadn't been too shy/embarrassed to offer to buy Chuck Sambuchino a drink at the bar, to thank him for the helpful advice!  Maybe that will be my goal for the next conference...

Rainy days and Mondays...melt the snow!

Rainy days and Mondays...melt the remaining snow!

AND Mondays are usually my days to "catch up."  Last Monday was a day off for the kids, so I didn't catch up so much while they were home.  My daughter started with a fever Tuesday evening and was home from school the rest of the week.  I felt sick the week before and last week so after getting her on antibiotics, I went ahead with some myself. (I'd been exhausted, stuffy, foggy, had a sore throat, earaches but blamed it on lack of sleep until her strep test came back positive!!)  Huh.

My son had a few friends over to ice-skate and spend the night this weekend so now...it's just the 3-year-old and I!  My husband was trying to stay out of the way Saturday (when one friend was over, early) so he caught me up on almost all of the laundry folding so that is no longer a looming, insurmountable mountain! ;)

It's raining but that means the snow is gone (for now). After a few days on meds, I no longer feel like diving into the frozen lake! I made it to bed before midnight, last night so life is looking good!  I have high hopes for catching up on writing, during the little guy's naptime, today!  (Here's hoping I didn't just jinx that!) 

Enjoy your week!

WooHoo! Winning over whining!

Happy Monday!!!
(What?  This isn't your favorite day?)
I'll admit, I was dreading this one.  My in-laws were here for the weekend.  (That isn't dreadful; they're wonderful people).  But the kids stay up later when they're here.  Our guests had to get up and leave even earlier than I normally wake the kids for school. I wanted to be up to have coffee and tell them goodbye, before waking the kids.  But I don't do early, well!

While I was trying to get a few last winks in before I had to get up, the dog heard our guests getting ready and began BARKING.  So I rose to quiet her, started with the coffee, and have been going ever since.  The youngest child (the only one who does not have to be anywhere, today) was the first child to wake, of course.  So I was thinking we would both shoot for a nice NAP today.  But by now I've had far too much coffee to ever actually sleep, anytime soon, so I'm typing, cleaning up, chasing the dog, forgetting what I was typing, reading blogs and then standing in my kitchen trying to remember what I was doing.  I'm moving, I feel busy but I haven't accomplished much.  I look much like this:

So I stopped, tried to stand still and check in here.  I read the comments for my last entry.  I had not yet made to Joshilyn Jackson's blog this morning but Tracy had!  I was so excited to see her comment (thank you, Tracy!) and hopped right on over to FTK.  There is my name, right there on her blog!  You can go see it--under "Winners and a whiner!"  (I often fall into the latter category but today I fit in both!) Thank you to you all! (If it weren't for my readers here, I'd have no reason to link to her.)  I can't wait to read American Rose!  (OK, one more thing to "fit in" but it'll be worth it.  Look for a review here, soon!)

No Nano banner

Technically, I CAN type fast enough to type over 35,000 words in the remaining 5 hours to meet the goal. IF I don't do anything but type, starting now. And that is with no time to debate about plot lines, dialogue or take a bathroom break.

It ain't gonna happen.

And I am OK with that! I got my "winner's" banner, last year. And last year, I used an idea that I had already tossed around quite a bit. This year, I started with a brand new idea on Day 1 and I really like the new story and where it is headed. Having said that, I am tired; the youngest is sick and tired; I took time off for Thanksgiving and have really cooked dinner here a few nights in a row (not shocking but not conducive to high word counts, either).

I will keep working on this novel and I will keep you updated.

Congrats to all of you who made it to the finish line, this year! Thanks to all who have listened to my ramblings about Nano and enouraged my progress, such as it was!

Haunting dreams or delirium--I'll take it, either way!

I closed the new document this morning at about 12:15am. I finished writing about a woman who has not yet given birth but her daughter will be an important character, later in the book. As I slid into bed, I was thinking of who she will be when she grows up and I thought she might be the first African-American nun. She has someone else to deal with by then though, so I knew she would at least be familiar with some Native American traditions. I got up and wrote it down, quickly before falling back into bed.

After being woken repeatedly in the early morning, I was delirious enough to even think I was still in a dream. Someone snuggled up on the side of me (the side with no real, physical child attached to me) and tapped me on the shoulder. She whispered a little of her story.

Too tired to wake up (still), I hit Google as soon as I had coffee. The first black nun in Georgia was born in New Orleans, daughter of a slave and a native American.

As a writer, it is a little like magic when your characters become your imaginary friends and talk to you. If you are writing a historical novel and real people (or people who used to be real, live people) show up and do it, that's just COOL.

The Conference

I have written three accounts of the South Carolina Writers' Workshop for you. All of them are FAR too long for any of you to want to read. I'm working on that. Here is the (very) condensed version. (Which, I think, is fair. I promised an account once I'd slept--and that has not happened, yet!)

In the meantime, I will just tell you that it was an amazing weekend! I wanted to walk on the beach and hear Joshilyn Jackson's keynote speech. I walked on the beach, took her course, talked to her, had her sign my book, and talked to her a little more!

Getting there, Thursday, was Hell and I was sure I had made a mistake. Friday was great! Saturday was amazing! (Did I mention yet that I had a conversation with Joshilyn Jackson??)Sunday was a blur!

Now I am tired, inspired, have new friends to email, a draft to revise and a better blog post to draft. At least there is still a week until Nano! ;)

Seven years ago

It took a while to get our furniture--we slept in new sofa beds for a month.  Once our goods arrived, it took a while to get the boxes unpacked.  We finally got things put away, had the children settled into their new rooms and were finally adjusting to the new house.

I had been telling my family we'd have time and would likely be ready for a visit by September.  In normal fashion, I waited until September to get online and book a ticket.  It was around 6 or 6:30am.  The kids were playing nicely; I logged on to the computer but when I tried to price a flight, I saw the message informing me that, in light of recent events, all flights were suspended until further notice.  I remember looking out the window, up at the clear, Alaska sky and wondering what could have happened.  My imagination took off and I pictured a few horrible scenarios.

I turned on the television.  Nothing I had imagined came close to what I saw.

I am thankful for my gift of procrastination.  In  August, 2007, I looked at the calendar, checked our schedules and thought that we would be ready to travel by September 11.  While it took a bit longer to actually get on a plane and visit my family, I am glad that I waited until that fateful day to attempt to book our flight.

May God be with the families who lost loved ones seven years ago today.

Prayers again, please

If you have a second, please remember my FIL in your prayers.  He is back in hospital with an infection.  Thanks!

Thank you

Thank you for your prayers for my father-in-law.

He has been extubated finally and so he's able to talk now, too.

(He says he wants to go home!)

He is still in the ICU but is improving.  So keep those prayers coming--they're working!

Update

My father-in-law was in surgery all of yesterday and went back in this morning but is now stable and resting.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Your prayers, please

If you pray before you go to bed tonight, please add my husband and father-in-law to your prayers.

My father-in-law was diagnosed with gastric cancer this summer.  He handled the chemotherapy and radiation quite well and is an excellent candidate for surgery to remove the rest of the tumor.

The surgery is scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning.  He has done so well with everything else that we are hopeful that this will be very successful.  I'm just thinking a few extra prayers can't hurt!

Thank you!

Keep 'em coming

We should find out more today but doctors now think that my FIL has stomach cancer rather than esophageal cancer. (It may have begun in the stomach and progressed to the esophagus.)
The treatment will be much the same but the prognosis is not as good. If you can keep him and the family in your prayers, we would all much appreciate it.

Thanks!

The big C

My father-in-law, Dr. C, has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. I've been debating whether or not to mention it here and decided to wait until he had at least completed his tests.

My husband, a physician, feared the worst--knowing that in most cases this disease has progressed quite far by the time it is diagnosed. His father has been lucky--not lucky enough to be at stage one--but lucky enough to be considered a "late two or early three." This means he has treatment options and some time.

He is being treated at a world-class cancer center and it looks like he will be able to be enrolled in a study involving a new, promising drug as well. My FIL and his family are devastated but there are many reasons to have hope. Dr. C does not smoke, rarely drinks and is in otherwise wonderful health for his age. This is actually making it tougher for him mentally as he wants to know "why" but physically he has that advantage. Of course, he can still use all of the prayers he can get!

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!


I try to say thank-you to God every day. Today, I am especially grateful.


I am thankful:

• for my family
• that my family is healthy.
• that my husband is not deployed.
• that we have plenty to eat. (While I am already planning what I'll have to do to undo what I'll eat today, I hope everyone is able to get something to eat today).
• that my children could help us provide a Thanksgiving meal for a family in need. I am thankful that we are able to help someone else but also thankful that my children have at least an inkling of how lucky they are.
• to be home with my family today. Even if we are not physically with our extended families, at least our immediate family is all together, safe and happy.
• that the hubbie let me sleep this morning, while he got up with the kids!
• that I was able to shower and write 500 words--in the same day--even before lunchtime!
• for this BEAUTIFUL day!! We've had fall weather, and the leaves have been beautiful but today is GORGEOUS! It should reach 70 degrees today and the sun is shining. I sort of wish we could eat Thanksgiving dinner outside! We'll have to settle for an after-dinner walk, instead!