Saturday, December 24, 2011

I have not been abducted by aliens!

As time goes by is one of my favorite British sitcoms, but in this context I am talking about life and the passage of time. It has become a time, in my life, where I am caring for an ill, and elderly mother.

She complains that the roles are reversed. She loves to instruct and she does not like playing the child to me, the mother. This is a role that is made even more difficult by the fact that she is OC.

It literally, took me sixty years to realize she was OC, because it was a normal state of my growing up. I thought every household balanced like ornaments when hanging them on the tree. Surely every one's mother cut up bits of papers in perfectly straight squares.

I was the weak one, who cannot cut a straight to save her life. Who finds it disturbing to have perfectly balanced anything on the mantle or coffee table. Don't ever look in my corners and expect perfect cleanliness either.

Caring for a mother who is in stage four heart failure and who has a tube in her gallbaldder can be very time consuming. I am fortunate to have a very understanding and supportive husband, who is often more patient than I am.

My mother, who has done more than I could even detail here for me, is worth every minute of that time, but I do miss being able to dedicate my time to my artwork. But, not to marketing it.

I have a website but find I am not updating it. So, I have decided to drop my website and use blogs instead, to both market my book and artwork.

This blog is already entitled my working title, "Moon Tree Brothers." This blog will remain a place to discuss writing and give you hints of my book.

With that said, I do so hope, I can take the time every couple of days to give you snippets of Moon Tree Brothers. Throw in descriptions, drawings, anything that you might find fun, without endangering my publishing possibilities.

So, a happy holidays to everyone from the gang in the Moon tree, who have come from all over the world to fight the Darkness together. My you have peace, joy and love in your hearts for life.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Structure Part 1–Anatomy of a Best-Selling Novel–Structure Matters « Kristen Lamb's Blog

Like most of you, I have been working a very long time on this novel. My first, a picture book, was written in the car as a story for my grandson. Everyone in the car was saying, "write that one down." So, I did and I have worked on it over the years and, as an artist played with illustrating it. I still thinks it stands the test of submission but other things came up.

My second, a mystery, went quickly. I did research at the library, both on writing and on the things needed for the story. I had index cards and binders up the wazoo. I felt I had a pretty good product, went to Of Dark and Stormy Nights, had an author critique, she gave me the name of her agent and stupidly, I sent it out. Looking back now, it was not ready and my query letter was FARRRR from ready. Someday, I will maybe get to working on it. I need a much better Protagonist, I know that.

This time, the internet is here, and research is at the tips of my fingers. My notes are in computer files and folders. I have still spent five years writing and researching and I still sit here and wonder if I have dotted all the 'i's' and crossed all the 't's?' Last night, in one of my "this isn't good enough" moments. I turned to Google and found a great blog.

Structure Part 1–Anatomy of a Best-Selling Novel–Structure Matters « Kristen Lamb's Blog

Besides having a great teaching overview for what you need to have a best-selling novel, she is also having a critiquing contest. So, check her out and tomorrow I'll share my insecurities with you.

Betch can't wait!!!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

We_Are_Not_Alone

By the way, Kristen Lamb has a book out that I just may have to order. It's called:

We_Are_Not_Alone

It's the Writers Guide to Social Media.

Finally, someone who is going to tell me just what the heck I'm supposed to do with Twitter.

And, how can looking at family pictures on FaceBook help me?

How to Create Characters for Your Character-Driven Novel - C. Patrick Schulze – Author of "Born To Be Brothers"

I suffer insecurities. I come from a long line of Obssessive Compulsives who never found the 'just right' anything. It took me most of my life to realize that it was not me who was not 'good enough' it was everything. One thing I constantly work on is to improve my sense of self-worth.

My daughter, who has evaded these OC's problems, works on my reassurance too. She is one of my beta-editors and she will tell me honestly, when I have missed the mark in my writing.


The very first opening was so much better than any of the successive five
openings. Quit changing it and move on.

That makes it so much easier to beleive when she says, "It's great the way it is."

Since she is busy with her two teaching jobs, one a math and science public academy sixth grade class for the gifted, and three evening classes for a University and then there is Notre Dame in the summer, I try not to bother her too much.

So, last night, when I was wondering if I did not have to re-write my protagonist, I googled him. You know, there is that 'if you Google it they will come" thing going. And, I came across C. Patrick Schulze's article on Creating Characters for your Character-driven novel. And, trust me, they all should be character driven.

Check it out at: How to Create Characters for Your Character-Driven Novel - C. Patrick Schulze – Author of "Born To Be Brothers" It's a great article.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

AgentQuery Connect

Things seem to fall into your lap just when you need them. I am eternally working on my query letter and I've just discovered AgentQueryConnect.

AgentQueryConnect has a neat feature where you post your query letter and/or your synopsis and fellow writer members critique them. Within minutes of posting my, what I thought was polished query, I had my first critique. Don't forget, I have been researching and working on this Query for months and months.

When I wrote my first manuscript, a mystery novel, I went to 'Of Dark and Stormy Nights' mystery conference, in Chicago. I had a novel critique with a published Mystery author and her words to me were, "Would you like the name of my agent?"

I then, in true newby fashion, sent off a query letter (with absolutely no idea what one was) and, to make matters worse, without a finished manuscript in place. I was near finished, I was barely edited and I knew I had plotting problems.

This time around, I have worked for four years to learn plotting, character, everything I possibly can to make this book the best I can do. I have spent the last two years, while waiting for it to perk in my head and be critiqued by others, researching all the editor/agent/writer blogs for what makes a good query/synopsis/longline, you have it. But, there is always room for improvement and my first critique on AgentQueryConnect proved that to me.

I'm off to bed now, although I literally slept most of the day today, and hope to get back to polishing my query in the morning.

LESSON TO LEARN: Do NOT send your query off first to your very favorite pick of an agent. If you do, you will be sorry five queries later when you discover that it needs to be polished more.

AgentQuery Connect

Things seem to fall into your lap just when you need them. I am eternally working on my query letter and I've just discovered AgentQueryConnect.

AgentQueryConnect has a neat feature where you post your query letter and/or your synopsis and fellow writer members critique them. Within minutes of posting my, what I thought was polished query, I had my first critique. Don't forget, I have been researching and working on this Query for months and months.

When I wrote my first manuscript, a mystery novel, I went to 'Of Dark and Stormy Nights' mystery conference, in Chicago. I had a novel critique with a published Mystery author and her words to me were, "Would you like the name of my agent?"

I then, in true newby fashion, sent off a query letter (with absolutely no idea what one was) and, to make matters worse, without a finished manuscript in place. I was near finished, I was barely edited and I knew I had plotting problems.

This time around, I have worked for four years to learn plotting, character, everything I possibly can to make this book the best I can do. I have spent the last two years, while waiting for it to perk in my head and be critiqued by others, researching all the editor/agent/writer blogs for what makes a good query/synopsis/longline, you have it. But, there is always room for improvement and my first critique on AgentQueryConnect proved that to me.

I'm off to bed now, although I literally slept most of the day today, and hope to get back to polishing my query in the morning.

LESSON TO LEARN: Do NOT send your query off first to your very favorite pick of an agent. If you do, you will be sorry five queries later when you discover that it needs to be polished more.