Long Time, No See?

IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, you've undoubtedly seen my daily tweets about a book signing, and you're asking yourself: What is she talking about? Is she really making an appearance? It's WHERE again? Where has she been ALL this time, anyway, and what has she been doing?

Let me put your mind at ease.

Yes, I really will be making an appearance. I will be signing books, along with many other authors, at a local author signing event at the Mansfield Richland County Public Library on October 14th. Click here for details. Please come and support all of the creative local talent. I'd love to meet and chat with you about writing, life, food, your favorite pet, and anything in between. Two other author friends of mine will be there, too. The first is E. Michaels, who is about to publish a second mystery novel for children called, The Greatest Summer Vacation. Be sure to check out the cover and excerpt that was recently revealed. The second author, John Caldwell, is a super-nice guy who writes the popular Tom Price detective stories.

And, if you're looking for a good scare this Halloween, be sure to pick up a copy of my second novel while you're there. It's called, Haunted Voices from My Past: True Narratives of an Ohio Family. With well over forty haunting stories, I'll take you on an unforgettable journey through the paranormal, the macabre, and the unexplained. And, yes, they're all TRUE stories that happened to me and my family over the past one hundred years. If you can't make it to the book signing, you can grab a copy anywhere books are sold.

Back to your questions: 1. What is she talking about? Check. 2. Is she really making an appearance? Check. 3. It's where again? Check. 4. Where has she been all this time, anyway, and what has she been doing? 

*Sigh*

The answer is hard. The answer is simple. The answer is in the mirror. The answer is at the time clock. The answer is in the face of those you love. The answer is in the tiny frog who hangs on the screen and peeks in the window. The answer is in the way you wait for something, anything to happen.

Where has she been all this time, and what has she been doing?

The same as you.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you're in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.

It's contagious.

A Long Haul

YES, I know I've been uncharacteristically quiet these past few months. I assure you, though, it's been with good reason . . .

I've been writing like mad!

(Big surprise, I know!)

So, now that I have that cleared up, I'd like to announce the publication of my third book, Nonessential: The Expansion Paradox. Yes, you heard me right! My thought-provoking sci-fi is now available to the public. This latest project of mine has been a long haul, and, for me, an artistic and literary achievement. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this release, and I hope you'll take the time to read the excerpt and watch the trailer before ordering.

From the back cover:

Times are changing . . .
And so is the world.

 
Times are changing—
Not always for the better—
And with that change comes need
And the desire for knowledge.
And with that knowledge
Arises the purpose of life and man
And the origin of want and waste.

 
NONESSENTIAL: THE EXPANSION PARADOX

Three Men. Two Agendas.
Only ONE Possible Future.

 

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

 

Finding the Passion

OF LATE, I’ve been doubting my writing, my career, and my life. Then I had the following conversation last week with a new friend of mine:

NEW FRIEND: So, you write and design books for yourself, as well as for others?

ME: Uh-huh.

NEW FRIEND: That’s cool.

ME: Well, I don’t know if anyone else would think it’s cool. . . .

NEW FRIEND: Are you passionate about it?

ME: Yes.

NEW FRIEND: Then what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

Enough said.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Seanachaí's News

ON THE LAST SUNDAY of each month, I compile "Seanachaí's News," a status report that assesses my work during the current month and also formulates my plans for the upcoming months. It will also give you a peek at my works in progress.

My Work During the Current Month

1. "Chances Are" I'm back for good. Lucky you. LOL!

 

My Plans for the Upcoming Months

1. My latest novel, Nonessential: The Expansion Paradox, is in the design stages now and will be published in a few short months. I'll keep you updated on the progress. In the meantime, you can read the first page here.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Chances Are

CHANCES ARE if you enjoy reading poetry, you’ll believe you understand how to write it. Chances are if you try writing it, you’ll realize you have no idea what you’re doing.

Chances are if you respect yourself, as well as others, you’ll hide it in the desk drawer.

That’s the reason I stopped writing haiku last September. That’s the reason you’re not reading the poem I’ve been sweating over the past two days.

That’s the reason I will be sticking to prose.

All kidding aside, though, I’ve been busy during my three-month hiatus. I found a new computer that I call HAL-2010, a not-so-good replacement for my long-lost love, HAL. Unfortunately HAL-2010  also had serious issues although they had nothing to do with his hardware. After months of struggle, though, he was finally straightened out last week by Harrison B. (a nice computer man with a glow-in-the-dark plate in his head).

So what else have I been up to? Well, I finished my latest book. Yes, really. It’s entitled Nonessential: The Expansion Paradox, and you can read the first page here. It’s in the design stages now and will be available for purchase in the next couple of months.

All right, so you’re wanting to know what my poem was about. Tell you what, I’ll let you read the last three lines if you promise not to laugh. I’ve laughed enough for the both of us.

The last three lines of my awful poem:

Bang bang from the hall
shooting at the iron clock
nailed upon the wall.

See? I told you it was bad.

 

*** As always, I love to hear from you. If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line. In the meantime, keep writing, reading and smiling, It’s contagious.

Hal Is Dead

Hal Is Dead

YES, IT'S TRUE. My computer took a train to Cincinnati or Happy Dale or wherever it is that computers go when they decide to part from their masters.

Although I can't begin to tell you how upset I am—Hal and I had a stimulating, four-year relationship—I do want to share a few things I learned this week while being "unplugged."

1. The Internet is nothing more than a distraction. Granted, it has its pros AND cons like anything else, but I can't say I've missed it.
2. The world will pass you by if you let it. Stop talking or driving or writing or playing with the computer or whatever it is that you're doing, so you can watch, LISTEN, and dream.
3. Everything is not all about me. Other human beings are walking around out there. Enough said.
4. Your environment will control you if you let it. Domineering people are best left under the rock where they live and insurmountable problems are best met head-on. In other words, don't let negativity get the best of you.
5. Nice people really do exist. You may think it odd that I mention this, but for me this has been the most important lesson I've learned this week. After a scarring experience I had with a funeral-home employee about two weeks ago (yeah, really), I had given up on the human race and was ready to renounce my own humanity. What changed me? Two remarkable people. 
• Person #1, who knows I am a starving artist, offered me the use of her computer to check my email and write my weekly blog posts until I can get my life in order. Yeah, really.
• Person #2, a new acquaintance, drove out to my house twice (I live in the middle of nowhere), carted Hal all over the countryside in his attempt to fix him and price parts (we both eventually decided that Hal wasn't worth fixing), and sympathized with me on the phone and my doorstep at least five times about the whole situation. Not only that, but after the madness was over he insisted he did NOTHING. Yeah, really.

As you can see, I've had quite the emotional roller-coaster ride these past two weeks. Yet, despite the problems and the losses, I can't help but think I'm lucky that Hal did take that train.

I've gotten back my life, my hope, and my humanity.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Seanachaí's News

ON THE LAST SUNDAY of each month, I compile "Seanachaí's News," a status report that assesses my work during the current month and also formulates my plans for the upcoming months. It will also give you a peek at my works in progress.

My Work During the Current Month

1. Have you lost your motivation? Get it back with "The Golden Flower of Inspiration."
2. "Striving for Greatness" is all about the beauty of individuality.
3. When you read your work, do you feel like you're looking into a mirror? Step back from it and think about "The Real You."
4. "Unplug the Robots!" Just read it.

 

My Plans for the Upcoming Months

1. The Bad News: I had a complete system meltdown this week. Yeah, really. I'm using a friend's computer to write this blog post because Hal—my computer—is dead and I have no idea how to revive him. I'm also mourning the loss of irreplaceable files. Always, always, always remember to take a few extra minutes out of your day to back up those files!
2. The Good News:  I did not lose my book or my outline because I saved both to my flash drive about two hours before the crash. However, without a computer, my time to work is limited, so my online presence will be brief. A friend is going to give me the number of another friend who is a whiz with computers, so hopefully by this time next week I'll be up and running again. If you don't hear from me next week, know that I'm working on the problem and I'll be back as soon as possible.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Unplug the Robots

I'M DROWNING in my latest WIP, so I'm going to make this brief. 

To all of you who have children, children who are unable to breathe or walk without the aid of headphones or earbuds or whatever they are and unable to speak or write without sliding their thumbs over a keyboard or keypad or whatever they are…

Please, please, PLEASE, unplug these robots from their hardware for a few hours a day and give them something new to play with like a book—sheets of typed paper that are bound and have designs on the first and last pages—or a number-two pencil and a tablet—a long yellow wooden stick with a pink end and sheets of blue-lined paper bound with a silver coil. 

Remember, in thirty years these children will be writing YOUR social security checks (unless these children decide to throw out the word "humanity") and they will be managing YOUR funds and YOUR life…that is, if they haven't forgotten how to think or write.

Oh, and after you've unplugged your children and you hear them making noises other than beeps (that's a good thing!), don't forget to unplug yourself.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

 

The "Real" You

IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, you'll recall that earlier this week I mentioned having a life-changing discussion with a writer-friend of mine. Although the discussion had nothing to do with writing, it sparked an awareness and determination that had been missing in my life and my writing.

So, what was the discussion about? Before I go any further, I want to say this, "I'm not telling."

The Reason I'm Not Telling

No, I'm not trying to be coy. The topic of the discussion that changed my life would be of no significance to anyone but me. Despite the unintentional subterfuge, I do want to say that I've discovered more about myself in one afternoon than I have in the past five years.

The Problem

I've been lacking the motivation to work on my current project which happens to be a lengthy novel of fiction involving certain aspects of the human condition. After this discussion that I mentioned, I've now discovered that I'm writing a pseudo-biographical work on aspects of my condition; hence, the avoidance of writing. I know I've written on the subject of fact versus fiction before, but with each work I compose—whether it be fiction or nonfiction—I discover something new about my writing and about myself. Sometimes I like what I see and sometimes I don't, but with each truth I uncover, I need to realize that each is a part of me whether I want to admit it or not.

Solving the Problem

This is no easy task due to the unexpectedness of the situation in which I now find myself. Each day before I begin working on my project, I'm going to bear in mind that although this work is an extension of J.E. the writer, it's also a fabrication, a dream world for misguided characters and agendas that may or may not be facets of J.E. the person. I cannot allow myself to become lost in this world and I cannot allow myself to be swallowed up by the manifestation, glorification, or fictionalization of the thoughts and insecurities that lie deep within me.

What about you? 

Are you struggling with a particular piece? Are you having trouble finding motivation? Is it possible that this piece says more about the "real" you, then you care to admit? 

Step back from it. While you may see your beliefs, your fears, and your dreams unfolding in this work, realize and understand that you are your own person and that this work—I don't care if it's fiction or not—is nothing more than an illusion that you're creating for your readers.

Coming Full Circle

So, you're still wanting to know the topic of the discussion that made me realize I was writing about the "real" me. All right, it had to do with the inaccuracy of the globe on my bookshelf. See? I told you it would mean nothing to anyone but me.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Striving for Greatness

Double-spaced, left-justified, 12 pt. font, MLA style, 

FIVE pages!

IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN the fall of Rome in three pages, tack on an extra two pages of fluff, so you can get an A. Ten pages about Einstein's theory of relativity? You'd better cut it down to five or face Dr. So-and-so's paper shredder. 

Remember writing essays like that? As a student I never had a problem with the  issue of making my work reader-friendly, but I did have a problem with the length requirement. No matter the class, the teacher always dictated a required page count which students dared not adjust to fit their thesis or writing style.

"Sages" also tout average word counts for books, factoring in the intended audience, the genre, the marketability, the author's reputation/experience, the production cost, etc. I remember the nausea I felt after reading that the average word count for a work of fiction is in the neighborhood of 80,000 to 100,000 words. My work of historical fiction, Dead Bird in the Weeds, is nearly twice the "maximum" length. I've asked myself many times if I should have cut 80,000 words in order to "fit in." The answer is always "no," despite the fact that many proclaim that a writer who doesn't stick to the rules is either a bad writer or doesn't understand or care about marketability.

Although I'm confident about my work, this length obsession haunts me daily. Regardless of what I'm writing, I constantly check the page count and the word count as if the work's merit rests in the hands of a magic number. At times it has driven me to the point of adding extra paragraphs or scenes simply because the chapter didn't look long enough. That's nothing more than commercialism, and unless you're considering approaching traditional publishers or agents who are looking to market the latest fad, it has no place in serious fiction.

Despite my conviction, it's hard to break away from the word-count frenzy. Before I start a work, I say to myself, "X (the work) is going to be approximately Y number of words (because of either the genre or complexity of the subject), so plan on X to be Z number of pages." To give you an idea of how instinctive this behavior is, read the following conversation I had earlier this week with a friend of mine:

FRIEND.  I really like this last chapter. You're probably about, what, halfway through this book, aren't you? [Keep in mind that this person knows most of the plot.]

ME.  No, I've only written about one-third of it. [Note that I've been struggling with the length of this book to the point that I've sat for hours staring at the computer while trying to think of a way to stretch it out].

FRIEND.  Oh, really?

ME.  Yeah, this book is going to be about 100,000 words.

FRIEND.  How can you know that when you haven't finished it?

Good point. How can you know the length of a work before it's finished? The answer is simple: You can't! There is no magic word count or page count. A work is as long as it needs to be, no more, no less. Because of this realization, I have now accepted the fact that my book may only be half of what I had originally planned. And do you know what? Nothing is wrong with that.

Another plus is that the pressure is gone. The words are flowing—faster than before—and I'm more confident about what I'm writing. I'm not being sidetracked by the word-count calculator and I've stopped looking at the page count.

So, to all those professors and sages touting average word counts for average essays, books, etc., I have one thing to say, "Sorry, I have no desire to fit into a mold so I can be 'average.'"

I'm striving for greatness.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

The Golden Flower of Inspiration

THE MAPLE TREES on the farm are donning their fall colors and the garden on the edge of the south field is preparing to hibernate. Before tucking the garden in for a long winter's nap, I grabbed my gardening shears and harvested the spaghetti squash on the west end. As I plodded through a tangle of dried leaves and vines, I stumbled upon an amazing find: one large yellow squash flower.

This golden miracle managed to grow beneath several inches of rotting plant matter despite the chilly temperatures and the lateness of the year. Nature had found a way to persevere in the most illogical and improbable of circumstances.

Writing is like that, too. After the birth—or flowering—of an idea and the construction of paragraphs begins, the madness of creating, writing, and editing can sometimes smother motivation and creativity. As a result, the easy way out—desertion—often tempts the writer before the piece has reached maturity.

What happens next? The writer throws out the idea and waits impatiently for another epiphany that may or may not appear. If and when it does, the writer is often duped into another false start and another great idea hits the compost heap.

We can blame this endless cycle on many things: frustration, laziness, or disgust, but rather than giving up on our work and ourselves, we need to meet the problem head-on.  Whether we're writing—or reading—a short poem or a lengthy novel, we need to realize and appreciate the great amount of effort and time it takes to create a work of art. 

When you're overwhelmed and ready to give in, take a moment to clear away the debris so you don't lose sight of that golden flower of inspiration.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Seanachaí's News

On the last Sunday of each month, I compile "Seanachaí's News," a status report that assesses my work during the current month and also formulates my plans for the upcoming months. It will also give you a peek at my works in progress.

My Work During the Current Month

1. Do you enjoy the simplicity and beauty of haiku? Don't miss Part IV of  my continuing series, "Murmuring That Creeps into the Life of a Wandering Soul."
2. Read about a haunted woman's brave attempt to face the future in my latest short-short, "I Saw You."
3. Are you a writer or artist looking for great software? Check out these five must-have free programs!

 

My Plans for the Upcoming Months

1. If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I've been working diligently on my new book. What you may not know is that you've already read the first page. Yes, really. Read the first page of my new novel here!
2. Don't forget, all of my short stories and poetry are now available at Scribd. You can download my work and subscribe to my feed by following this link. 

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Five Must-Have Free Programs

How much money did you spend on that program?

None.

Huh?

None!

Many people ask me about the programs I use in my writing and artistic endeavors. As a starving artist, I generally shy away from the expensive software and utilize free programs. On the average, most are as good as or come in a close second to the big blockbuster software. Not only that, but I don't have to cut off an appendage in order to achieve success.

Five Must-Have Free Programs

1. OpenOffice  In my opinion, this is the best word processing program you'll find among open-source and traditional software. Page layout is advanced and exports include .pdf format, among others. The only major cons I've found are the inability to export to PDF/X and the limitations of the full-justification feature (line rather than paragraph execution). OpenOffice also includes five other popular programs that rival major competitors' spreadsheet, slide, and database creators. 

2. GIMP  Why would anyone ever need another art program after using GIMP? I have no idea! After downloading GIMP several years ago, I've never used another art program. EVER. OK, I've used the art program mentioned later in this countdown, but that's all! This program has a lot of goodies, including advanced layering, brushes, animation, and filters. Not only that, but creative people are always writing new scripts to improve the functionality. The only con I've found is that the program will not export images to the .pdf format, hence my usage of Inkscape.

3. Inkscape  This program is nice because it will convert popular image extensions to the .pdf format. Although it does have filters, easy-to-execute line creation, and a nice layout, I prefer GIMP for all of my drawing and photo editing needs.

4. Storybook  (Link removed—program no longer available) I discovered this program a couple of weeks ago and have thrown away all of my handwritten notes and abandoned my offline database for novel writing. Yeah, it's that great. You can create character descriptions and location descriptions. You can create and manage chapters and scenes and add characters and locations to each. Time lines of chapters and scenes are generated (great for mysteries) and characters' ages are automatically calculated (helpful if you're writing a saga). I'm only skimming the surface of this program, folks; my advice is to check it out before you write another word. If you're a highly organized writer, you're going to love it!

5. Font Xplorer  This is relatively minor, I know, but if you're a writer who has about a million fonts on your hard drive, a font viewer is going to make your life much easier. Installation is easy and the reward is having all of your fonts available for viewing in one location. When I download fonts, I save them by individual author in a font folder. Then I can view the fonts and their character maps in Font Xplorer by author, character set, whatever.

***

Why are you still here? Download these free programs. Now!

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

I Saw You

THE NONFICTION

A woman in an old blue T-shirt throws open a screen door and glares at a vulture gliding in the late afternoon sky. "There's nothing dead around here but my brain," she screeches. The door slams and the carrion eater decides to hang around for handouts of human brain and sanity.

***

As you may have guessed, the scene above did in fact happen this week. The strain of working on my new book has exhausted my word tank and my creativity. With that said, I'll leave you with the short-short I wrote this week for Friday Flash. Enjoy!

*** 

THE FICTION 

I Saw You

11/1/08  Just a Tired Old Town

I  SAW YOU.

   I was driving through the old part of town when I was caught by the light next to the apartments where we used to live. Mom was shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun and I was fiddling with the rearview mirror to check on— My hand slid from the mirror. I saw you sitting behind me in a black pickup truck with narrowed eyes and a tilted head.

   Was it because of the sun or because you saw me, too? 

   A gentle breeze blew through the crack in your window and ruffled your hair. You still wear it a little long, but that’s OK. I always liked it that way. I closed my eyes and imagined I was running my fingers through those unruly brown curls. Your lips were determined but gentle and your eyes were the color of . . . the color of. . . . No, it’s no use. I may not remember the color of your eyes, but I know they gleamed when you held me close.

   I’m such a fool. I thought I was over you.

   Is it possible to forget someone who used to make me laugh in the cold winter wind and smile at a sink full of dirty dishes? How can I not remember those late nights on the patio, gazing at no-name stars and shaking my head at crazy wishes? Remember how we used to dance in the elevators between floors and wake each other up in the blue hours of dawn to talk about how we met on the corner at the old bookstore? 

   That old brick building is gone now and my heart is breaking in two.

   Did you leave because of the money? I never made you pay for anything I wanted. I had a job. Was it getting too serious? Was it because you weren’t having fun anymore? You warned me before I moved in that we were supposed to have fun. The last words you said to me were, “Baby–” No, wait, I want to make sure I remember this right. You said, “Angel, I’m bored. I’m going out with the guys.” I waited up till three and for breakfast I had stale crackers and old tea. I saved all the furniture and finished out the rest of the lease, hoping you would come back to me.

   I opened my eyes and glanced at the mirror one last time. A woman with long black hair rested her head on your shoulder like I used to do. 

   The light changed and I drove Mom and our daughter home. She’s two.

   You didn’t know about her, did you?

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

Murmuring That Creeps into the Life of a Wandering Soul, Part IV

6/3/10  Actually, a spring sky . . . shhh! ;^)

Lemonade and laughter subside and the warm summer sun gives way to an amber autumn sky.

This week's feature is Part IV of my continuing series of haiku entitled "Murmuring That Creeps into the Life of a Wandering Soul."  

Enjoy!

***

nothing so mournful as a dove in the morning silenced by motors hear wagon wheels crunch a pair of red sunglasses reflecting the road blinding lights at night pilot dropping loud bombs inside flashing garbage truck watch the waxing moon large and bright in the night sky falling to the sea speckled blackbirds cry and the song of a sparrow hides in a pillow warm summer sun shifts blue jays in the corn crying silent crickets soon somewhere in the world she swims out too far and sings a sad melody thoughts of yesterday cry louder than mourning trains waking you at dawn small seeds scattering on the walk and in the cracks last song of summer heavy mist and cold winds frosting a whimsical leaf cooling on a rack

*** As always, I love to hear from you. If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line. In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling. It’s contagious.

Seanachaí's News

 

On the last Sunday of each month, I compile "Seanachaí's News," a status report that assesses my work during the current month and also formulates my plans for the upcoming months. It will also give you a peek at my works in progress.

My Work During the Current Month

1. Starting a new work of fiction? Name the Baby discusses the importance of naming your work before it's published.
2. Are you talking at readers? Is your writing ambiguous? Keep It Simple!
3. Stay the Course examines my latest ride on a runaway writer's train. Yeah, you've been there, too! It's that little town called Continuity Problems.
4.  Excuses, excuses, excuses! Stop Cheating Yourself and WRITE!

 

My Plans for the Upcoming Months

1. Writing, writing, writing and more writing on the new book.
2. Have you found your way to Scribd yet? All of my short stories and poetry are now available at this interactive writer's network. You can download my work and subscribe to my feed by following this link. 
3. Be sure to send your youngster to school with E. Michaels' great new book, Little Duck Gets Ready for School.

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.

 

Stop Cheating Yourself

Do you ever have those days when you can't think clearly? I had planned to present a new short-short for this week's blog, but the words I'm writing are garbage.

I could blame my focusing problem on the new computer chair my brother gave me for my birthday. Sitting in something other than a beat-up rocking chair is messing with my mind . . . or not.

Maybe it's because I've been busy uploading my work to Scribd this weekend and I'm having uploading overload. Nah, that's not, either. 

Could it be that the simplest of grammatical structures is making me look and feel foolish? Possibly.

Does it have something to do with feeling anxious about the direction of my new book? Probably.

Am I having a confidence problem? That's more than likely.

Should I stop being lazy and JUST WRITE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD? Definitely!

Am I mad that I've wasted several days of writing opportunities? YOU BET I AM!

So, what am I saying? I'm saying that if you're good at making excuses so you don't have to write, you're cheating more than potential readers. You're cheating yourself.

Get to work. That's where I'll be, too.

***

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

The trailer for my latest book, Haunted Voices from My Past: True Narratives of an Ohio Family, is in the running for the YGRV August 2010 book trailer awards. If you like my trailer, please vote! 

Also, be sure to check out E. Michaels' latest book, Little Duck Gets Ready for School. It'll make that first day of school easier—and fun!—for your youngster.

 

***

As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.