Stuck In The Swamp Of Edit-land

I've been editing my first chapter of my MS and have found it extremely difficult. I keep procrastinating. Alot. I mean, I've been "farming" on Facebook, for goodness sake! I'm not sure why I can't seem to make myself just dig in and push my way through.

Maybe it is because there is an issue I've been researching and I cannot find the answer! I have searched online and found nothing. I went to the library, but alas, they were closed Thursday through Sunday for the holiday. Sigh...I even resorted to tweeting my question, but again, I came up with nothing.

The question is this: Could a medieval abbess of a convent (head nun, so to speak) force a woman to take her vows if she had been left at the convent as a young girl? Here's another question. Could a corrupt abbess marry off same woman to the highest bidder if the woman refuses to take her vows?

I don't want to be wrong, but then if I cannot find the answer, am I at liberty to make up whatever I want? Surely corruption abounds in every generation. Surely greed and power make people do things they normally wouldn't do, right?

Sigh...my story hinges on the answer to these questions. I need to find answers before I move on and I really need to move on and get this MS edited!

Winner of Just Between You & Me

Using a random number generator, the winner of Just Between You and Me by Jenny B. Jones is:

Linda

Congratulations! Please send me your snail mail address and I will get the book to you! (my email is: sherrinda (at) gmail (dot) com)

Just Between You and Me-Review & Giveaway

I finished the book Just Between You and Me by Jenny B. Jones today. I've been reading more contemporaries lately, since all the ideas for future projects have been contemporary ones. I don't know if I just prefer historical or what, because the last few books I've read seem to be lacking somehow. I'm sure it's just personal preference. It is harder to "escape" in a time I am familiar with. Also, I think I like historicals because there can be more adventure...you know, duels, tournaments, battles, men in armor...sigh. ;)

Book Blurb:

A novel of losing fear and finding God.

Maggie lives life on the edge, seemingly unafraid of anything. But the image she so carefully constructed is coming undone.

Her job as a videographer takes her around the world. She tells people’s stories, especially those of impoverished children. That’s when she feels most alive, like she’s making the world better.

But when a secret from her past resurfaces, Maggie gets a call that sends her home. Her dad desperately needs her help. Her estranged sister has run off, leaving 8-year-old Riley in his care. She returns reluctantly, hoping to help her niece. There she reconnects with Cooper–a once awkward and shy, now handsome, veterinarian. Her feelings skyrocket when she’s with him, but she’s afraid if she shows him her true self, he’ll reject her.

An honest, hilarious journey that will transform Maggie–if she just learns to trust more and fear less.

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All in all, this book was a pretty good read. There was great chemistry between Maggie and Connor, with alot of romance. Jones does a great job with sassy dialogue and quick wit (which I love!). I also love the theme of losing fear and trusting God.

The book dealt with some serious issues within the family and the more I learned, the more I understood Maggie's wall she had built up around herself. It took a long time to chip away at the wall and I found myself frustrated at the slowness. But I suppose I am like that too. I can't see what is right in front of me, because I have my own plan and want to see it through no matter what God throws right in front of me!

I am giving away my gently read copy, so if you are interested and want a chance to win a copy, please leave your email address (the spam-free way) in the comment section. I'll announce the winner Friday. (No Fatless Friday for me this week!!!)

*U.S. residents only. (sorry!)

A Blessed Fat Friday!

First, an update on my weight loss. I confess I skipped my WW meeting last week, but I had a good reason. Our High School football team made the playoffs and they got to play in the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium! Knowing it would probably be the only time I could ever afford to go, (tickets are $100's of dollars!) I skipped the meeting and went to the game! AWESOME FUN, even though we lost. :)


So this week I went to my meeting, knowing I had failed in my eating plan, and was pleasantly surprised to only have gained 1.4 pounds! AAAAaannnndddd, I was wearing jeans! So, here's to a new week.


And Thanksgiving! Oh Lord, give me strength!


Now to the blessing of the day! My mom found out this past weekend that she had a blocked artery and needed a stint put in the back valve of her heart. So I traveled the hour drive early yesterday morning to be with her. She was wheeled back into surgery and in no time, the doctor came out and said when they went in, the heart looked great!


NO BLOCKAGE!


The doctor said that the nuclear stress test they do has a 15% false positive result and my mom was just part of that statistic. I, on the other hand, choose to believe that God had his hand upon my Mom. Isn't that wonderful? I think so!


So here's an update on my writing....or lack of. I had set aside my first finished MS and began fleshing out a new project, but God has been speaking loud and clear this week, with several confirmations on what I am to do. I am to take up my MS and edit it into the ground. My editor dad has been swamped with work of his own (and helping take care of Mom), so I am going to take what he has done so far and try to incorporate what he has found into the rest of the manuscript. Hopefully, when he does get back to it, he will have less to correct! lol (wishful thinking!)


So here's to editing. And deleting. And adding. And murdering my adverbs, though I truly think some are beautiful.


Have a great weekend!

Crit Groups

I've been thinking alot about critique groups lately and wondering if I should try to find one. I've been praying about it for awhile and then read Lynnette Labelle's blog Chatterbox Chit Chat. She has become a matchmaker for those who are interested in joining a crit group. All you have to do is shoot her an email and answer a set of questions.

I sent her an email. And I am nervous.

Many of you know my dad is an editor and does work for some really famous people. He has my first MS and has started editing it. He has alot of work himself right now, so hasn't gotten very far in the edits and I am itching to get my hands on it once again. I think I need to start working on it, digging in and really making myself learn how to edit.

I think a critique group might help me. I think it would give me different perspectives and teach me many things I couldn't learn on my own.

For those of you in crit groups, how often do you crit? How much do you crit per person in the group? What is the norm? Is there a norm?

Inquiring minds want to know...

Someone Is Reading My Blog

My husband and I took off part of Friday, got our kids out of school early, and went to Houston. The church where my husband grew up was having it's 50th Anniversary. My husband's dad was the preacher there for 28 years and so the whole family was there...all 6 kids flew in/drove in for the event. Many people showed up at what turned out to be a wonderful reunion of friends and family.

What blew me away was how many people asked me about my book. Was it finished? Was it finally edited? Was it published? Can they read it yet? I was taken aback by the fact that people knew about my book. What I had forgotten was that I now write a blog and this blog feeds into Facebook. And LOTS of people are on Facebook.

Isn't it interesting the amount of information that is made available for all to see? In some ways it is a bit frightening. In some ways, exciting. It makes you realize the usefulness of the Internet as advertising.

It makes me wonder what publishing and advertising will be like in the future if I get published. What will publishing, advertising, and marketing look like in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? Do you ever think about that?

Winner of Seaside Letters

Using a Random Number Generator, the winner of Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter is:

DEBORAH

Congratulations! I'll get in touch with you, get your snail mail address, and get the book in the mail this week! Enjoy!

Seaside Letters - Review & Giveaway!

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter was my pick as a Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer. I received my free copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. At first I was a tad bit frustrated at all the unknowns in the beginning, but it certainly kept me turning the page, trying to figure out the heroine and her reasons for keeping a tight wall around her heart.. Denise Hunter is GREAT at not divulging everything at once...no backstory dumping here! Hunter slowly began to unwrap the story, layer by layer and beautifully displayed a heart healed and ready to bloom.

One of the coolest aspects of the book is the beauty of allegory throughout the book. The theme of God's patience was strong and paralleled the hero's care of the heroine.The theme of forgiveness and acceptance was artistically portrayed. There was even a side-subplot that mirrored the theme of fear and the steps to courage.

Hunter delivers a sweet romance that makes you heave a sigh at the end. And oh...the kissing scene fair stole my breath away! Gotta love a heart stopping kiss. :) It reminds me of You've Got Mail in some ways, but with more emotional depth. I think you'll like it!

Here is the back cover copy:

Sabrina never intended to fall in love with Tucker McCabe, the man she serves coffee to every morning at a Nantucket cafe--especially since he's unwittingly tied to a past she deeply regrets. But she's fallen hard, though she's kept her feelings a secret.

When Tucker learns Sabrina is the research assistant for a local mystery writer, he asks Sabrina to help him with a little sleuthing of his own...locating an elusive woman he's fallen for online.

If Sabrina accepts the job, she'll spend her evenings in close proximity to a man who can never be hers. If she turns him down, he'll hire someone else--and that would be a disaster. Because if someone else sifts through all those letters and finds out the truth, Tucker will discover her secret...

That the person he's trying to find is her.

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Leave comment and email address in a safe format and you will be entered for a chance to win a gently read copy of Seaside Letters. The drawing will be held using a Random Number Generator and the winner will be announced Sunday afternoon!

Selling A House

We've had our house on the market for 5 months. There's alot of damage to our home that insurance won't cover, so we are just trying to get out from under it. The price has been dropped a couple of times, but a week ago it was dropped enough to get some interest. Three to four showings a day!

Oh. My. Goodness.

It is so difficult to keep the house in order with a family, especially with me working full time. Yet, I have to wonder why in the world don't I keep it straight like this ALL the time! Yes, I nag the family alot more. Yes, I am grouchy when things are out of place. But, oh, it feels like the slobs have left the premises, and it is ever so nice to walk into a straight and uncluttered home.

All it takes is a little more effort on my part. Discipline. Forging through, even though I really don't want to. Making things happen, even though I would rather expend my energies elsewhere.

It makes me wonder what would happen if I transfered this same type of energy to my writing. I keep thinking of the interview I did with K.M Weiland and how she writes for 2 hours a day, from 4-6p.m. It is not an all day affair. Just 2 hours. What would happen if I set an hour aside and made that The Writing Hour. Just think of the possibilities.

For you writers out there, what is the average amount of time each day you spend on your WIP?

Hanging Noodles on Your Ears on Fatless Friday

You heard me right. I'm not hanging noodles on your ears! Actually, this is the title of a book my oldest son gave my husband for his birthday a couple of months ago. It's all about idioms from around the world and it is pretty funny!

Here's just a few:

I'm not hanging noodles on your ears: I'm not pulling our leg (Russian)

A camel can't see it's own hump: Pot calling the kettle black.

Thighs shaped like banana trees: A compliment to an attractive woman (Bengali)

Look for hairs inside an egg: Nitpick (Italian)

By candlelight, a goat looks like a lady: Look before you leap (French)

Strange, huh?

Then I found a page that had some words that have been delisted out of the dictionary. Frankly, I think some of these should be revived. What do you think?

Vocabularian: one who thinks too much attention to words

Tardiloquent: talking slowly

Somnificator: one who induces sleep in others. (I always pray my preacher husband doesn't become one of these!)

Sarcast: writer or speaker who is sarcastic

Natiform: buttock-shaped

Idiorepulsive: self-repellent

Bowelless: lacking mercy

Anonymuncle: an anonymous, small time writer

Hhhhmmmm, look how many of those deal with writers! What'sup with that? From one anonymuncle to another, I proudly wear the badge of Vocabularian and try ever so hard to be a Sarcast. I'm bowelless when faced with anything that takes away from my obsession with the written word. And if I ever happen to become a somnificator, well, just send me a natiform card and tell me to wake up and get with the program!

Oh yes, it is a FAT-LESS Friday for me. I weighed in last night and lost another 1.8 pounds. This gives me a total weight loss of 17.8 pounds! Woohoo! I think it may be time to go down a size, but I am loving the loose feeling of my clothes!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Winner of Behold The Dawn!

Using a Random Number Generator, we have a winner for K.M. Weiland's new release, Behold The Dawn!

The winner is: Linda!

Congratulations!

A huge thanks to K.M. Weiland, for letting me interview her and for her generosity in giving away a copy of her newest book!

Check out Weiland's blog at Wordplay!