Janel's Jumble

Greasy Spoon

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

My husband and I decided to treat our son with one of his favorite meals after a particularly difficult basketball game. We went to a restaurant that is famous for its hamburgers, one of the few menu items my son will reliably eat. The place is a classic greasy spoon. You had to hunch over your plate to eat the gooey, drippy, unbelievably tasty hamburgers. But the appeal of this restaurant goes beyond its food. The diner resides in an old cottage, white with red trim, lots of gingerbread decorations. It's tiny. From the outside it looks like a children's playhouse sitting next to a typical, two-story store front. Inside there are six, four-person booths. In the summer a small courtyard houses a couple picnic tables.

One wall is dominated by the grill, prep area, coffee and pop machines. Manning the grill is an unsmiling, gray-haired woman. The two waitresses are also older, smiling and joking with regular customers. The walls are covered with old photographs and vintage signs, along with a few dollar store finds. We were there for lunch and the aroma of French fries and hamburgers filled the small place. I went to college in a nearby town. The diner stays open 24 hours. So, the last time I was there it was the middle of the night. The room was clouded with cigarette smoke. I don't remember what I ate then. My friends and I were trying out the commonly held collegiate belief that greasy food and coffee counteracts the effects of massive quantities of alcohol.

I'm sure some aspect of the diner will appear in my writing eventually. Maybe a scene will be set in a similar restaurant. Possibly I'll use one of the waitresses as inspiration for a character.

Feels Like Monday

2012-02-07T10:21:00.000-05:00

My kids had a day off from school yesterday. Now it's Tuesday and it feels like Monday. It's mid-morning and I'm still trying to dust my brain off and figure out what is happening (or at least supposed to happen) this week. Part of my difficulty in reaching full-brain function today may be in the fact that I am editing a story about an insane asylum resident. For the past few days I've been living in the brain of my main character, a certified crazy person, and it shows.

It's rather amazing to witness my brain think of something completely valid and useful, then forget it and re-remember the same thought in a 30-second time span. Let's just say I am doing very well at channeling the crazy today. I'm not the only one who thinks like this. Check out today's post from Chuck Wendig. Warning: if you are easily offended by obscenities, or just easily offended, you probably don't want to click on that link. I LOL'd through the whole thing. What a surprise!

Anybody else feeling a wee bit "off" today? Do you ever resemble your characters or vice versa?

My Big, Freaky Imagination

2012-02-02T09:48:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I mentioned that I had a bit of an adventure in the middle of the woods. Quite a few people were interested in finding out more, so here it is folks. The full story. Let me lay the foundation for how I got to the point of freaking myself out last weekend.

When I was a kid there were a rash of supposed Bigfoot sightings in the rural area where I lived. At school I organized a group of my friends. We took turns keeping watch on the woods at the back of the field across the road from the playground. Just in case Bigfoot started heading our way. Because we knew one lived in those woods.

Fast forward to the present...My son rarely asks me to get books for him. However, one of the books he did ask me to buy is on Bigfoot. He and I often watch reality shows about people searching for Bigfoot. There are several things I've learned from these shows:

#1 - Bigfoots are curious and will often investigate activity that catches their attention.

#2 - For some reason they are attracted to women and children, more than men. Not sure if it is a voice or scent thing, or both.

#3 - Like many other wild animals, they mark their territory with scent.

Now, let's move on to last weekend. I am with my husband and kids in our Jeep. There are a group of about 12 Jeeps driving through snow-covered trails at night, as part of the Snofari event. We are acting as a "sweep", so we have to stay at the back to make sure everybody gets through the trails.

About 10 PM the group pulls into the last challenging trail for the evening, because when you spend $1,000s on customizing a Jeep you want to use all of the upgrades. At 10:30 PM everybody comes to a stop. A section of the trail ahead, which is difficult to navigate on a dry, summer day, is paved with solid ice. My husband and son get out to help all of the vehicles in front of us. My teenage daughter and I are left in our Jeep, alone. We talk to pass the time. The window is partially open to prevent the interior from steaming up, but also allowing our voices to be heard from outside the Jeep (See #2 above). There are a couple Jeeps in front of us with their headlights on, to help illuminate the trouble spot, but nobody is in the vehicles. There are frequent sounds of loud voices, racing engines and spinning tires coming from up ahead. (See #1 above). At 11 PM I have to go to the bathroom (See #3 above). I get out, step behind our Jeep for privacy and stare into the darkness. I realize that between the dense trees and cloud-filled sky, I couldn't see very far. Who knows what could be out there! Forget Bigfoot, there were definitely coyotes in the area and possibly even bears. I managed to make it back into the Jeep without having a panic attack, but in my haste I did end up with a slightly damp pant leg. Ahem. Yeah. Stupid over-active imagination!

Eventually everybody made it through the icy area and we got back to the hotel at midnight. Nobody got attacked by Bigfoot or any other animal. I got some inspiration for a future story, even if I wasn't happy about it.

How about you? Have you ever scared yourself by inventing fictional scenarios in your mind?

Snofari 2012

2012-01-31T10:37:00.000-05:00

Our Jeep is the red one on the right edge of the picture

This past weekend my family and I went on Snofari 2012. Basically, 60 off-road vehicles playing on the back roads and trails around West Branch, Michigan. It was a lot of fun for everybody both on the trails and at the hotel. Here are a few random thoughts from my long weekend away:

It isn't always great to have a writer's over-active imagination. Especially when you are in the woods at 11 PM and have to go to the bathroom. More on that little philosophical gem in a future Inspiration post.

Rum is good. Apparently I can drink a goodly amount of this fine spirit, along with one beer, and not get a hangover the next day. This was my second test of this theory. Will need to do more research in the future to see if the beer is a crucial component.

I should get a t-shirt to wear next year emblazoned with something like "Be Careful, You'll End Up In One of My Stories". Let's just say someone's fictional alter-ego will not come to a happy ending.

Buy raffle tickets as late as possible, close to when the drawings begin. My husband and I were visited quite a few times by the prize fairy. Sorry to say our early ticket-buying table mates won nothing.

Unexpected Sound

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

When I redesigned my blog recently I decided to add the phrase "Finding Inspiration" to my blog header. I love how inspiration for stories is everywhere. It's just a matter of paying attention. So from time to time I'll be sharing things I observe and how they may influence my writing. Here's the first one:

I live in a rural area. It's usually pretty peaceful without the noise of constant traffic or rumbling commuter trains. I'm used to hearing frogs and crickets in the summer. The howl of icy wind combined with the occasional coyote in the winter. Even more common are the sounds of the neighbor's dogs barking and roosters crowing. So I was a bit surprised when I opened the door to let Cooper outside and heard a horse whinny. The reality is that there is a horse farm down the road and a particularly vocal resident was having an equine conversation in the pasture.

I could easily explain the unexpected sound to myself, but what if one of my characters hears something unusual? Would they be curious or terrified? What made the sound?

Paying Attention

2012-01-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

When I decided I wanted a new look for this blog I set out on my usual search for templates. Three years ago, when I first started blogging, there weren't many customization options in Blogger's palette. It wasn't long before I started playing with the HTML and finding templates from other sources. While many of the templates I have formerly used were beautiful, with great graphics, installing them was never easy. I spent many bleary-eyed hours moving things around and trying to install the templates properly.

So, a few weeks ago I set out on the search for the ultimate clean with a tiny bit of funkiness template. I found it and installed it on my test blog. *As a side note here: I highly recommend a "test" blog for trying out templates, layouts and gadgets. Just make sure you go to the Blogger Settings tab and set the privacy so it won't show up on your profile or in search engines. The template looked horrible! There were lines going through text, bits of graphics here and there. Basically, a disaster.

Then it dawned on me that Blogger always had a nice cache of simple templates. Sure enough, there was my perfect, white layout. And there were ways to customize it! Changing column widths, fonts and colors now is accomplished with the click of your mouse. No tinkering with HTML codes required anymore to change from 2 to 3 columns. What a nice surprise. Now if only I hadn't wasted almost a week looking for the template elsewhere.

And the moral of this post is: Pay attention, things change. Sticking to your old route may actually be making things more difficult.

Have you had any "Why didn't I think of that earlier?" moments lately?

Redesign Complete

2012-01-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

It's done! I've redesigned my blog. Again. Janel's Jumble started out as a personal blog over three years ago. My latest version of the blog was kind of like an intern stage. Trying out ideas, hoping to get noticed by management, but still dressing a little funky to be a true executive.

This year I am taking my writing to a new level. I want this blog to reflect that. I was aiming for clean and easy to navigate. Professional. So if you have any problems with links or something doesn't look right I would appreciate it if you would let me know. And now the big question is:

Do you like the new look of my blog?

Creative Dominoes

2012-01-16T10:06:00.001-05:00

Isn't it amazing how creativity is like a chain of dominoes? You nudge one domino and the rest follow in a nice, neat line. Or maybe not. Sometimes one of the pieces takes an unexpected tumble. Perhaps the dog runs through the room and the mini earthquake sets more dominoes in motion.

Since the beginning of the year I have been quietly, diligently working on a project. Writing. Classifying and arranging. Editing. Designing keystone graphic elements. Learning XHTML coding. All of the elements of the project are toppling in an orderly manner, but I had a creative hiccup while I was arranging them. On top of all of those things I've decided to redesign my blog.

I've wasted a bit of time making a few missteps, but the redesign is coming along. If you happen to stop in and things look a little odd, excuse me. Those unpredictable hiccups can be so annoying!

Un-Campaign

2012-01-09T18:28:00.000-05:00

Email is distracting. If you can ignore your email program successfully, good for you. And I truly mean that, because I can't. Seeing a new email in my inbox drives me a bit crazy until I find out who it's from. Closing out Gmail doesn't help either. I get all twitchy and open it back up.

Every weekday morning I get up with my kids and try to go through my email, Google Reader and Facebook in the 1 1/2 hours between the time I get up and leave to take my youngest to school. Then as soon as I get home I can write or edit. However I was getting frustrated when I would open Gmail and see that I received close to 20 emails overnight. Many of them are newsletters that I just glance at, if that. At first I would just scan my inbox for any personal or relevant messages and then mark the junk emails as "read". After a few days I got tired of doing that, so I went on an unsubscribe campaign. Instead of ignoring the unneeded emails I took a few seconds to find the unsubscribe link on them. My morning email glut has been cut in half and I'm still at it. Now I have time to actually comment on a few Facebook and blog posts in the morning instead of just bookmarking them to look at in the evening.

Have you done anything recently to help simplify your life?

Musette Food: Baked Potatoes

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

The cold winter has set in and the kids are back to school. That means I am looking for comforting, warm lunches for one person. Me. A few weeks ago I was paging through a cookbook when I found a recipe for making baked potatoes with various toppings. Voila! My perfect, winter-time lunch was born.

I cook a potato in the microwave, cut it up, add toppings and warm again in the microwave to get all of the toppings warm and melty. If you decide to microwave your potatoes too, here are a few tips. Make sure you poke plenty of holes in the potatoes with a fork or sharp knife. They will explode if their internal steam can't escape easily. Believe me, you do not want that to happen. Also, leave the potatoes in the microwave without opening the door for a while, at least the same amount of time that they were cooking. This will ensure your potato is completely cooked.

After the potato is ready, the fun begins. Pile on your favorite toppings. This is a great way to help clean out the refrigerator, using up leftover bits of meat or veggies. Lots of gooey, melted cheese and a nice sprinkling of tasty spices are always a mainstay for me. Here are just a few of the things you could try:

Italian Seasoning
Hot Pepper Flakes or Sauce
Sauteed Mushrooms
Salsa
Taco Meat
Leftover chicken or beef
Lunchmeat
Olives
Spinach
Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
ANY kind of cheese

Don't forget to try different kinds of potatoes, too. I adore buttery Yukon Golds, but even the most basic produce section has many types to choose from, including sweet.

What are some of your favorite ways to eat baked potatoes?

Season's Greetings

2011-12-24T14:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas To All

and

To All A Good Night!

One of Those Days

2011-12-13T09:15:00.000-05:00

I was planning on doing a Musette Food post today, but I can barely think straight let alone set up links and serve up tips and variations on recipes. It's 9 AM and it is already one of THOSE days. You know, the ones you wish you had a reset button for.

Could we go back to bed now?

It all started a 4 AM when Cooper came into the bedroom, all excited and "talking" up a storm. My hubby had forgotten to put his Blackberry on mute last night and Coop wanted to let us know the he had a new email. Got the dog settled down, but couldn't get back to sleep because the neighbor's rooster was crowing. At 4:30 AM. When it was still pitch black outside. Fast forward to a few hours later when I let Cooper outside to do his business. I'm in the middle of my yard when I hear something very large crashing through the bushes in my other neighbor's yard along with the gong of something hitting metal. I look over and see a deer butt disappearing into the woods. Apparently it had kicked an old can that was in the weeds.

Right now I'm guzzling my second cup of coffee and feeling nowhere near normal. I'm also wishing that I had a coffee maker that brews the heavenly caffeinated stuff in a pot instead of one cup at a time. I would most likely be chugging it out of the carafe right now.

So, how is your day going? I bet it's better than mine!

My Newest Stories

2011-12-07T08:49:00.001-05:00

I can't believe this week is half over already. There must be some kind of holiday season worm hole stealing my time. I bet I'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be Christmas Eve, or at least that's what it will feel like as all of the shopping, decorating, wrapping and baking evaporates my days and my mind.

I've actually had three new stories released recently. Two of them are in anthologies that could be given to people as gifts. Now there's a thought to try to wrap your brain around. Part of my twisted, little brain wrote a story that is now in a form that could be someone's Christmas present. Wow!

First off, The Specimen is a little sci-fi drabble (100 word story) in the current issue of Luna Station Quarterly. This free, online magazine is packed with creative science fiction stories.

I wrote Strip Tease for A Shaker of Margaritas: Cougars on the Prowl from Mozark Press.

When a woman becomes involved with a much younger man, she is known as a “cougar.” Older women hooking up with younger men intrigue us. What is their story? Does age really matter? Could he be out to take advantage of her? Or did she get lucky and find the love of her life?

If you're looking for something on the creepier side there is Frightmares: A Fistful of Flash Fiction Horror. You might think twice about talking to strangers after reading my story, Gray.

We are not sure how many body pieces Victor Frankenstein used to create his "monster," but it is likely he used a lot less than Dark Moon Books did in stitching this creation together. It was pointed out during the proofreading and editing process that the table of contents included more words (nearly 800 at last count) than any of the individual stories. It was an interesting observation, but it proves a point. A well-written, complete story can be told with very few words. So, here it is in all of its nightmarish, ghoulish glory, Frightmares: A Fistful of Flash Fiction. It is packed with 129 tales that will rattle your bones, cause you to ponder your future, make you lose some sleep and, yes, even bring a smile to blood-smeared lips. The creation is sewn up tight and ready for a jolt of lightning to bring it to life. And, yes, that time has come, my friends. "It Lives!"

Winter Has Arrived

2011-11-30T09:02:00.001-05:00

Yesterday when I took my son to school we were pelted with tiny ice chunks. Throughout the day the weather alternated between rain, sleet and snow. As the sun went down the temperature dropped and it started to really snow. And it started accumulating. We woke up this morning to about half a foot of snow and the first snow day of the school year. We will be working at making an Origami Magic Ball out of brown craft wrapping paper (The legal-sized paper version didn't work last night, too many tiny folds!).

The sun is out now and it doesn't feel very cold outside, so I'm not sure how much of the white stuff will be left by the end of the day. For now I'm busy taking Cooper outside every few minutes to play and potty. That's a never ending situation because he LOVES to eat snow and then all of that water needs to come back out!

Musette Seeds: Hearing Voices

2011-11-29T10:19:00.000-05:00

Recently I was walking my dog in the park. I hadn't seen anybody else walking and there were no other cars in the parking lot. As far as I could tell I was the only person in the park. Imagine my surprise when I suddenly heard a voice behind me. Cooper, my dog, heard it too. We both turned around. I expected to see someone behind us, close behind us, possibly talking on a phone or riding a bicycle. Nobody was there.

The truth is there is a business near that corner of the park. Most likely someone was walking in the parking lot, maybe talking on a cell phone. The Musettes like the disembodied voices in the park version better. Now to wait a bit and see what they do with it. Maybe something to do with a haunted park . . .

Home Again

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

My week at Vie Hebdomadaires is over. It was fun meeting some new people. I think it's a great blog that will grow with each new writer. I'm back home here again. Since Thanksgiving is breathing down our necks, here in the US, I'm not sure how much I will be posting, though. Having the house bustling with family doesn't usually promote frequent blog posts for me. In the meantime, here are some pictures of my buddy. You can bet he'll be waiting for some tasty morsels on Thanksgiving!

I am working on being more patient.

Action Shot = Mid-Bark

Hungry Writers

2011-11-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

Today I'm talking about Feeding The Hungry Writer at Vie Hebdomadaires. Tomorrow is my last day guest blogging and then I'll be back home here.

NoNaNo For Me

2011-11-18T09:21:00.001-05:00

Today at Vie Hebdomadaires I'm talking about why I'm not participating in National Novel Writing Month.

Ordinary Life

2011-11-16T09:03:00.001-05:00

I'm talking about hearing voices in my head and living an ordinary life at Vie Hebdomadaires today.

Writing vs. Housekeeping

2011-11-15T09:22:00.001-05:00

Writing vs. Housekeeping. Find out which one wins in my post at Vie Hebdomadaires today.

Guest Blogging

2011-11-14T09:34:00.001-05:00

"Hi from Vie Hebdomadaires!"

The special thing that I was hinting at last week has arrived! I am guest blogging from now through November 20th at Vie Hebdomadaires. If you have never heard of this blog you should stop by and look around for a bit. Every week a new writer takes the helm to blog about whatever they want. I am the eleventh writer and there are already many other interesting posts in the archives.

Just as an added incentive (or at least I think it's an incentive) for you to click through and visit, I will be doing a daily picture of Cooper. Stop in, say "Hi!" if you want and enjoy Vie Hebdomadaires!

Going Low-Tech

2011-11-11T11:27:00.001-05:00

I love technology. I use my laptop computer so much I should probably name it. Other things I can't do without are my Kindle, the Wii and iPods. Tech gadgets definitely make life easier, but sometimes it's nice to step away from them and do things the old-fashioned way.

Yesterday I broke out real index cards to help me organize my stories. I am arranging them into themed collections. So, one side of the card has a list of themes the story falls into. The other side has the story's title, synopsis, word count and editing notes. I'm still working on filling out cards for all of my stories, but soon I'll be arranging them into neat little piles based on those theme words. Maybe it's just me, but does anybody else get excited about stacks of index cards? They are wonderful, tangible signs of all of the love and labor I put into my writing.

Today I ran a little errand, just for myself. I used a payment for one of my stories to buy a 2012 planner made especially for writers (and a pumpkin spice latte). I have several calendars on my computer to keep track of appointments and such. This planner is going to be just for my writing. Since I hate to waste things, I plan on filling it up with writing-related deadlines, goals and such.

Speaking of writing-related things, I am going to be doing something very fun and special next week. I can't tell you what it is at this moment, but I'll let you know what's happening in a few days!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Yikes! It's Here!

2011-11-10T12:56:00.001-05:00

I just sat down with a pile of index cards and some colored pens with the intention of organizing my stories into themes. However, I was a bit distracted when I looked out my front window. Can you see it?

Here, let me show you another view of my front yard.

Yup, that's snow ladies and gentlemen. Winter has arrived in the Michigan mitten. Just thought I'd let you know. Now, back to my regularly scheduled organizational frenzy . . .

Good Kind of Procrastination

2011-11-08T18:02:00.000-05:00

The writing task that I set for myself today was to sit down, go through my stories and organize them into collections. I really need to see what kind of stories I have in my files, maybe even rediscover some that I've forgotten about, so I can focus my writing on filling in the gaps.

I've decided to do this organizational chore several times over the last few weeks. At least twice on those days I haven't accomplished it because a new story was banging in the inside of my skull, trying to get out. It's a rather odd way to get inspired, via procrastination, but I'll take it!

Musette Food: Mason Jars

2011-11-03T06:30:00.000-04:00

Quite a few years ago baking cakes in Mason jars was quite popular. I even have a cookbook (somewhere) full of recipes and instructions on how to make the cakes. For several years I have been using Mason jars for storing dry ingredients, like cornmeal and pasta, in my kitchen.

Recently some posts from the Big Red Kitchen blog have caught my eye. Robin Sue has been blogging about Mason Jar Meals. What a great, eco-friendly way to make life easier. There is also built-in potion control. Also, here is a Kirtsy collection highlighting Mason Jars. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but my Musettes like the idea. They have deposited it into a story that I have been outlining. The story isn't on my priority list, so who knows how important the meals in jars concept will be. For now I am greedily waiting for more posts to see where they take my imagination.

Musette Posts

2011-10-25T08:45:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I introduced you to my muses, The Musettes, in this post. I thought it would be fun to post more about the care and feeding of those creative ladies. So, I will be doing two, new types of posts.

1. Musette Seeds. These posts will detail how I see things in my life and funnel the information to The Musettes. They, in turn, ponder for a bit and figure out what to do. Sometimes the inspiration may go into my WIP and at other times the idea may be left to percolate for awhile. Basically you get a peek into my twisted, story-writing mind.

2. Musette Food. I am in the planning stages of writing several foodie-themed novellas. In these posts I will either give you links to a foodie idea that has caught my eye or talk about something that I am cooking. I'm dieting right now, so these might not be very frequent at this point.

I won't be setting a schedule for these posts. They'll just go up as they come to me. Also, if you take a look at my header you can see my new bloggy tagline: Recycling Ordinary Life Into Fiction. I've always felt that great writers don't necessarily lead fascinating lives. They just have extraordinary imaginations.

What do you think? Do you like the new post subjects and my new tagline?

Mind Mapping Revisited

2011-10-17T07:58:00.000-04:00

I have only been blogging about once a week lately because I am supercrazybusy with my writing. (BTW I often hang out on Twitter while I'm writing, just in case you're wondering what I'm doing, LOL!) I have decided to self-publish some of my stories as e-book collections. While I am chugging along on the writing process a thought on the back-burner of my mind has been distracting me. How am I going to arrange the stories?

A post about mind mapping on The Book Designer blog gave me a shove in the right direction toward answering that question. I used a free mind mapping program called Freeplane. First I did a mind map to figure out the different ways my stories could be arranged, listing pros and cons. It soon became very clear which method I should use. With a few keystrokes I was able to turn the winning map node into a new mind map and continue on with planning. Next I'll be using a mind map to help organize the collections. I like putting "clouds" around the idea groups to make them easier to see the division and add some visual interest. I am so glad I turned back to this brain storming method. It has helped me immensely!

Have you ever tried mind mapping?

Book Review: Cross Currents

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Cross Currents
By John Shors
Published by NAL

Synopsis: Patch is an American living in the paradise of Ko Phi Phi island. He helps Thai locals Lek and Sarai run their struggling resort. Then Patch's brother, Ryan, shows up with his girlfriend, Brooke. Ryan wants to help his brother put his shattered life back together, but the two brothers don't agree on how he should do it.

My Thoughts: The descriptions in this book of Ko Phi Phi island are vivid and luscious. As a reader you are transported to this small island in Thailand. I could almost feel the hot sun and humidity, taste Sarai's simple yet delicious meals. John Shors has visited the island of Ko Phi Phi many times and describes life there perfectly. Lek and Sarai are barely scraping by, yet they and their children are happy. The found joy in the simple things, like swimming in the bay, playing soccer, and catching hermit crabs.

While Lek realizes Patch is running from something, he doesn't interfere until it is absolutely necessary. He considers the American his friend, as well as his helper. Patch's brother, Ryan, seems like a typical big brother. He wants to help his little brother, but only in the way he thinks is right. Their relationship on the island was tense, compounded by the fact that Ryan's relationship with Brooke is falling apart. The disaster that occurred at the end was heart-breaking since it actually happened. While the characters in this book are fictional real people on Ko Phi Phi went through similar experiences. This book is the perfect blend of family dynamics and life in an exotic land.

Prompts and Boas

2011-10-06T07:28:00.001-04:00

Inky Fresh Press is back after a summer hiatus and my first prompt of the season has been posted. If you are looking for some writing inspiration, stop by! When you write a story using the prompt and post it on your blog you can leave a link to it in the comments.

Voting for The Scarlet Boa 2011 Contest, hosted by author Stella Cameron, has begun! The theme was The Art of Conversation and the challenge was to write a story that is told using as much dialogue as possible. I am responsible for one of the entries, but authors aren't listed. In the spirit of fair play, I'm not going to tell either. :) You can find all of the entries here. Please cast your vote for your favorite story here.

Which story do you think is mine?

Filling the Belly

2011-09-28T11:07:00.000-04:00

I am taking a break from revising my mystery short story. I need to give the characters some personality adjustments and I want to let my ideas on that marinate for awhile. So I am writing a flash fiction piece for a prompted call for submissions. The main idea for the story came to me quickly, after brainstorming during a day of housekeeping. BUT the story needed something else, a bit of subplot to fill up the belly of the story's spiny shell.

My inspiration for the missing plot ingredient came from a meeting I didn't really want to attend. I ended up sitting next to a man. I had seen him before, but not paid much attention until her turned to me and asked if we went to high school together. That chance meeting from an old high school classmate sparked the idea for the subplot that I was looking for. So now, I am going to hurry up and publish this post so I can get back to writing my story!

Bulking Up

2011-09-19T11:13:00.000-04:00

Since my kids started school on September 6th I have spent almost all of my writing time on a mystery short story. I started with a complete flash fiction story of a little over 1,300 words and now the word count is creeping toward 4,000. My main goal with this story was to get myself back into a writing routine, after the ethereal, unscheduled days of summer. Working on the story has definitely gotten me back into writing, but it has also taught me a few things.

My goal for the next year is to write longer stories. This is a personal challenge that makes me excited and nervous at the same time. Excited for the possibility of breaking into larger, different markets. Nervous that my writing is too spare to produce any large works. My writing style is naturally very bare-bones, perfect for flash fiction's "every word counts" motto.

With the mystery story I've been working on I was able to take a skeleton of a story, really not much more than a conversation, and flesh it out. I added characters, sub-plots and a red herring. One part of me is happy. I can write a first draft with the minimal style I'm used to, then go back and bulk it up with descriptions and additional scenes. It's like being an anthropologist who can recreate a person's face from a bare skull.

Another part of me is whining that it was so much work to do this major rewrite. It would have been much easier to have the material there in the first place, instead of trying to add it in and rearrange the sequence several times. That part of me sees the benefits of thinking through a story and getting at least a general idea of scenes before starting a larger story.

How do you write? Do you usually have to bulk up or trim down your first draft?

Six Minute Magazine

2011-09-07T08:36:00.000-04:00

My story, Declarations (page 11), is in the current issue of Six Minute Magazine . Stop by and take a look at some great flash fiction! They're also open for submissions if anybody is interested.

Hurrah!

2011-09-06T09:43:00.001-04:00

The kids are at school. The dog has been walked. The celebratory latte is sitting next to me. I got a new story idea when I was at the park. I am ready to write! Hurrah for the new beginnings the first day of school brings.

That's the best she could do for a smile at 7 AM.

Smiles all around at 8 AM.

Luckily, both of my kids like to go to school, so it was an easy morning. The weather is cool so the walk with Cooper was refreshing instead of hot and miserable. The eye-watering stench of decay was wafting in the breeze in one area of the park. That certainly woke me and my Musettes up. Now to let that little tidbit roll around in my brain for awhile and wait for it to come back out as a story. I'd say there is a high probability it'll be something twisted!

The house is quiet, except for the sound of the refrigerator running. I'm resisting the urge to turn on the television for background noise. I'm sure I would find something to watch and derail me from my writing plans for the day. I think I'll just listen to Pandora instead. I have a contest story to edit and projects to organize. I will not let the procrastination gremlins sneak up on me. So...I'm off to do some editing!

Suggestion Box

2011-08-30T15:58:00.000-04:00

My muses, The Musettes, and I like to use a Suggestion Box to communicate. I imagine the box is frilly and sparkly, with feathers and rhinestones. In its former life it collected cards at a lavish wedding. I toss in ideas for things I would like to write, forget about them while I sip my caramel latte and wait to see what brilliant ideas The Musettes come up with. Sometimes, if the idea is a prompt, they get back to me within a day or two. At other times, it takes longer.

Earlier this year I gave them something to ponder. It has taken them months to get back with me. They have gone through mountains of triple chocolate brownies, gallons of cream soda and a case of sticky notes in their quest for The Answer. Their gauzy tunics are a little snug now, but they have produced a solution. Hurrah!

The suggestion I slipped into the box was:

This self-publishing e-book revolution is exciting. I'd like to try it. Please send short stories and novellas.

I know. I know. I have stated many times that I don't write long stories. I love flash fiction. I adore tiny prose. And I do. I really do. In fact I have a nice start on a collection that I could certainly turn into an e-book. I just want to branch out. Expand my horizons. Go big, at least for me.

Earlier this month the "big" ideas started arriving. So I dutifully wrote them down on index cards. I think I will soon be trapped in an avalanche of index cards. I was working on four different stories, until last night. That's when I realized I was dumping a huge pile of subplots into one story. There were so many dangling plot threads hanging out it looked like a pissed off, rabid hedgehog. I was scared. It was big. It was super novella sized. It was a novel.

Knock, knock. Musettes? I said novella (bigger than a short story, smaller than a novel), not full-fledged novel! So, I've been taking a hard look at all of those beloved subplots and realized that I can untangle many of them and turn them into their own, stand-alone stories. The kids go back to school after the holiday weekend and I'll be busy turning those index cards into stories. Bravo, Musettes, Bravo!!

Replenishing

2011-08-11T12:29:00.000-04:00

Summer is winding down. The tables at the farmer's markets are full of colorful produce that has been growing and prospering in the summer heat and humidity. My mind is full of colorful ideas, too. Story seeds that were planted months ago have sprouted. Some are compact, little jewels covered with a riot of blossoms. Other ideas have ivy-like tendencies with tendrils reaching out and wrapping around free-floating bits of inspiration.

It hasn't been a summer filled with words being written, but I knew it wasn't going to be. It never is, so I'm not disappointed that I didn't accomplish as much as I had hoped. Looking back it has obviously been the summer of replenishing my creative well. Summer is drawing to a close and that well is full, lapping at the brim, waiting to be used. I've been making an effort to notice more, happily filing things away in my mind. Eventually they will sprout or get caught up in the tangle of one of those ivy ideas. Here are a few of the idea seeds I've filed away this summer:

A porcupine waddling along beside a sidewalk at the edge of town.

Swimming in the rain.

The eery yowl of a feral cat at 3 AM.

What kind of idea seeds have you filed away this summer?

Book Review: Money Secrets of The Amish

2011-07-28T14:13:00.000-04:00

Money Secrets of The Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing and Saving
By Lorilee Craker
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc., June 2011

I have always been fascinated with the Amish. They live life simply, without frivolous material possessions, and are happy with their lifestyles. While I admire their commitment to living frugally I never thought of turning to them for financial advice until I read this book. Many people are struggling in the current economy, but the Amish have very effectively navigated the economic turbulence. That is because they have always lived within their means and been shrewd consumers.

The author looks at many long-standing traditions within the Amish community and demonstrates how she applied them to her life and how others can do the same. There is advice on everything from buying food in bulk to shopping at second hand and resale stores. I liked the many interviews scattered throughout this book. The Amish and people who deal with the Amish, like bankers, explain how they make financial choices and why. I have to admit I was expecting a book about money to be dry and humorless. I was very happy to see the tone was more like having a discussion with a friend instead of listening to a lecture. The advice was also tailored more towards women with many shopping and home management tips, which was fine with me. The techniques demonstrated show you how to save money while saving your sanity and staying happy.

I received a digital copy of this book for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated for this review.

Read Between the Lines

2011-07-27T18:07:00.000-04:00

Describing a living space is a great way to show (not just tell) readers the personality of your characters. Unmade beds, dirty clothes and greasy pizza boxes stacked on the kitchen table can paint a vivid picture of a slob or maybe a person who has given up and just doesn't care anymore. How about a bedroom with lace curtains, floral wallpaper, a fresh bouquet on the night stand and a twin-size bed?

That being said, I just looked at the books on my end table. Books that I am currently reading.

Muse Therapy
Poor Girl Gourmet
Joy for Beginners
The Writing Diet

Wow! Now there's a description where you can read between the lines . . .

The Lazy Blogger

2011-07-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

It's official. I'm mired in the lazy, hazy days of summer - and so is my blog. I haven't been posting much and I don't see an increase coming anytime soon. So far this summer it seems that I am either getting ready to travel, traveling or recovering from traveling. I'm tired, but not complaining!

Here are some pictures from last week's adventure. My husband had the week off and we made a spur of the moment decision to head to northern Michigan.

First stop: The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie. It really is amazing watching ships rise and fall in these massive locks. We also had a birthday dinner for my daughter at The Antlers. They literally announced it with incredibly loud bells, whistles and sirens which suitably mortified my newly 12-year old daughter. :-)

The Soo Locks

The Tuscarora In The Lock

For this trip we spent two nights at a hotel on the beach in Mackinaw City. While the hotel had a nice beach it was much more comfortable to swim in the indoor pool. Even in July the Great Lakes are cold enough to make your toes curl.

The next morning we were up bright and early to take a ferry to Mackinac Island. On the way across the straights of Mackinac the ferry took a detour to pass under the mighty Mackinac Bridge. I have driven over that famous bridge many times, so it was fascinating to go under it. Of course, riding on the open top deck of the ferry brought back memories of my childhood.

The Mighty Mac

Cruising Under the Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan


Elegant Carriages at The Grand Hotel

View from porch of governor's summer house on the island

We packed our two days in the area full of fun. Lots of things to see and regional delicacies to munch on including fudge, whitefish and pasties (Pronounced pass-tees. They are Cornish meat pies. No relation to anything you would see in a strip club.) We came home on Thursday, did a few loads of laundry and headed up to our cabin for the rest of the week.

So, please tell me, what have you been doing this summer?

Summer Drinks

2011-07-07T11:27:00.000-04:00

There's nothing like an icy drink to cool you down on a hot summer day. I've run across several blog posts recently that detail some very tasty sounding drinks and concoctions. It would be selfish not to share them with you!

A Vin d'Orange Experiment

Snakebites and Bleach (Shandies)

Hirkum Pirkum

Since those are all alcoholic offerings, I also found some links for Homemade Soda Recipes.

Now go get a cold drink and enjoy your summer!

New Story at STR

2011-06-30T16:18:00.000-04:00

I decided to do a weekly prompt meme this week. I combined the prompt - Ancient Astronaut - with one of my vacation photos. The story is posted at my other blog: The Short Tale Repository.

Vacation 2011

2011-06-29T14:38:00.000-04:00

Stay-cations have become popular in recent years as the cost of living and gas has gone up. While we didn't exactly stay in our home state of Michigan, we did stay close for our vacation this year, traveling one state south to Ohio with a quick side trip into Indiana on the way home. I guess you could call it a close-cation. :)


Cleveland skyline

First stop was the USS Cod submarine for a tour. I'm a pretty small person and it made me feel claustrophobic!

USS Cod Submarine

The next day we went to the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I have to say the kids enjoyed the science center more since they had no idea who most of the rock & roll stars of the past were. It was fascinating seeing all of the old guitars and costumes. We missed seeing Lady Gaga's meat dress by two days!

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Great Lakes Science Center

The next day we headed south to Columbus. My husband has been on several business trips to that city and suggested we stop at a BBQ restaurant to escape rush hour traffic. If you are into BBQ I have to say Hoggy's was excellent. Burnt ends anybody?

When we were checking out of the hotel in Cleveland I happened to pick up a brochure for an area called Hocking Hills. I am so glad I found it! The area was absolutely gorgeous and the unexpected "gem" of a find for this vacation.

The next day we swung down to Cincinatti for some Skyline Chili and a visit to Jungle Jim's. Then we headed home, veering into Indiana to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was a short trip, but we all had a great time.

Loved this building in Cleveland! Check out what it says at the top.

What have you been doing so far this summer?

I'm Still Here!

2011-06-28T18:17:00.000-04:00

I went on vacation a few weeks ago and apparently my blogging inspiration crawled into this cave and stayed there. I'll be back soon with more pictures and details about the trip. I hope you all are having a fantastic summer!

Doing My Part

2011-06-10T11:11:00.000-04:00

My little town started a farmer's market today. The kids and I ventured out this morning to support the fledgling market and its vendors. Since it isn't produce time here in central Michigan there were only a handful of offerings this week.

First, the organizers handed out reusable bags to everybody. Then I bought honeycomb for the kids to try along with honey & milk soap. Then it was on to homemade dog treats for Cooper (who was patiently waiting in the car since no pets were allowed) and Double Mint Goat's Milk Soap. Finally, homemade fruit friands from a lovely Australian lady. By the way, if you click on the link for the friand recipe you might want to take a look around that cooking blog. I just found it when searching for the recipe, but it has many tasty offerings.

The day started out cold and now it's raining. Hopefully the vendors will stick it out and the market will develop into a thriving attraction.

Teacher Gifts

2011-06-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

I am busy, busy, busy! I have a few minutes to spare at the moment, so I thought I would share the teacher's gifts I made.

The t-shirt things are tote bags made from old t-shirts. You can find directions for that project here. These were quick, easy and inexpensive. Tip: Try to use kid's or women's t-shirts, most men's sizes make HUGE bags!

I also made memory wire bracelets for two special teachers. You can find a video on how to make those here. Tip: Don't use your good wire cutters to cut memory wire. Use cutters made especially for that wire or I use my husband's industrial wire cutter. The wire is so tough it will put nicks in the blades of most wire cutters.

OK, I'm off to get some more work done. I hope you all are having a fabulous week!

Prompt & Contest

2011-06-03T12:10:00.000-04:00

My prompt post is up at Inky Fresh Press. You could win The Magazine Article Writing Handbook if you write a story from the prompt! Stop by and see what you can come up with. I can't wait to read your stories. :)

Sci Fi-tastic

2011-06-02T09:43:00.000-04:00

This week I have found some great inspiration for science fiction stories in my real life. On Tuesday morning I took the kids to school and noticed patches of road that were dotted with brown spots about the size of a quarter. At first I thought the spots were from trees, maybe some kind of seeds, but then I realized the spots were often in areas without trees. The spotted areas were actually under street lights. Can you guess what the spots were? June Bugs! Big, brown beetles that are bigger than my thumbnail. Yesterday morning they had invaded the McDonald's parking lot. Creepy, crawling bugs every few inches all over the entire parking lot.

Yesterday was very windy. I live in an agricultural area and the wet spring weather has greatly delayed planting crops. As a result there are many fields (some almost a mile long) have exposed soil, not yet covered with protective plants. In many areas it was like driving into a fog. Great clouds of dust blew across the fields and over the roads. I took Cooper outside for a potty break and after a few minutes my lips were coated with gritty dirt. Watching dust clouds travel across the fields was surreal, kind of like being on a different planet.

While walking in the park I have noticed the poppies are starting to bloom. The orange, billowy flowers are beautiful, but the flower buds are rather strange. They look almost like fuzzy, green eggs on stems, swaying in the breeze.

Have you found inspiration in any unexpected places lately?

The Weekend in Review

2011-05-31T09:52:00.000-04:00

Hello and welcome to another crazy week! For those of you who had a long weekend, I hope you enjoyed yourself. On Saturday we packed up Cooper and went to the Dog Bowl in Frankenmuth, MI. That was truly an amazing experience. Doggies, doggies everywhere! And almost all of them being very polite. Cooper got some homemade treats and an adorable pirate bandana that he actually leaves on and doesn't try to rip off.

On Sunday we all went to Rocks & Valleys Off-Road Park to watch a four-wheel drive hill climb. Vehicles had 15 minutes to go down and then back up a hillside strewn with giant rocks. If you're into gearhead stuff like I am, it was a very interesting event to watch. I got to try out my new video camera, but I haven't taken the time to figure out how to post the videos on my blog yet.

Today is May 31 and that means it is the last day of the Story A Day Challenge! Shhh, don't tell anybody, but I cheated a bit. I knew I would be busy, distracted and tired over the weekend, so on Friday I had a little private writing marathon. I sat down and wrote stories until my StADa folder had 31 stories in it. As soon as I get done with this blog post I need to break out my red pen and get to work on some editing for a story that has been accepted into an anthology.

Speaking of accepted stories . . . She Thought is up at Litsnack right now. If you are looking for some writing inspiration today I also have a prompt post up at Inky Fresh Press.

What did you do this weekend?

It was a cold and rainy day . . .

2011-05-26T10:40:00.000-04:00

It was a cold and rainy day . . . Sounds like the beginning of a spooky story, doesn't it? I'm sitting in a shadowy corner of the living room, watching water drip from the eaves. This is what Cooper looks like. I guess a gloomy day affects animals as much as humans.

I am listening to Rebecca Loebe, trying to find some inspiration for a story in one of her songs. You may recognize Rebecca if you watch The Voice. I am so disappointed that Adam did not pick her in the duel round. Her voice and personality captured my attention on the show. Turn the volume up on your computer and click here to go to her website. A little snippet of one of her songs that my mind is playing with as I'm writing this post: "You can't knit socks for a married man." Yeah, I know!

Another singer that I am really enjoying right now is Lisa Hannigan. I discovered her while watching Live from the (((artists den))) last week. Love the hand-sewn look of her website and check out the giant toadstool on her instrument in this video.

I know many writers recommend listening to instrumental music when you are writing, but what about when you are looking for inspiration and ideas. I'm gathering ideas with these musicians today.

How about you? What musicians do you like to listen to?

Noticing

2011-05-24T09:33:00.000-04:00

It's the end of the school year for my kids. My son tells me every day how many days of school are left. It's a very energetic time of year. The kids are excited to start summer vacation and happy that homework is tapering off. I'm busy trying to take care of things, like getting my eyes tested, that I would rather do without having the kids in tow over the next few months. I have errands to run and teacher's gifts to make. I'm still writing a new story every day and I have two stories that need some serious editing work before the end of the month. Lots of "stuff" going on, but in times like this I think we all need to remember to take care of ourselves. Take some time do what we want and really notice what is going on around us.

This morning I walked Cooper at the park. It is a glorious, sunny morning. Not too hot, not too cold, just right. I used to walk with my iPod plugged into noise-cancelling ear buds. Now I just walk, listen and look around. Most of the flowering trees have dropped their blooms, pink or white petals lay like confetti on the ground around them. Fragrant lilacs are in full glory. Today I plan on picking some from the ancient lilac bushes lining the edge of our yard. The big drainage ditch at the park has some wild bushes and shrubs clinging to its banks. Those are all in flower, beautiful shades of white, pink and purple. One tree has a ring of Lily of Valley surrounding it, the flowers bobbing in the breeze. I shared the park with an older gentleman, slowly pedaling around on his bicycle. He smiled broadly every time Cooper and I met up with him. Today Cooper missed seeing the squirrel that likes to hang out on the trees in the back corner of the park. I looked for, but couldn't find, the muskrat I had seen in the ditch last week, quietly slipping through the water. Last night I left the bedroom window open when I went to bed. We were serenaded by a chorus of frogs who live in our pond. Right now I can hear at least three different kinds of birds calling and chattering in my back yard. Soon, I'll finish my coffee and start running my errands. For now, I'm writing this and trying to share a little bit of calm with you.

Is your life getting crazy now too? What are you doing to keep some balance?

Oof, Migraine

2011-05-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

It's official. I've had a migraine for over 24 hours now. I have medication that is keeping the actual headache pain at a tolerable level, so I can look at my computer screen and actually function like a somewhat normal person. My biggest problem with this migraine, and many of the others I've had in the past, is nausea.

So I have a question for you, my friends. Do you know of any medications or remedies that help with migraine-induced nausea? Any help or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated right now!

Quiet Update

2011-05-17T12:34:00.000-04:00

I have been pretty quiet lately: here on the blog, on social networks and in real life, too. With all of the writing I have been doing . . . well, I'm just going to say I'm being contemplative. The Story A Day Challenge has been an interesting experience for me. I am not as excited about it as I had hoped, but it has been very revealing and eye-opening. I thought I would be relying heavily on prompts, but my brain is churning out story ideas all by itself. I have always insisted that I don't like writing on the weekends or at night, but I most certainly can. In fact, since my muse has been taking her sweet time with formulating stories, I've been writing at night a lot. The really exciting thing is I haven't missed a day yet. Seventeen stories and counting. All of the stories are sloppy, messy, rough drafts, but they can be fixed. I'm also experimenting with some story structures that I'm excited about. In the background I'm also working on the How To Think Sideways program. I have a feeling I'll get "into" it much more over the summer.

What have you all been doing? I would love to know. :)

WOW! Woo-Hoo . . . Oh My!!

2011-05-10T09:58:00.000-04:00

Hello everybody! I haven't been online much lately, but I've had some good reasons for my internet diet. More about that in a bit.

First off, I am being interviewed at the WOW! Women on Writing Blog - The Muffin today. The Muffin is one of my favorite blogs, so take a look around while you're there. If you are a writer I guarantee you'll find something (many things) that you'll like.

Speaking of writing, if you need a little inspiration you can find my latest Inky Fresh Press prompt post here.

I am chugging along on the Story A Day Challenge. I haven't started today's story yet, but I have written at least one story for the first nine days of the month. I was more than a bit nervous about doing this challenge, but this process has been magic. Sometimes I've used prompts and at other times I've found inspiration from my life. Yesterday I was walking Cooper in the park. He stopped to take a "necessary" break and I started looking around. Nearby there was something wrapped around the trunk of a tree. At first I thought it was some kind of rope, but as I got closer I could see it was a band of knitted fabric. My little park, in a two-stoplight town, has a yarn bomb! I love art and finding it in a completely unexpected place made me smile. It also spurred yesterday's story and the one I plan on writing today. The StADa challenge has been a lot of fun and the community it great.

Apparently the writing gods don't think that challenge is challenging enough for me! First, I won a three chapter or short story critique from the fabulous Michelle Davidson Argyle. While I have several short stories in various stages of completeness, they aren't anywhere near the point where I would feel comfortable sending them to be critiqued. So, I have happily added this to my writing plate.

Now for the kicker! Last month I was wasting time on Facebook and spotted a contest on the Writer's Digest - Guide to Literary Agents blog. (Thank-you, Katharina Gerlach for sponsoring the contest!!) Just leave a comment on the post. So I did - and I won. My reaction was Yay! Oh wow! Oh my!! What did I win? A 6-month writing course: Holly Lisle's How To Think Sideways. Weekly lessons delivered every week for the next 6 months. Lesson #2 was delivered this morning!

And what do I have to say about all of this? Rawrrrr!! Bring it on writing gods. I. Can. Do. This!

Flash Fiction Blogfest

2011-05-06T07:33:00.000-04:00

My story, B & B, is posted at The Short Tale Repository. This is my entry for the Flash Fiction Blogfest hosted by Cherie at Surrounded By Books. Click here or on the badge below to see a list of all of the other fine writer's participating in this blogfest.

Monday News

2011-05-02T11:20:00.000-04:00

The first half of this week is shaping up to be very busy for me, but I just had to stop by and share some exciting news!

My beadwork pattern, Citrus Swirl Necklace, is in the June issue of Bead Unique magazine. I haven't had a pattern published in awhile, so it's fun to see my work in a magazine again.

This morning I was notified that I am the April winner of the Wake Up Your Muse challenge. You can read my story here. The prize is a copy of Wake Up Your Muse! by Jan Christiansen. It is a book of 1001 prompts, perfect for the Story A Day challenge I am participating in right now. By the way, the May prompt has been posted, so all of you can enter.

I hope you all have a lovely week! Me, I'm just going to try to keep up with life without going crazy!!

Today at Short Tale Repository

2011-04-29T19:27:00.000-04:00

I just posted a story on The Short Tale Repository for the April Challenge at the Sonia G. Medeiros Is Doing the Write Thing blog. The challenge was to write a story using only dialogue. No speech tags or description. You can find my story here.

StoryADay Manifesto

2011-04-29T08:38:00.002-04:00

I will write one story every day in May - 31 total.

Flash fiction (500+ words) Monday through Friday
Twitter and Micro (140 characters to 100 words) Saturday and Sunday. I reserve weekends for family time, so I don't get much writing time in during those days.
If I start a story that I cannot finish I will also write a Twitter or Micro story to count as my story for the day. I need more stories to post on my new blog, Microcosm J, anyway!

I will write each story and put it away.

This is a writing challenge, not an editing challenge. No editing allowed until June.
I will be insane by the end of the month if I have 31 stories in different phases of the editing process.

I will contribute to my Story Mine.

Not every story I write will be published.
Some stories may have a salvageable character or scene that can be "mined" and go into something better at a later date.

I will have fun.

No freaking out if I don't get a story done.
Remember this is a challenge. The world will not stop spinning if I don't complete it.

My New Blogs

2011-04-28T13:47:00.000-04:00

I haven't been doing a lot of writing lately because I have been busy setting up a couple new blogs. I would like to keep Janel's Jumble as a personal/slice of life blog where you can see what I'm up to and maybe pick up a bit or two of advice. I want to start participating in more writing challenges, blog fests and memes. Instead of posting the results here I decided to start a couple new blogs.

First, there is Microcosm J. This is a Tumblr blog that I am using to house my tiniest stories, micro fiction. I'll be posting there whenever something pops into my head. My plan is to use these as prompts that I can return to later and flesh out into larger stories.

Second, is The Short Tale Repository. The is another Blogger blog. This will be where I post longer stories for the challenges and memes that I participate in. I just posted my first story there, an entry for a weekly meme that I discovered this week.

I will post a link here whenever a new story goes up on STR. Please stop by and let me know what you think!

Woo-Woo Writing

2011-04-25T23:10:00.000-04:00

Tapping into your subconscious to improve your writing may seem a bit "woo-woo" to some people (like my husband), but I recently picked up a few tools to help me explore that aspect. Over Spring Break my daughter begged me to take her to a New Age gift store that had recently visited. One of the things she was most attracted to was an "answer" pendant. Basically a stone pendant on a chain. You let the pendant dangle as you ask a question in your mind. The pendant will swing in different ways with your answer.

The pendants in the gift shop were made of different stones and I dug through the display to find the least expensive one. My daughter seemed enamored with the idea and I was fascinated too. Then it hit me, I had read about this technique to improve your writing. Last year I read Thinking Write by Kelly L. Stone (my review). Using a pendant to answer Yes/No/Maybe questions in the writing process is detailed in this book. I haven't used the pendant to make any decisions yet, but I can say when I concentrated on what each answer would look like the pendant did swing in different directions. I can't wait to try this when I come to a roadblock in a story!

On a side note, while my pendant is made of carved stone the book suggests making a pendant from weighted hardware washers hanging from a string. The artistic side of me is wondering if I can make a beaded bead for the pendant. Hmmm......

A few weeks after I got the pendant a book that was on my Wish List at Paperback Swap arrived in my mailbox. I don't know where I discovered The I Ching for Writers: Finding the Page Inside You by Sarah Jane Sloane. The I Ching is a 5,000 year-old system for seeking wisdom. Where as the pendant is good for will questions: Will I publish a book next year? The I Ching is for what questions: What will happen if I remove a minor character from the story?

You can read the beginning of the book here for a more detailed description. Basically you throw coins while thinking about a question. After a series of coin throws you will have a diagram. Find the I Ching hexagram that matches the diagram and interpret it as you will. This book tailors the I Ching for writers.

I haven't tried the I Ching yet, either, but I am very excited about the possibilities. There is no right or wrong way to interpret the hexagrams. They are just a way to gain some new insight into your writing. I am also going to do some research to see if there is something else that I can throw, besides metal coins. The reason behind this is my body chemistry reacts with metal so holding coins in my hand, even for a little bit, leaves behind an unpleasant metallic scent. Again, there is a possibility for coin shaped glass beads to solve this problem.

These techniques aren't for everybody, but no matter how skeptical you are I bet you've "slept" on a decision and woke up knowing the answer. That's yet another way to tap into your subconscious mind.

Have you ever tried a "new age" technique in your writing or elsewhere?

Upcoming Blogfest

2011-04-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

I don't participate in blogfests very often. Every once in a while, though, I just can't resist. Next month I'll be participating in the Flash Fiction Blogfest hosted by Cherie at Surrounded By Books. Sign up on the Mister Linky list here, then post a flash fiction story (500 words or less) on your blog on May 6. Have fun reading all of the entries AND you could also win prizes.

So, who else is game? I dare you to participate too!! Double-dog dare!!!

By the way, if you need some help getting started on the story, my newest prompt post is up at Inky Fresh Press.

Templates and Contests

2011-04-21T09:07:00.000-04:00

I stayed up past my bedtime last night and installed a new blog template. If you're reading this post in a reader, click through and take a look! There are also share buttons at the bottom of each post. If you feel so inclined, you can now easily share my posts on your favorite social media outlet. :)

There are a few contests going on right now that I suspect some of you will want to participate in. Here they are:

My fabulous friend, Becky Povich, is having a fabulous giveaway! An autographed copy of "Gone With A Handsomer Man" by Michael Lee West. Deadline is May 7. Click here to enter.

Flash fiction trend-setter Robert Smartwood is conducting the Hint Fiction Contest The Third. The judge is none other than Joyce Carol Oates! In case you don't know, Hint Fiction is a story of 25 words or fewer that suggests a larger, more complex story. I already have my entries submitted. Come on, I know you all can do this. :) Deadline is April 30, no entry fee. Limit of 2 entries per person.

Writer's Digest has posted another prompt for their Your Story challenge. Write a 750 word or less story beginning with the line: "You won't believe what came in the mail today." Deadline is May 10. Click here for details on how to enter.

SheWrites.com Blogger Ball Re-Redux

2011-04-19T22:31:00.001-04:00

Hello and welcome to everyone who has arrived at my corner of the blogosphere through the SheWrites Blogger Ball. My name is Janel and I write short fiction (from 140 characters to short stories) and beadwork patterns. I started out reviewing books here, but now I talk more about my life as a writer. Please take a look around and leave a comment if you feel so inclined. You can also connect with me on Twitter and Facebook. Please click on the photo above to see who else is participating in the Blogger Ball, hosted by Meg Waite Clayton at her blog, 1st Books. Happy Blog Hopping!

Attitude Shift

2011-04-14T09:24:00.001-04:00

Over the last few weeks I've talked about how stressed I am. Blah, blah, blah-biddy, blah, blah. Normally I would be whining and making excuses for not writing. I'm too stressed to write. I would have said that in the past. In fact, I pretty much said that all through January. My mind is full of life "things" that I need to ponder and obsess over. I can't think about plot twists and interesting main characters. Blah, blah, blah yet again.

In the middle of last month's life implosion, I decided to shift my attitude. I modified the subliminal tape looping in the back of my mind. Instead of: I can't write. I changed my mantra to: I NEED to write. One evening, when my dad was in the hospital, I came home and told my husband not to be surprised if I start focusing on my writing and disappear into my creative rabbit hole. I made writing my refuge.

Now I'm hurtling down my own personal, Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole. Stories are coming out of me. Big ones, little ones, itty-bitty Twitter sized ones. I am writing at times when I normally don't write. On the weekends, when the kids are home playing the Wii, late at night. Every time is eligible to be writing time. I'm picking prompts and just writing whatever comes to mind. I go to bed with a tiny sprout of an idea in my mind and wake up with a fully plotted story that wants to be written. The honest happiness that writing produces is counteracting the stress. Yay!

What happens when YOU change your attitude?

And . . . It's Monday

2011-04-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

We had beautiful weather this weekend with sunshine and record high temperatures yesterday. A tantalizing taste of summer that has blown away with this morning's wind gusts. I just heard we have already reached today's high before 9 AM and it will get colder throughout the day. Ah, yes, this Monday really feels like a Monday, if you know what I mean.

I thought I would do a quick update and what has been going on with me. First off, I was interviewed yesterday at the Inky Fresh Press blog. You can stop by to see how I manage to make so many submissions without going insane.

Last week my daughter went through allergy testing, hoping to determine why her lips and face swelled up unexpectedly. Thankfully, she doesn't have a food allergy. They are still waiting for results from blood tests, but it looks like she has something called angiodema. Basically, her body produces an overabundance of histamines when irritated and that causes swelling. It is the same phenomenon that causes bug bites and scratches to swell dramatically. We'll never know what caused the facial swelling reaction, but it could have been something as simple as she got too cold or warm during the night. There is a good chance it'll never happen again and if it does, allergy medication helps. Like I said, I am so happy it isn't a food allergy so she won't have to study ingredient labels for the rest of her life.

I'm working through the situation with my parents not being able to drive and helping with their various medical problems. It's kind of like giving birth to your first child. You know it's going to happen eventually, but you have no idea when or what it will be like.

I have been writing. I'm deep into the heart of my second short story within a week. The one I am working on right now is truly a short story, not even close to flash fiction length. One part of me is happy to be writing "longer" and another part is freaking out. Bigger stories take bigger amounts of time to write, at least 2 or 3 days for me. I'm only a few weeks away from taking on the challenge of writing one story per day - and my brain decides it wants to do lengthier stories. Go figure!

So, how are you and your brain doing this fine Monday morning?

Out and About

2011-04-08T11:14:00.000-04:00

I'm here, there and everywhere - out and about on the interwebs today!

My story, Decaying Hope, is up at Long Story Short.

My first prompt post is appearing at Inky Fresh Press.

While my virtual self is gadabouting around, my real self is settled into my comfiest chair trying to finish a story. I took a short break from writing it two days ago, just to take a few moments to figure out where I wanted the story line to go next. I'm still not done with the break! Come to think of it, I'm not done with the laundry either. Off to do the laundry (how's that for another fine example of writing procrastination?) . . . have a wonderful weekend everybody!

Back to Blogging

2011-04-04T09:33:00.000-04:00

I am declaring my unexpected blogging hiatus over. Although, my brain has been shredded, blended and discombobulated over the last few weeks, so I'm not really sure what I'm going to write about after this post. I swear stress evaporates good ideas. Here is a flash version of what has been going on to cause the stress:

My dad was admitted to the hospital a couple weeks ago because of a seizure. A brain scan revealed that he had also had a minor stroke a day or so before the seizure. There are minimal effects from the stroke, but he will be unable to drive for the next six months because of the seizure. My mother has never had a driver's license. I am an only child. Luckily a couple of my dad's siblings and people from his church live closer to my parents than I do and have kindly offered to help with taxi duties.

While my dad was in the hospital my daughter woke up with swollen lips, eyes and fingers. She didn't have any trouble breathing, but definitely had a severe allergic reaction. We will be spending quality time with an allergist this week trying to figure out what caused the terrifying swelling. I suspect it was something in some store brand cheese doodles she had been eating.

The last two days my dad was in the hospital the kids had snow days and got to spend most of their time playing Nintendo and iPod games on benches at the end of the hospital hallway. The hospital is undergoing major renovations and there was no waiting room. The school superintendent also canceled school the following day (Friday) after the two snow days because it was the Friday before Spring Break and the boy's basketball team was in the final four tournament so the district didn't think they would make minimum attendance numbers anyway. This past week was Spring Break, bringing the grand total of days the kids were home, and often bored, to 12! All I can say is thank goodness for Netflix through the Wii and the video store that gave us half-off video and game rentals for two weeks. Somewhere in there I also came down with a cold, which has now migrated to my hubby. I swear, I'm out of breath just writing all of that!

Thank-you to everyone who stopped by and left so many kind comments while I was away. It means a lot to me to have support from all of my online friends.You guys rock! :)

New Venture

2011-04-01T14:53:00.000-04:00

I hope to be back blogging here soon. Life is starting to settle down and the kids go back to school on Monday (they've been on Spring Break this week). Now if I can just figure out where I left my brain!

In the mean time, check out something that I've had in the works for awhile. I am one of the new contributors at the Inky Fresh Press blog! I'll be posting writing prompts twice a month, on alternating Fridays. So stop by and take a look around. This blog has some great resources for writers. I'll see you there!

Unexpected Break

2011-03-25T20:24:00.000-04:00

Last week I did a post about maintaining an online presence. Then promptly disappeared from my blog, Facebook and Twitter. I spent most of this week at a hospital where my father was admitted last Saturday. He's home and doing well now, but I will be online only sporadically for a while to come as I help my family.

I miss all of my online friends and I can't wait to find the time to catch up with everybody!

Online Presence

2011-03-17T12:13:00.001-04:00

Having an "online presence" is a major topic in the writing world. Almost every writing blog that I read has approached the subject in some way, from discussing what the phrase means to publishing tutorials for different social medias. If you are a writer and haven't seen an online discussion about online presence, then you probably have no online presence.

I'm doing my part to boost my visibility. The blog, Facebook, Twitter, She Writes - see all of those icons over to the right? I'm there. In some places more than others. I have been very careful and vigilant about spending too much online, making sure it doesn't infringe on my writing time.

While I have a lot of fun looking around all of the different sites and interacting with various friends, I think it is pretty much just that, fun. The main point of having an online presence and following for a writer is to get known before a book comes out and publicize it after its release. I am a short story writer. I don't even have a short story collection in the works, let alone a novel. Although I would love to eventually write a book and see my name on a spine in my bookshelf, that's not going to happen any time too soon. So right now I'm going to enjoy myself and count all of that fun as advanced publicity.

What do you think? Is it important for ALL writers to develop that much sought-after online presence, even if they aren't writing a book?

Hear Ye!

2011-03-14T11:52:00.001-04:00

Hear Ye, Here Ye! I hath slain the dragon known as Bad Mojo, hailing from the Land of Rejections. May peace and harmony be with the writing world.

Yup, I finally got an acceptance for one of my stories. It was one of those pesky orphan ones, too! The acceptance drought has been broken. Hurrah! It'll be a month or two before the story will actually be published, but - I. Don't. Care. I feel like I've crested the hill of my writing slump and I'm gaining speed for the StoryADay Challenge in May.

Speaking of that challenge, every time I think about it I feel slightly nauseous and jittery, like I'm standing in line waiting to ride a roller coaster. I hate roller coasters. Eventually, make that sometime within the next month an a half (is March really half way over already?), I'll try writing a story every day. Do a five day test run. Right now I'm writing like I usually do and examining what I'm doing.

What I'm doing is starting a lot of new stories, but finishing few of them. Uh oh. I love the thrill of a shiny, new story and can easily rush through the first 2/3 of one. Appropriate, well-crafted endings take more time, for me. The challenge will be a stomach churning ride, that's for sure. Right now I see the month being populated with extremely short pieces mixed in the some longer stories with weak, hurried endings. I am OK with that, though, since the whole point is to get a big, honkin' pile o' rough drafts. Hopefully by the end of May I'll get to the point of being able to quickly write longer stories with strong endings.

Update and A Mini Review

2011-03-11T12:13:00.001-05:00

On Monday I talked about my efforts to pull myself out of a writing funk. The micro story I was talking about in that post was completed and submitted (no rejection yet!). One of my author friends, Sioux, sent me a link to an anthology that had extended it's deadline until the end of March. I pulled out another story that was complete, but has never felt "right". I am currently working at tailoring it to the anthology's theme and plumping it up to fit the word count requirements.

Several people suggested reading to help get out of my writing funk and I have been doing that this week. I really enjoyed one of the books and I wanted to do a mini review to introduce it to all of you.

Alone In The Kitchen With An Eggplant - Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone

Edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler

This is a collection of essays on, you guessed it, dining alone. Throughout the school year I am most often faced with lunch by myself. I was fascinated with these essays. I went into the book expecting page after page of people who loved dining alone and provided recipes for one. I was wrong. While there are pieces from people who enjoy the freedom and solitude and there are some recipes there were also plenty of pieces from people that hated being alone and viewed it as a form of torture.

Some of the authors, like M.F.K. Fisher and Amanda Hesser, are known for writing about food, but many of the essayists are novelists, playwrights and journalists. Although it didn't offend me I was surprised by the sprinkling of profane language scattered through the book. I also had to laugh at a couple rather common kitchen ingredients that threaded through the book. Beans and noodles - inexpensive foods that many struggling writers have consumed. A nice touch by the editor, Jenni Ferrari-Adler, was to start the book with an essay from the late, great food writer Laurie Colwin and end the book with an essay from Laurie's daughter, Rosa Jurjevics.

Thoughts & Prayers

2011-03-11T09:09:00.001-05:00

This morning my thoughts are with everybody around the world who is being impacted by the Japanese earthquake and resulting tsunami. I am watching the news footage right now and the devastation is horrifying. My prayers are with all of the people being impacted.

Defunkifying

2011-03-07T11:02:00.000-05:00

I am declaring this Defunkifying Week. I have been in a rejection-induced funk lately. You see, I have developed an unhealthy attachment to three of my stories. I love them. Editors don't love them. Some of the rejections say they like my style, please submit something else, but we'll pass on this piece. I lavish time on these itty-bitty tiny stories, revising, polishing, researching markets. They have become the doe-eyed orphans of my story stable. Part of me knows I need to set them aside and move onto something else. The other part of me knows I don't write junk and insists that it is just a matter of finding the right place at the right time. My usual resolve to not take rejections personally is sliding. I am getting frustrated. So, I have developed a Defunkifying Plan for this week.

Find two markets and write a new story tailored to those markets. I'm haunting all of the sites I use to find markets, checking out places I have bookmarked and getting some new writing done. In fact, it isn't even lunch time on Monday and I have already done the rough draft of a micro story for a journal that I had never heard of until I discovered it this morning.

Revisit other stories. It feels like I haven't been writing much, but a closer inspection shows that I have. I just keep writing bits and pieces of new stories, saving them and forgetting them. I need to go through my files and print out all of those new gems and get them into my "In Progress" binder. Then, the key point, I need to use that binder. Last week I picked up a notebook to write down some notes while I waited for my kids to get out of school. There was a 3/4 completed story in the notebook that I had completely forgotten about.

Submit to different genres. The rejection-collecting stories are general "literary" stories. I have some sci-fi and even a few horror pieces lurking around on my computer. Time to put some effort into polishing and researching markets for those.

What do you do to get yourself out of a funk (writing or otherwise)?

In Training

2011-03-02T12:27:00.000-05:00

Last week I committed to the StoryADay Challenge. Barring any unforeseen personal chaos, in May I will be writing one, complete story every day. I am giddy with the prospect of going into the summer with 31 new stories. I am terrified of writing a rough draft every day. That's why I've put myself into training before the challenge begins. I am serious about completing this test of my writing skills.

Some of you may think I'm a bit nuts. Preparing for a challenge is one thing, but training? Yes. I'm pulling prompts from my handy-dandy bowl and trying different ways of utilizing them. Should I pick the prompt at night and sleep on the idea? What if I exercise while I let my brain work?

The benefit of the training is that I am writing new stories. I have gotten into a rut with my writing since the beginning of the year and I'm ready to pull myself out of it and move on. You see, I haven't been writing much. Instead, my "writing" time is more often spent with a red pen editing already written stories to within an inch of their life. Yes, good editing will improve a story. Excessive editing is just a form of procrastination. Procrastination won't work for the challenge. And THAT is why I'm in training.

Facing My Fear

2011-02-24T09:48:00.000-05:00

I am challenge-phobic. I look at all of the challenges on the internet, from writing to reading to commenting on blogs, and they all tend to give me the heebie-jeebies. I check out challenge blog posts or websites and usually go running away from my computer drenched in cold sweat. I'm sure there are some deep psychological factors at work, like fear of failure or commitment, but I don't really care. I just don't sign up and save myself the torture.

It's just formal challenges, too, that bother me. I am a list maker and goal setter. I routinely challenge myself to do things like submit three stories in a week. I have no problems with that. In fact, I think I thrive on setting personal goals. No, it's the formal challenges that drive me insane. The ones where you sign up on Mr. Linky or leave a comment in a blog post. The ones where the whole world can see that you have committed to the challenge and many other people are doing the same thing. Those are the challenges that freak me out.

NaNoWriMo is the granddaddy of writing challenges. During the month of November countless people are pushing themselves to write 50,000 words. I have never really considered it because it is, of course, National Novel Writing Month. I have no current plans to write a novel, actually no desire. I love my flash fiction and I'm happy writing it. I know there are some people that write short stories or several novellas instead of one large piece of work to reach the word goal. Hmmm . . . that has my attention, but let's crunch the numbers. A flash fiction story usually tops out at 1,000 words with most of mine falling in the 500 to 1000 word range. That would be 50 to 100 stories in one month. Can anybody else hear the screaming? Because the howling terror is getting really loud in my head.

The beginning of this year brought the Write 1 Sub 1 challenge. Write one story a week (or month) and submit one story a week (or month). That sounds more up my alley. I can easily write one story per week and I love, love, geeky-love having bunches of stories out on submission at one time. This is a very do-able challenge for me, if I'm at full writing capacity every week. The new year brought some wicked upheavals in my life and I'd say I've only had 1 or 2 weeks since the beginning of the year that I've had the time and mental capacity to write like I want. So, there went that challenge, but do stop by their blog if you are a short story writer, they have some great posts, links and advice.

A few days ago I was cruising through the W1 S1 archives and *cue the dramatic music* I found THE challenge. The one that I actually want to do. The one that I believe I can successfully complete. The one that is making me excited, instead of terrified. I present to you:

The StoryADay Challenge

For now, I'll just leave you the link to check out at your leisure. The challenge begins on May 1, so I will periodically talk about my thoughts and preparations for it.

Do you participate in challenges? Love them or hate them?

Tuesday is the New Monday

2011-02-22T10:01:00.000-05:00

My kids had a snow day yesterday, so today is the beginning of my week. I meant to post on Monday, but between a nasty headache and unexpected long weekend I just never got around to it.

First, I would like to welcome all of my new Followers! I took part in the SheWrites B&W Blogger Ball over the weekend. I found many great new blogs and I am delighted that so many people liked my blog. It was a fantastic experience and I would like to thank author Meg Waite Clayton for being the belle of the ball and organizing the event.

Last week I was struggling with a cold that got worse as the week progressed. With my writing and every other part of my life it felt like I had been knocked off my axis. Still spinning around life, as expected, by feeling wobbly and out-of-sorts. I was so happy with my Top Ten finish in a contest, but apparently the writing universe wanted to keep my ego in check. I received 4 or 5, I honestly lost track, rejections to keep me humble. Receiving that many rejections in a short period is a disappointment, but the only thing that can be done to remedy the funk is keep going and get those stories back out there. So those are my major plans for the week. Researching and then submitting the stories that got rejected. My son is coming down with a cold and my daughter has several extra-curricular things going on this week. I'm not sure what I'll be able to get done beyond submitting.

Here are a few blog posts I'm reading to get myself pumped up. It's time to get out from under the blanket, get off the couch, stop vegging out on cold medicine and start writing!

Taking Your Writing Off the Backburner: Writing In The Moment

Suffering from Writer's Block? 7 Tips to Get You Back On Track

Stop! Look! Listen! Transitions!

How about you? Have you had anything knock you off your writing schedule lately?

SheWrites B&W Blogger Ball

2011-02-17T07:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome everybody that is here for the SheWrites B&W Blogger Ball! I am looking forward to finding some new blogging friends this weekend. Please feel free to look around and leave a comment, if you want. This blog started out primarily as a book review blog. Since I am now focusing on writing flash and short stories myself, it's turned into a writing blog with some "slice of life" posts thrown in for good measure.

Here are my tips for bloggers:

Be Yourself. Let your voice and personality shine through in your posts.

Be Nice. You will never have to try to take back or apologize for kind words.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite recipes of late. These are great when you have been writing, or been otherwise occupied, all day. Suddenly you look up and realize it is almost dinner time and you don't know what to make. Many of the ingredients are things I bet you already have in your pantry. I'm sure I've linked to several of these before, but they are so good they deserve to be repeated.

Impossibly Easy Chiles Rellenos Pie
Try adding sausage or shredded chicken for extra heartiness.

Tibetan Flatbread
This is a post from the husband of my friend and fellow writer, Belle.

Rotini With Spicy Meat Sauce
Try this sauce with different kinds of noodles, like spaghetti or rice noodles.

Please stop by 1st Books: Stories of How Writers Get Started to see more participants in the SheWrites B&W Blogger Ball!

I Just Want To Say . . .

2011-02-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

Woohoo!

I am a Top Ten Runner-Up in the WOW! Women on Writing Fall 2010 Flash Fiction Contest.

When I submitted this story my hope was to place in the Top 25. I am delighted that I exceeded my expectations and made it to the Top 10!

Sharing Time

2011-02-11T09:31:00.000-05:00

I was taking a quick peek at some blogs this morning and I found several posts I just had to share!

Photo Prompts

A forest. Did you notice the glow in the background?

A steampunk lady. This one should really get your imagination going.

The Writing Life

I definitely feel like a late bloomer to writing. Melissa Ann Goodwin feels the same way.

I'm working at setting up a writing space in my basement. Author Erin Bow has an office in a very unique place.

Enjoy the links and have a fabulous, creative, productive weekend!!

Writing A Short Story Is Like . . .

2011-02-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

Writing a short story is like cooking a healthy meal.

1) Choose fresh, healthy ingredients. A short story is not the place for weak, dull characters and boring settings. Make everything robust and crunchy, something a reader can really sink their teeth into.

2) Season well. Spice up your prose. Instead of just adding salt and pepper for seasoning, try cumin and ancho chile powder. Get out your dictionary and thesaurus, find exactly the right word. Instead of having your character merely run away how he could sprint, jog, skip, tear through the thick brush like a grizzly bear . . . you get the idea. A car isn't just green, it's hunter's green, chartreuse, the green of freshly mowed grass on a spring day.

3) Trim the fat. Take out unnecessary words. Watch out for those -ly words. Do you really need really? And she yawned sleepily, smiled happily, etc. Also, think about trimming backstory and long set-ups. While it's interesting to know that the main character used to be their high school's mascot, does that fact contribute to the plot?

4) Portion control. Pay close attention to guidelines and keep the story within the word limits. Don't send a 1,000 word story to a journal that only accepts pieces that are 750 words or less. I think it is always a good idea to edit ruthlessly to make the story as strong as possible. For example: She was going to go to the store. Vs. She went to the store. You saved yourself a few words and made the sentence stronger.

5) Enjoy the experience. Have fun writing, trying new words and inventing new characters. Savor the process. Mmmm . . . tasty!

Sweet Silence

2011-02-08T09:28:00.000-05:00

3 Snow Days + Weekend + 1 Vacation Day = Craziness

That is the equation I have been dealing with over the last week. Right now, I'm cuddled up under a blanket with Cooper sleeping at my feet. The only sounds I hear are the refrigerator running, the clicking of my keyboard and the occasional sigh from me or Cooper. I love my kids, but eventually the excitement over the snow and resulting snow days wore off and we all got cabin fever. Then, they had a scheduled day off yesterday. My lesson learned: before summer vacation begins I need to get the basement cleaned and set up a video game area for the kids and small office area for myself. I have a "mom filter" in place, so I can selectively filter out the noise and chatter and still concentrate, but even the industrial-sized filter gets clogged and doesn't work after awhile. I definitely need to have an escape shelter set up if I want to write through the summer.

As far as writing goes, I did get a couple rough drafts done for the String-of-10 THREE contest that I told you about yesterday. They are both in pretty good shape, so my goal for today is to get them submitted before school gets out. Over the last week I found a couple blog posts that are very relevant to me right now, so I wanted to share them with you.

Many of you know that I've been struggling with a lot of issues and my writing has dwindled to almost non-existence. Here is a very logical and helpful post on How to Write Daily (or Meet Whatever Writing Goal You Set) More Easily.

I see at least a couple of you fellow writers are interested in the String-of-10 THREE contest. Since the word limit is 250, using a smart metaphor here and there can really help make a point in a small amount of words. You can see what I mean here First Mondays: Making Metaphor.

String-of-10 Contest

2011-02-06T10:59:00.000-05:00

Flash Fictions Chronicles just kicked off one of my favorite flash contests. String-of-10 THREE starts today and ends Sunday, February 13. Just create a 250 word story using at least four of the ten words listed on this post.

Tip: Copy the words onto an index card, a sheet of paper or a sticky note and put it somewhere that you'll see it often, like next to your computer. You'll be amazed at how quickly you'll be writing a rough draft.

This is a fun contest and a nice challenge. So, go! Check out the words and let the creativity flow!!

We Won!

2011-02-02T13:03:00.000-05:00

Yay! Mom says we won!!

The Weather Channel is running snow totals for the state on the bottom of the TV screen and my city won, coming in at 11.5 inches with up to 52 MPH winds. For once, the weather forecasters got it right for our area. The hubby and I woke up before 5 AM because there was thunder and lightening along with the winds that were making the house thump and bump. I have lived in this area (central Michigan) my entire life and I have never seen anything like this. I hope all of you are staying safe and warm today!

My son is almost 5 feet tall.

The powdered sugar doughnut look is in this season.

King of the Mountain!

Our front door.

Side Flop Video

2011-02-01T18:27:00.001-05:00

In case you were wondering what it was like to be in the vehicle that rolled on its side in my last post - here is the video.

Reset

2011-02-01T11:03:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I decided to hit the RESET button on my life. After several weeks of being drawn into a black hole of stress and the resulting insomnia I had had enough. So, the hubby and I packed up the kids and our Jeep and went to Snofari. This is an organized off-road event with between 70 and 80 Jeeps exploring the back roads and legally accessible trails through the woods of northern Michigan.

I got to see some beautiful scenery, talk to a lot of nice people and spend time with my family. I tromped around in snow up to my knees, successfully used trees as a restroom and had a lot of fun. All of the cobwebs in my brain froze and then melted away. Also, at the banquet I won a raffle prize which set off some kind of winning streak. Since coming home I have won 7 books! Here are some pictures so you can get an idea of what I was doing.

Our Jeep

It's a Jeep thing. They meant to do this.

Oops! Nobody was hurt and this vehicle continued on without any problems after it was back on all four wheels.

The wheels aren't broken, they're supposed to flex and twist like that.

Aren't the trees gorgeous all frosted in snow?

Link Love

2011-01-25T16:57:00.000-05:00

Oooof. I have insomnia. I feel like the fabled "thing" that a cat dragged in - after the dog used it as a chew toy. While I try to get some sleep and find my brain here are some links from a few fabulous people who can still string words together into great blog posts.

What kind of writing schedule do you keep? Check out this post by Kelly Stone at CJ Lyon's Marketing with Heart blog.

I have always found links to great writing posts at Mystery Writing Is Murder. Now Elizabeth has helped put together a Writer's Knowledge Base. Stop by and see what it's all about.

Have you ever considered going with a small publisher? I have. At The Innocent Flower Michelle has done a great series on this topic. Start here and follow the links at the bottom of the post to read the whole series.

Mental Tsunami

2011-01-21T17:15:00.000-05:00

Over the last few days I've seen quite a few commercials for the upcoming episode for Hawaii Five-0 where the island gets hit with a tsunami. Over the last week and a half I've been hit with a series of personal tsunamis. Things are much better now, the emotional "water" has receded. There was no room for writing in my life and that was fine.

I sat down to write today and - nothing. Apparently my writing mojo got sucked out to sea. So much for all of those writing goals I set a few weeks ago. I imagine my brain is like a scene from a cozy mystery. Instead of an amateur sleuth poking around a crime scene, trying to look innocent while searching for a clue I'm poking around my brain, looking for my writer alter-ego. Hello? Where are you? I think she's hiding behind the grocery list I never got around to taking care of last week.

Part of the "therapy" I have prescribed for myself was going to the bookstore yesterday. I found The Power to Write: Seven Keys to Discover Your Writer Within by Caroline Joy Adams. I started reading it last night and I truly think it will help. Another thing that I know will help is laughing and finding some humor in life. I found a contest that should do the trick. There's nothing like a little silliness to help shake off the cobwebs. Writer Unboxed is having an Original Analogy Contest. You can check out the rules, other entries and add a few of your own analogies here. I had fun the first time they ran this contest and I can't wait to try my hand at it again now.

P.S. If you have any extra writing inspiration, could you send it my way? Thanks and have a great weekend!

Spotlight: Poets & Writers - The Inspiration Issue

2011-01-18T12:39:00.000-05:00

The January/February issue of Poets & Writers magazine is on newsstands now. If you are looking for a little creative boost in this new year, I would highly recommend getting this issue. Page after page sparked my imagination. Columnist Jenny Shank talks about being a ham-and-egger kind of writer. The Trends section gives readers a glimpse at how artist Jim Tierney found inspiration for creating the wonderful graphics. The special inspiration section begins with Writers and Their Obsessions: A Field Guide to the Curious Mind by Jean Hartig. What kind of writer are you? The metropolist or the beat boxer?

Kevin Nance tackles the subject of where writers get their ideas and there is also a debut poets roundup. You can also find advice on creating a dynamic author website and organizing an online book launch. I found this issue of the magazine to be very helpful and inspiring to new or seasoned writers. I read it in one, big gulp.

As a short story writer I focus my publishing attention on literary journals and small presses. If you are at all interested in these markets, Poets & Writers is a great resource. They have listings for everything from calls for submissions to grant and award opportunities. Of course, there is also advice on writer and the writing life that is fresh and informative to me.

Broken Habit

2011-01-13T11:11:00.000-05:00

As I've been reviewing my writing practices over the last few weeks I've realized I broke an annoying (to me) habit over the holiday break. A big, writing-productivity sucking habit. So many times in 2010 I sat down in my comfy chair, laptop poised on my lap, ready to begin writing or editing. BUT first I would just stop by Google Reader to see what my blogging friends were doing. Just a little peek before I got down to the serious writing. An hour and a half later I would look at the clock and realize that the only writing I did was on blog comments.

Over the Christmas/New Year holidays not only did I take a break from writing, I also took a break from my computer. Yes, I was online every day, but no where near as much as usual. So, when I would log into Google Reader to see how many blog posts were waiting my heart would kind of flutter and panic at numbers in the hundreds. I learned to hit the "Mark All As Read" button without guilt.

Now, I love all of my friends and acquaintances out there in Blog Land. The thing is, I write fiction best in the mid-morning to mid-afternoon time. The house is quiet and I have a big, uninterrupted chunk to time for my mind to wander around a plot. I hardly ever write fiction in the evening, though. The kids and hubby are home, foraging for food, looking for help with homework, arguing for sport, trying to carry on conversations, etc. The time I spend on the computer in the evenings comes in bits and pieces, which is actually perfect for reading and commenting on blog posts. So, I'm still around the blogosphere, just a little later in the day now!

Do you have any habits, not necessarily bad ones, that suck up the time you would like to spend doing something else, like writing or making art?

It's Monday

2011-01-10T09:06:00.000-05:00

It's Monday and I have decided to do a little check-in to tell you how I'm doing with my writing improvement non-resolutions. I'm still working on organizing my older stories, but I did submit two of them last week. This week will be dedicated to more organizing and shuffling. It's amazing how out of touch you can feel with your own writing when you take several weeks off.

The Idea-A-Day notebook is filling up. Since I am more interested in the end result - 365 ideas, than the process - writing one idea a day, I have had several days where I've written down two or three ideas. I even wrote a new story based on one. Paying attention to the news and newspaper has helped tremendously, along with making it an every day, self-maintenance task like showering or brushing my teeth (which I do several times a day, by the way).

The check list calendar has been great for keeping track of household chores. Since I'm still trying to get my writing momentum back I haven't really used it much for keeping track of submission goals, yet. I'm a little behind on reading the horror flashes every day, but I plan on getting caught up with that today.

How are you doing on your new year goals and resolutions?

Shooting for the Stars

2011-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

I truly think that one of the best ways to achieve your goals is to let the "universe" know your intentions. If you are going to shoot for the stars (i.e. dreams), the stars are much more amicable if you let them know in advance that you are aiming at them. The might get closer, stop moving or quit blinking on and off.

So, this post is actually more for me than anything else. I'm putting my dreams "out there", hoping to attract them to me like moths to a flame.

1) I want to continue to improve my writing and keep publishing flash fiction while working on longer stories.

2) I want to have a literary short story published in a major journal like Tin House or Glimmer Train Stories.

3) I want to have a mystery short story published in a major magazine like Ellery Queen or The Strand.

4) I want to have stories published in more anthologies.

5) I want to publish a collection of my stories.

Yes, those are some pretty big dreams. Yes, I realize there is a huge chance that I won't achieve all of those things this year, but that isn't the point. These aren't resolutions. They are dreams that I just released to the world, in writing, hoping that they will eventually come true.

While I'm at it, I'm going to throw in a non-writing one too. I would love to have different neighbors. Ones who don't have vicious dogs, noisy chickens and ravenous goats.

Writing Improvement Tools 2011

2011-01-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

I believe there is always room for improvement. While I had a very nice year, writing-wise, in 2011 I have decided to implement a few things to step my writing up to the next level.

1) An Idea A Day. In December I wrote about being intrigued by the story-a-day concept. Instead of doing a full story with a beginning, middle and end I have decided to go with any idea. So, I plan to write down scenes, character sketches, story beginnings or endings, etc. Here is the cover for my notebook that I created with a Zentangle. Can you see the word "ideas" in the middle of the drawing?

2) The Page-A-Day Notepad + Calendar. I picked this gem up at Barnes and Noble after Christmas. There is nothing like a check list to keep me motivated and this calendar is a notepad of checklists combined with other things like fun quotes and words of the day. For my writing I will sit down every Monday morning and make a list on the following Friday's page of what stories I want to submit and then check them off throughout the week. Of course, I'll also use it to keep track of things that need to be done with the family or around the house. Am I the only one who has sat down to relax after dinner and realized I forgot to do laundry and no one has clean underwear for the next day?

3) Write a story from a prompt at least once a week. Many of you know how much I love prompts. My plan is to use them on a regular basis, either picking one from my prompt bowl or from a website. (By the way, I've added a prompt blog roll in my right sidebar. If you know of any more sites with writing prompts, please contact me so I can add them.) The real challenge in this exercise for me will be deciding which ones to edit and eventually submit and which ones are too much work to make them publishable. I have a waste-not, want-not kind of attitude with my writing, so I tend to think EVERY story I write could eventually be published. I don't always take into account how much work it is to get some of the stories to that point. Letting the not-so-great ones go into the "idea mine" will be a personal challenge for me.

4) Read more in an unfamiliar genre. I am not a big fan of horror, but I will be reading a horror story every day with Daily Bites of Flesh 2011. It will be interesting to see more of what is being written in flash horror arena. There is actually a large market for horror. Also, the book includes a few pieces from my friend, Ellie, and I even have a story in the book! So, you see, if you really try you can do anything, even get published in a genre you aren't very familiar with.

What are you doing to improve your writing or other aspects of your life this year?

Break's Over!

2011-01-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

I have been taking a rather long break from serious blogging and writing - and I don't feel guilty about it at all. It will take me a few days to get my writing organized and rolling again, but I am feeling re-energized and excited about what I plan to do. There's just something about starting a new year, all fresh and shiny, that excites me. I'll be back soon with some of the things I will be using to amp up my writing and, hopefully, take it to a new level.

How about you? Do you have anything that you are excited about starting?

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T12:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

Have fun, but be safe and party responsibly. I wouldn't want any of you feeling like this tomorrow. :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T12:49:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

The Goodie Line-Up

2010-12-21T15:39:00.000-05:00

Even after all of the rejections I have to say I am surprisingly mellow and relaxed for four days before Christmas. I'm just hanging out with the kids and dog, making yummy sweets. I thought I'd share my list of goodies, just in case someone is looking for something to make.

Easy Cinnamon Flop. I made this for breakfast this morning. Kind of a cross between a big pancake and a coffee cake. Ooey, gooey goodness!

Foolproof Chocolate Fudge. I have never been able to get that marshmallow fluff kind of fudge to turn out correctly. This one is dead easy and SO good! My daughter and I just got done making this a few minutes ago and the pan was finger licking yummy.

RPM's. Rolos, Pretzels, M & M's. The easiest, most addictive candy treat ever.

Magic Cookie Bars. The classic. A special request for my hubby.

Eggnog Muffins. Haven't tried these yet, but I'm sure they'll be a breakfast treat soon. Three ingredients. Seriously!

Chewy Cocoa Brownies. This is my go-to, basic brownie recipe. There's no chocolate to melt, so it's super simple and makes a 9x13 pan full. I cut these into small squares and call them "brownie bites". I have made countless pans of these for school functions.

Butterscotch Spritz Cookies. My daughter asked to get the cookie press out this year, so we're going to give these a try.

I'm don't know when I'll be posting again, but I'm pretty sure it won't be until after Christmas. Happy Holidays to all of you. Enjoy the time with your family and friends. I hope Santa brings all of you what you asked for!

Blitzed Out

2010-12-20T07:55:00.001-05:00

Last month I did a post on my submission blitz. My idea was to submit as many stories as possible before the usual holiday madness began, so that I could enjoy the time with my family and not feel guilty about taking a break from writing. I wound up the blitz a few weeks ago and I have to say, I won't do it again next year. I'll take the time off from writing, if I want to, and not do the submission blitz before hand.

I didn't take into account a few factors that have turned around and bit me in the butt. First, I didn't think about the quick response time for many of the places I submitted to. Second, at least 2/3 of my submissions (according to Duotrope) are rejected. So, over the last few weeks I've been pelted with what feels like a hail storm of rejections. I try very hard not to take rejections personally. I do my "paper work", recording the rejection in my records, and move on. However, with the added stress and chaos of the holidays, I'm finding the rejections sting a little bit more.

My writing goals for the rest of December are to research markets for the rejected stories. I'll start another blitz in January, after I've spent some time having fun and relaxing with my family. One of the most important things, for me, is to remember that writing is fun! Worrying and fussing about rejections just isn't fun, is it?

More Prompt Goodness

2010-12-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I talked about making a prompt bowl for inspiration. I haven't made the lid to my bowl yet, I am knee-deep in making Christmas presents, but I promise I'll make one soon. Several people have been interested in making a prompt bowl, so I thought I would pass along some more places to find the little nuggets of inspiration.

Barb from Creative Barbwire left a comment with two more places:

The Underdeveloped Story has writing prompts here.

Write Anything lists new prompts every Friday under [Fiction] Friday.

This morning I started reading blog posts and found one at Flash Fiction Chronicles that really caught my eye. Gay Degani talks about her love of prompts, how they spark her creativity and the magic way they almost always end up being the "right" size (that happens to me too!). She also has a list of prompt sites.

Even if you don't want to get your craft on and make a bowl (or bucket, or jar, or box) of prompts, you can still just pick a prompt from a site and run with it. You never know what kind of benefits this kind of exercise will bring. Earlier this week I was one of the random office swag winners at the Writer's Digest - Promptly blog! You see, it never hurts to try something.

I'm At The Divining Wand

2010-12-15T10:37:00.000-05:00

I have a little holiday greeting up for the authors over at The Divining Wand today. This is a lovely site to discover new authors and sometimes win their books!

Chilling - Literally and Figuratively

2010-12-13T11:09:00.000-05:00

That monster mid-west storm hit our area on Saturday night. It snowed all day yesterday and today we're dealing with up to 40 MPH wind gusts and the temperature 9 degrees F with a -9 degree wind chill. The kids have a snow day and we're all just hanging out today. I'm sitting on the couch watching snow devils dancing across the field in front of our house.

The kids are playing video games and I'm doing housework and making some Christmas presents. Last Monday I took a Zentangle class and I love the technique. A Zentangle is officially a drawing made on a 3x3-inch paper tile. I have been making Zentangle-esque bookmarks for little add-ons to presents.

I really love this drawing technique. It goes beyond simple doodling. It is actually a form of meditation achieved by drawing complicated, repeating patterns. I'm always looking for ways to amp up my creativity. Sometimes, when writing gets hard, the best thing to do is something else instead of staring at a blank page. Somehow, even though I'm not directly thinking about a story, wonderful stuff comes out. Those fully formed stories that come out of nowhere, that plot problem that is now miraculously solved, etc. I'm not worrying about my writing and I'm having a blast flexing my new-found drawing skills.

What are you doing at this time of year? Not worrying about your writing or soldiering on?

FANtastic Friday!

2010-12-10T07:47:00.000-05:00

I was chosen as this week's FANtastic Friday Fan at author S. R. Claridge's blog, Feeling the Fiction! Make sure to take a look around S. R.'s blog to check out her writing and the other fans she has profiled.

Thank-you, S. R., for choosing me. It really is a FANtastic Friday for me now!