Writing for the Love

In the midst of rejections, it's so nice to have good news sprinkled in. I'm so grateful for the gift of writing, and I truly believe it comes from God. I have to praise him for these moments. My short story, "Ma Says," was accepted into the FWA Collection #3 called Let's Talk coming out in October. This is my second short story ever to come out in print. I'm a semi-finalist in the Able Muse Fiction Write Prize contest! I've never been a semi-finalist in a writing contest before, and I'm thrilled to have made it this far. I don't have any expectations, and I'm happy just to have that good news emailed to me today. Praise Jesus for good news!

When an error message bubble appears on my computer, I don't usually panic right away. Something that says, The USB device has malfunctioned and Windows can no longer recognize the device , doesn't make me cry the moment I read it. No, it's usually hours later, when I've labeled myself the fool for repeatedly trying the same thing over and over while expecting different results. Granted, today there are no tears. There is no major frustration. Not yet at least. I haven't spent hours and hours trying to fix the problem because I knew something like this would happen someday. And thank God I managed to obtain an external hard drive for just such an occassion. If you're like me, you'd love to own a Mac, but you don't. You own a PC. And don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-PC. Noris (my laptop) has given me sooo much since 2005. And it's pretty amazing that he's lasted this long. I expected him to crash long ago, because he used to malfunctio...

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 It seems like everyone has been in a hurry for the past few decades, and I don’t think we’re slowing down. At least not as a society. Yet slowing down is exactly what I need sometimes. It’s surprisingly difficult for me. I have so much to do, like most people. There is ALWAYS writing to do. There will never be a moment while I live that writing will not need to be done. Not because someone is breathing down my neck with a deadline, but because I have so many unfinished stories I’m dying to work on. The verse above lets us know that God takes his time. He is a just God and will one day return (though not on Mr. Camping’s schedule). For those who long for it, he may seem slow. But this is for our sake, the sake of all his created, because he is merciful. For now, he allows the sun to rise eve...

My husband and I have pets, but everyone says they are preparing us for when we have children. I agree to an extent. Though I can't put a kid in a kennel while Brian and I are at work. And I really can't imagine a kid screaming louder than Lance's bark, but I'm probably speaking too soon. I hope kids are not as dirty as the animals. The dog tracks in so much dirt from outside, I sometimes think we live in a dirt pit. If we don't sweep, it starts to look one. The cat has clumps of fur all over the house, and the Advantage is apparently no match for all the fleas this year. Whatever the medicine does kill, kitty leaves behind bits of dead fleas wherever he sits or lays. It's so gross. I've been using all the non-toxic treatments I can find to get rid of them. In many ways, I don't think pet ownership and having kids should be compared. Apples and oranges, really. The time spent caring for something (or someone) other than yourself is the main comparis...

So far, I have five emails with form letter rejections on Sprinter , and one personalized email explaining why it was rejected. At this point, I anticipate the eight I’m waiting on will be rejections, and I’m okay with that. The obvious lesson is the process. I’m a far cry from Edison’s thousands of attempts to create the incandescent light bulb (he succeeded on his 1,000th or 10,000th attempt depending on the source), or the best-selling authors with hundreds of rejections before their first publication. I’m learning from my mistakes. Though I’m receiving no specifics (except one which did help), I’m receiving excellent and specific feedback from my critique group. Any writer who sends their query and opening manuscript chapters may feel like me. I’m making an electronic paper airplane that lands in the hands of someone I can’t see and don’t know personally, unless I met them at a conference. They may not like what they see for an infinite number of reasons. They might not be inte...

I continue to submit my novel, Sprinter , in hopes of receiving word that someone wants to help me publish it. In an earlier post, I talked about waiting. Yes, I’m still waiting. While I wait, I wanted to clarify why I write. Simply put, I write because I love it. I love the actual feel of pen to paper. Especially a really good pen and a new journal with a decorative cover. The cover helps me decide what type of story I will write. I have filled journal after journal, which are now stacked in my bookshelf. Granted, typing is faster, but I enjoy reverting to my pen. I also write because I have a gift, though the gift doesn’t exclude all the hard work of attempting publication. My imagination gives me vivid pictures that beg to spill onto a blank page. Thank you, God, for that blessing. I am a writer, therefore I write. I write as often as I can, and as much as I can produce at a time. I continue to pursue writing as a career, but the statistics have spoken, and many writers stil...

Tonight, I read a segment from Sprinter , my inspirational women's fiction novel, at the Florida Writers Association meeting.  I heard a few very nice comments from listeners, and I look forward to more, whether nice or not.  I want it all! For anyone who would like to comment on my reading, please do so here. It's amazing how practice helps, even in something like reading my writing to an audience.  This is the second time I have stood up front at an FWA meeting, and it really does get easier. We had a wonderful speaker tonight, Nancy, from Books At Park Place.  If you live in St. Pete, I hope you will visit the store in Disston Plaza on 38th Ave N & 49th St N. I failed to follow my once-a-month pattern of blogging, but December was simply too crazy for me.  I'll make up for it by blogging twice for January. One tip that I've found very helpful along the reading aloud lines: be sure to read your own writing aloud to yourself.  It's a great ...