Happy Saturday, Kelly. I can't believe I finally got you here. Ladies, if you haven't met Kelly you are in for a wonderful surprise. If you have I know you are glad I got her to visit us.  Kelly, back up to the fireplace and get warm!  Hot tea, coffee, or iced tea? (Hey, I'm southern and I must have my iced tea year round.)   

Your Writer Self-Image: Why Do You Write?

© 2012 Kelly L. Stone

www.AuthorKellyLStone.com

Why do you write?

Whatever your answer is, whether it’s to achieve a lifelong dream of seeing your novel on a store bookshelf or to pen your family’s memoirs, your answer is what I call your 'Burning Desire to Write'.  It’s the sense of fulfillment you derive from writing. It’s that ants-in-the-pants feeling you get when you don’t write. It’s the deep abiding need that only the act of writing will satisfy. It’s what makes you a writer.

Your Burning Desire to Write is a manifestation of your self-image, or your self-esteem. When you feel good about yourself you do things on a regular basis, like writing, that reinforce those positive feelings. Even thirty minutes a day spent working toward a goal has been shown to elevate a person’s sense of well-being. This is why writing makes you feel good-- because you accomplished something. You created something. A “thing” that didn’t exist before: a book, a song, or a painting, now exists because you created it.   

Your self-image, your answer to “why” you write, gives you a reason to pursue those goals. It doesn’t have to be a lofty reason. Many people write because it brings a solace that nothing else can. Bestselling author CJ Lyons began writing out of despair when a close friend was murdered. Many writers write because of the fulfillment that working toward a goal adds to life.

Try the exercise below to build up your own writer self-image.

Exercise: Nourish Your "Why"

Find a comfortable place to sit where you won't be disturbed. Have a pen and a notepad nearby. Close your eyes and begin to notice your breath. Don't force your breathing, simply watch it. Notice where you find the sensations of breathing the strongest: at your nose, your chest, or the rise and fall of your stomach. Wherever it is, simply watch it for several minutes. Don’t force. Just observe.

Next begin relaxing the major muscle groups in your body. Start with your feet, and imagine that they feel heavy and warm. Then move to your legs, your stomach, your chest, and end with your head and neck. Between each major muscle group, focus on relaxing. Allow your mind to free fall. When you're done sit quietly for a few minutes.  Stay focused on your breathing.

Then turn your focus to: why do I write? Allow whatever comes up to rise into your awareness. Keep focusing on the question, why do I write?  Notice thoughts, sensations in the body, emotions that arise and pass.

After a few minutes, open your eyes and write about what you experienced. Record the emotional reasons that came to you; perhaps writing makes you feel good about yourself, or it leaves you with a fulfilled feeling. Perhaps you write to cope with deep feelings of grief, or even happiness. Maybe writing helps you deal with an unresolved matter.

Next, write about why all these reasons make you a writer. What does this say about who you are as a writer? Give some thought to your writer self-image.

When you feel done, get up and stretch, have a cup of tea, or go for a walk. Allow some time to pass. 

Then go back and read what you wrote.

Refine your "why" from your musings in this exercise. Hone in on what makes you tick as writer. That's where your heart is, where your writer self-image comes from; your Burning Desire to Write. That's what will keep you going on your writing journey.

                                                                                         

BIO:
Kelly L. Stone (www.AuthorKellyLStone.com) is the author of a women’s fiction novel, GRAVE SECRET (Mundania Press, 2007) called “powerful” by RT Book Reviews. She is also the author of the TIME TO WRITE series: TIME TO WRITE: No Excuses, No Distractions, No More Blank Pages (Adams Media, 2008), THINKING WRITE: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind (Adams Media, 2009) and LIVING WRITE: The Secret to Bringing Your Craft Into Your Daily Life (Adams Media, 2010). Kelly speaks and presents workshops across the country and offers online classes, critiques, and coaching services to writers.  Her two upcoming online classes include *No Matter How Busy You Are, You Can Find TIME TO WRITE* in January 2013 and *Free Your Creative Mind* in March 2013. Contact Kelly for  more information or to register. 
Contact her at Kelly@AuthorKellyLStone.com

Sharon Donovan, an extremely talented,  and inspirational person, passed away in April. She spoke and told us where her story was. The terrific editor, Lori Graham, took publishing her Novella, as a personal must complete goal. You couldn't know Sharon, without loving her. She was that kind of soul.

I didn't know what I was going to say today. When I think of Sharon, it just comes, and I knew it would hit me. Today it did.
       
I was approving the final of some bookmarks and post cards I'd ordered. And I realized Iforgot a few things.
       
One was a link, I wanted to add her tag line for the book, Santa Must Die!                                  

             
Sounds horrid eh. Well, obviously it's not the real Santa that Sharon decided to kill. That's all I'm saying.

So I go to the printer, a local one. I like to make changes and approve and I like to use local business's. I'm standing behind the counter speaking to a guy in his early forties. He suggests a place to put the QR code. I thought it a good idea, since it's not in print.

Just before I finish, I say, "Oh, you have to add the tag line." I point to where I want it.
He holds his pen in hand. "What is it."
I say with a big smile, "Santa Must Die!"
All was quiet for a moment and then I heard this terrible scream. "Murderer! Dad! Don't let her kill Santa!!!"

I of course, could not hold back my laughter. 
I watched the corners of the young salesman's lips raise as he tried not to chuckle.
Then this pint sized miniature of the salesman pops his head around a corner. His eyes like giant cheerios. "Lady, you have to leave. My Dad ain't gonna do no papers for a Santa murderer." His sincerity only made me want to laugh louder. But, Dad, raised one eyebrow. So, I whispered to call me when the promo stuff was ready. And when he does, I'm gonna tell him to make sure his mini me wasn't there. I don't wanna be the one who kills Christmas...

Sharon called us the Golden Girls and when I'd  ask who I was, she'd just laugh. She also thought nothing of throwing my boobs to the whales, so they could bouncein the air, when she joked on the Author Roast and Toast blog.

So considering her sense of humor, I figure she played a joke on me today! That little boy is never there according to his father. Sharon, you got me! Thanks for the chuckle!

This is what Hywela Lyn had to say...The third Golden Girl-
          

I first met Sharon when I read an interview where she mentioned how she'd turned to writing after she lost her sight. I was so full of admiration for this brave, determined woman and had to drop her a note.  She answered my email straight away and we started corresponding and soon formed a lasting and loving friendship.The day she came out of hospital after her first heart surgery, she telephoned me to wish me a Happy Birthday.  I am so glad I got to hear her voice through our telephone conversations. Her smile reached right down the telephone line.

 

Even while she was recuperating from the surgery, she carried on writing, and her first story starring Oliver 'Charade Of Hearts' received the Honour of the Preditor & Editor's award in January this year. 

 

When Mary and I visited her family in May, we were thrilled to find the MS for 'Kiss Of Death' on her computer.  I'm so glad her lovely editor, Lori, was able to get 'Kiss Of Death' ready for its Christmas release. I know her readers will love this second adventure with Oliver. Her spirit lives on through her books, full of suspense and vivid description. Sharon will never be forgotten!

Excerpt:

He flashed his badge and offered a cheeky smile.
“Detective Oliver Sharoné, New Orleans P.D.,
Homicide. Are you Camille Lafayette?”
Lulled by the patois of Cajun French in his voice,
Camille just stood there, mouth agape. Now that she
could clearly see him, he had the most dazzling smile
she’d ever seen.
“Ma’am?”
His lyrical voice was music to her ears. A rush of
hormones surged through her, leaving her weak in the
knees. Feeling a burning gush of desire, she forced
herself to nod, running her tongue through a very dry
mouth and pushing out the words. “Yes, I’m Camille
Lafayette. Is there a problem, Detective?”
Thunder and lightning crashed and collided, wilder
and wilder, echoing the primitive beat of her heart.
Silhouetted by roiling thunderclouds, Detective Oliver
Sharoné looked like a dark and dangerous warrior.
Dizzy and lightheaded, feeling drunk with emotion,
Camille was as highly charged as the electrical storm.
“May I come in for a moment, Ms. Lafayette? I
would like to ask you a few questions in regard to a
murder I’m investigating.”
Camille’s breath caught in her throat. A bolt of
panic surged through her. Shaken by the impact, she
stammered for words and said nothing. Her pulse
fluttered wildly in the hollow of her throat. This sexy
cop was about to turn her world upside down.

 

Sharon loved masks and New Orleans. She collected the masks and love to wear them. She also loved Oliver, and he will always love her. The perfect man, and she created him.

We miss you Sharon! You will always be in our hearts. Mary and Lyn...

 

ISBN# 978-1-61217-682-6 Digital

Santa Must Die.

The words in Camille Lafayette’s dream are a chilling prelude of events to come. She sees herself as the killer, and when the murder is actually committed, she becomes the prime suspect.

When handsome Detective Oliver Sharone turns up at her New Orleans family home, he is searching for answers. The evidence against her seems damning. An image captured on the victim’s camera resembles Camille, and the red feather mask worn by the murderer came from her shop.

The instant chemistry between Camille and Oliver is an added complication, which grows deeper as they work together to discover the truth. It becomes a race against time to find the real murderer before he not only loses his heart completely, but the killer strikes again. And this time the victim could be Camille herself.

Links

http://sharondonovan.com

http://sharondonovan.blogspot.co.uk/

Available at The Wind Rose Press  http://www.wildrosepress.com

 Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all other book sources

 

This is one of those crazy weeks where I hop from one thing to the next, trying frantically to get everything done on time. I'm hyper, scattered, drinking cup after cup of tea... but it's all good. :~)

Why am I so hyped? Well, mostly it's because of the Harlequin Historical Holiday Giveaway. This is such a great contest -- eighteen days of giveaways, a different author each day, and at the end there's a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire. My day is December 11th, but I urge you to enter every day -- lots of prizes to win, and the more often you enter, the better your chance of winning the Kindle Fire. To get to a calendar with live links to the author sites, click on the calendar or the link above. To read the official rules, go here.

What else? Well, the Fall In Love All Over Again Giveaway Hop from Reading Romances is open for two more days -- today and tomorrow. Hop on over there for a chance at tons of prizes. As part of the hop, some Harlequin Historical authors are doing their own giveaway. To hop on over and enter that as well, go here.

Then there's the Harlequin.com Community Open House from December 10th - 14th. This is a week-long party with (guess what?) lots of prizes! I don't have specific info yet, but the Harlequin Historical authors will have a chat sometime on the 11th.

Whew. Busy, busy, busy. I hope you will have a chance to stop by some or all of these events. :)

 

Days after Thanksgiving and I open my refrigerator and a platter of turkey still fills the top shelf. There’s too much. My DH and I could eat turkey for a week and still have leftovers. How could this be? The kids all went home with their share yet still there is so much.

Looking ahead, the months are going to be much colder. The northwest wind will rattle the window panes, leaving behind lacey fingerprints. My Irish Setter will wear a white muzzle most of the time because he’ll constantly dig in the snow, sniffing out a field mouse or chipmunk. My DH’s cheeks will rival Santa Claus’ complexion after an hour of plowing. Yes, the months of ahead are perfect for hearty soups that will warm the body and spirit. So today I will take that turkey, cut it up into bite size pieces and freeze it.

Do you have a favorite turkey leftover recipe to share? Here is one of my favorite.

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots
4 medium potatoes peeled and diced
1 cup of frozen peas
2 to 3 cups of diced turkey
32 oz of chicken/turkey broth ( I freeze left over broth too)

One bag of potpie noodles. I love making my own potpie but in a pinch I use commercial made.

Directions:

Add to tablespoons of oil to warm stock pot. Add celery, carrots and potatoes, stir constantly for about three minutes. Add turkey and frozen peas and parsley. Stir for another minute or so. Add broth and three cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil. Add potpie. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until potpie is soft but not mushy. Let stand for a few about three minutes and serve with thick slices of toasted bread. YUM.

For more of my recipes check out free download of the Ruby-Slippered Sisters cookbook, EAT, READ, LOVE. It features recipes from each of my books and those of my Ruby sisters.

AMAZON

Also, join me this Friday, November 30th, at Christmas Angels We're celebrating angels. Tell us about the angel on your life.



Oh, don't forget to enter my holiday gift contest. Deadline is November 30th at midnight EST. Go to AJ Notes for details.

Enjoy!

AJ

Tomorrow is turkey day. I’m so excited I’m dancing on the ceiling right now. Really, I am. LOL.

My sister and her family are flying in tonight from Virginia. Though they live in another state, we make it a point to celebrate either Thanksgiving or Christmas together each year. This holiday I’m playing hostess, which means establishing a menu. I love all of the traditional holiday foods, but I’m tired of preparing them the same way. So, for tomorrow’s dinner, I’ve decided to kick-things-up-a-notch.

Here are two of my favorite recipes.   

Instead of plain mashed potatoes I’m preparing Rosemary-Lemon mashed potatoes.  

Cover 2 pounds whole russet or Yukon gold potatoes with cold salted water; simmer 45 minutes. Drain, peel and mash with 1/2 to 1 stick butter. Add 1 cup hot milk, and salt and pepper; mash until smooth and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup each grated parmesan and Romano cheese. And top 2 teaspoons minced rosemary mixed with the grated zest of 1 lemon.

Instead of a traditional Sweet Potato Pie, my must-have dessert, I’m serving Emeril Lagasse’s Spiced Sweet Potato Meringue Pie.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• Ginger Snap Crust, recipe follows
• 4 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until very soft, about 1 hour. When potatoes are cool enough to handle halve and scoop out enough flesh to measure 2 cups, reserving remainder for another use and discarding skin. While potatoes are still hot, add butter and mash until almost smooth; small lumps of potato should remain. Whisk together eggs, sugar, allspice, ginger, and salt. Stir in evaporated milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Gradually add egg mixture to sweet potatoes, whisking gently to combine. Pour the filling into the cooled piecrust. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake until the filling is set around edges but still jiggles slightly when shaken, about 20 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.

 To make the meringue topping, in a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the sugar while beating constantly. Beat until glossy and stiff peaks form, being careful not to over beat the meringue.

Preheat the broiler.

While the pie is still warm spread the meringue evenly over the filling, smoothing out to the  pastry edges to seal. Place under the broiler and cook until the meringue is golden brown, about 1 minute.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour. Serve.

Ginger Snap Crust:

        1 3/4 cups crushed ginger snap crumbs

• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg white

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the ginger snap crumbs, butter, and brown sugar well. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, and press into the bottom and up the sides with your fingers. Place another 9-inch pie pan on top of the crust and press firmly to smooth and pack the crust. (Some of the crust may spill over the edges of the pan.)

Bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Brush the crust with the egg white. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for one hour before using, or freeze for up to 6 weeks.

 Ummmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about the pie. I made it a few months ago, and it is so delicious. Now I must confess that I don’t enjoy cooking/baking very much, but I do enjoy going the extra mile to ensure my family’s holiday experience is memorable.

Do you have any holiday tips you’d like to share?

It's almost Thanksgiving and already my mind is shot. I have been editing for clients and thinking about opportunities.  Yes, other writers trust me enough to pay me to edit their Indie books. Any idea why?

I think it's because I don't like to mess with a writer's voice or style or rhythm.  So what do I do?
1. I suggest corrections for grammatical errors. Yes, I know dialogue and introspection aren't always grammatically correct. However, I'd like to give my writers the chance to make both clear and sharp and effective. Do I leave fragments in scenes? Of course I do, just not a lot of them.  I have even added a few fragments.
2. I correct punctuation. Yes, there are rules, and a misplaced comma can make a BIG difference in meaning.
3. I add emotion and impact to scenes to engage readers without changing the tone the writer has set.  
4. I let my writers know when I get lost in their scenes or moving from scene to scene and suggest ways to transition or fill in blanks.
5. I use each writer's words as much as I can and delete extra words that dilute the effect of a sentence. 
6. I do let my writers know if actions, dialogue, or emotions don't make sense and I make suggestions.
7. I do try to read each manuscript at least twice so I can find typos and spelling errors.

As long as I work for my writers and for myself I have options and control of what I say and do.  Now about those folks who wonder how an editor can miss a spelling error or three.

What would you want an editor to do for you?  The secret is still a secret for this week.

Haunting Refrain is still free on Amazon for Wednesday. Go get it!
Happy Thanksgiving!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057033GG.	http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057033GG

I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but it’s not too late to pop into Goodreads and enter the giveaway for a signed copy of my new historical romance novel, Kira, Daughter of the Moon. I am giving away three copies at: Goodreads.

(Contest runs through Nov. 21st)

Blurb: Logan McCutcheon returns to colonial Virginia after seven years in the hands of Shawnee Indians. But was he really a captive, as everybody thinks? He looks and fights like a warrior, and seems eager to return to those he calls friends and family.

Kira McClure has waited for Logan all those years, passing herself off as odd to keep suitors at bay–and anyone else from getting too close. Now that he’s back, he seems to be the only person capable of protecting her from the advances of Josiah Campbell and accusations of witchcraft. And to defend the settlers against a well-organized band of murderous thieves.~

***Kira, Daughter of the Moon is available in print and various ebook formats from The Wild Rose Press,  Amazon, Barnes & Noble in Nookbook, All Romance eBooks, and other online booksellers.

Although written to stand alone, ‘Kira’ is the sequel to my award-winning historical romance novel Through the Fire. 

A Very Virginia Christmas: Stories and Traditions by Wilford Kale enjoyed its official book launch at the Barnes & Noble in Colonial Williamsburg last Friday, Nov. 9th, and I was among the authors taking part in the signing. Why, you may ask?

Because I’m delighted to have an  account from my nonfiction book, Shenandoah Watercolors, about celebrating Christmas in the old Family home place in the Shenandoah Valley included in this wonderful collection. I’m honored to be among the illustrious authors who span centuries of life in my beloved Virginia, and proud to represent my beautiful valley.

The publisher of this lovely Christmas Collection, Parke Press, has this to say about A Very Virginia Christmas: 

“For the past 400 years, Virginians have created traditions of their own, borrowing from a variety of Christmas celebrations in other countries. This year, Wilford Kale has compiled the work of 16 contributors telling how Virginians observe the Christian wintertime holiday: from the Shenandoah Valley to the Eastern Shore, from colonial days up to the 21st century, in times of need to times of feasting and merriment. Read about eggnog, Robert E. Lee‘s Christmas, Parke Rouse‘s Christmas on the Southside, Richmond’s Nativity pageant, and Earl Hamner’s childhood Christmas in the Virginia mountains. You will also find stories including the Christmas Truce, the origin of “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph,” along with other Christmas favorites. Your storytelling time at Christmas will be warmer and cozier than ever with these tales that remind all ages of the real meaning of  “the most wonderful time of the year.”

An article in the Virginia Gazette gives even more insights to this vintage Christmas collection and the special man behind it, Wilford Kale.  Entitled A Jolly Collection of Virginia Christmases, the article goes on to say:

“Who better to compile a book about Christmas in Virginia than a man who could pass for Santa Claus.

Wilford Kale, a long-time journalist, short-term politician and part-time Kris Kringle, has edited “A Very Virginia Christmas – Stories and Traditions,” a new collection of stories, anecdotes and traditions about Christmas. He’s included the work of some heavy hitters, including Earl Hamner of “The Waltons” fame, Booker T. Washington, Park Rouse and Francis Church. Oh, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Alfred Tennyson are included too.

The collection includes four centuries of Christmas memories and anecdotes, ranging from Capt. John Smith to the generations of children who visited perhaps the state’s best-known Santa at Miller & Rhoads in Richmond.”

To that I add, and me! For the complete article, I recommend you visit the link. And God Bless us Everyone!

***Images of Chapel Hill, the old family home place, a wreath in Williamsburg, and a Victorian Santa Claus (royalty free)

***A Very Virginia Christmas is available in hardcover at Amazon and from many other booksellers.

Welcome, Connie. I'll grab a cup of hot tea for you. Back up to the fireplace and get warm.

 

I’d like to dedicate this blog to my mother, Elnora Burks, who would’ve been 84 years old on November 12^th. Rest in peace

                The Power of Believing

My mother was a gentle soul, an unsophisticated country girl, who held two things close to her heart: her love for her children and her belief in God. She married and raised her children during the fifties and sixties when the racial climate in this country was very bleak. Through days when she wasn’t sure how she’d feed us or where we’d live, she held on to her belief that there would be better days that we -her children- would have a better life. She never spoke of her own personal goals or dreams. I’m not even sure she allowed herself the luxury.  Her goal was very basic - survival.  

Because of my mother’s hard work and support, my life is quite different from hers. I’m educated. I can feed my family.  We live in a comfortable home and have stable jobs. But at times I find my belief in my dream wavering. I’m going to share something very personal with you, something that only my husband knows. My dream is to leave a mark in the world. Yes, my mark could be my children, but I want to be the Harper Lee or the Alice Walker of the twenty-first century. I want to write a book that will remain in the world’s consciousness seventy years after I’m gone.

As the years pass, my dream seems to move further and further out of reach, but I haven’t given up. My mother’s unwavering support and belief stays with me, and I’ll keep trying. 

 I believe as writers, we all have that same desire to touch the world in some way. Is this the desire to be immortal? I don’t know. That’s a subject for another blog.

Constance (Connie) Gillam writes adult suspense and young adult paranormal and contemporary fiction. Visit her at www.constancegillam.com or http://tinyurl.com/78x60hg

Her current work, The 5^th Realm, a young adult paranormal is available through Amazon http://amzn.to/KqkmNn and Barnes and Noble http://tinyurl.com/7u8sglg

 
Lisette Beaulieu's world is raveling out of control. The kids at school know more about her family than she does. Tied of being bullied and teased, she makes a Voodoo charm for an obnoxious classmate. When it works and she raises the dead, her life goes from bad to worse.

Excerpt:

“Lisette.” The last syllable of my name is drawn out in Michele’s Southern drawl. Her voice-like ice tea with too much sugar- is loud enough to be heard over the clamor in the cafeteria. All heads turn in my direction.

Why is today turning into such a nightmare? That’s usually reserved for my nights.

           “Come join us,” she calls out.

The room is so quiet I can hear “I Kissed a Girl” playing on someone’s iPod. They’re waiting to see if I’m going to diss her. This is their entertainment for the day.

Why does she want me to eat with her? So she can torture me some more? I continue walking toward the table in the back.

A pair of tan loafers appears in my path. My gaze travels up the khaki pants to the Polo shirt to Eric Gabriel’s thick lashed brown eyes. “Join us.” He gestures back toward Michele’s table. It’s the first time I’ve heard his voice. It sounds rusty, like he doesn’t use it often.

“Why?” I’m not going to be made fun of by a bunch of spoiled rich kids.

Whispering, he says, “Because I’d like you to.” My stomach does a nose dive.

I glance over my shoulder in Michele’s direction.  Does she want me at their table that badly, or is this all Eric? Is he following her directions, or does he think on his own?

He touches my elbow and turns me around.

I don’t know why, but I allow him to lead me toward their table. I’m so stupid. I said I’d never be swayed by a pretty face. Now look at me.
 

What are you doing to keep your dream alive? 
One commenter will win a free download of The 5th Realm.