Paying It Forward

"Paying It Forward" is what most writers do.

I love seeing other writers get excited about their writing, no matter how many words or when they write. I can't begin to count the authors who've challenged my daily writing. How many writers don't know through their articles, books, groups, etc., were, and are, my inspiration.

Writers write. Writers inspire.

A huge thanks to all writers who've inspired my writing.

Is there a particular author you connect with? One who prodded you along when you wanted to give up?

Celebrity Sad News

I'm saddened to hear of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson's death today. They'll both be missed. My heart goes out to their family and friends.

New Beginnings

Happy New Year!

Family and friends remain priority because it's no secret those are lifelines to good living. Roses in my garden. Such diversity, and that's what makes the world go around.

When I look back on 2008, I find it was more productive, as far as writing goes, than I first thought. New stories and new beginnings were the lifeline. But now, I have the task of finishing the manuscripts I started in 2008 and submit in 2009.

So polishing those manuscripts are a portion of my 2009 goals, then submit to an editor or agent.
I wish you the best in 2009.

Merry Christmas

Last night our family met for a Christmas dinner to honor my eighty-six-year-old mother. We ate, laughed, hugged, enjoyed and wished each other a Merry Christmas. Then we all drove our separate way home with family members to prepare for the holidays.

As I started my hour and half drive home, Christmas carols played softly on the radio and I sang along, recalling the room full of love I'd left a few minutes before. The gathering was one of the best we've had in a while, even though we missed the ones who weren't there. It's good to be with family, any time or any reason.

I listened while the station took requests for songs to play for loved ones or any other reason the caller wanted. The requests varied from a song for a wife, a girlfriend, a mother, a father. One call from a father for his three month old daughter, particularly touched my heart. The man's love obvious for his child came through loud and clear.

When I stopped for a traffic light, lost in my own thoughts, the saddest woman's voice quivered across the miles, while she made her song request. The song was for her. To lift her spirits at the upcoming holidays, she said.

By the time the radio host had asked her about not having anyone, I heard her voice crack and she almost lost it right there. All her family had passed away and she had no one. But she did have a church family. By the time the host was ready to play the song, the woman's mood had definitely brightened. She'd reached out to a stranger, opened her heart, and the radio host hadn't let her down.

I hope the caller, who had no family, wraps her arms around her church family who loves her, finds peace and comfort through the holidays and beyond. Holidays combined with loneliness, trigger depression and that's something I don't wish on anyone.

I'm thankful every moment for my family and the love we share. I am blessed.

May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I wish you, Blessings, Butterflies and Music.

Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent

Challenge - Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford , of Curtis Brown, Ltd. has offered a reading of your manuscript's first paragraph.

At my last viewing, 8:45 tonight, 791 people had already posted. Wow! He's in for some reading. Anyway, should you decide to post, the deadline is Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 4pm Pacific time.

Click on the the link below to begin reading, or submit your own paragraph. http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2008/12/2nd-sort-of-annual-stupendously.html

Since there are 791 posts, the page takes extra time to load, but is worth the wait.

Get those paragraphs in. Happy writing.

Recipe-Carol's Pistachio Pie

Recipe

I've shared this recipe with several friends and they've enjoyed it so much, I thought you may find it one of your favorites too. My daugher-in-law makes a similar dessert, absolutely yummy, but isn't diabetic friendly.

This pie is great for Diabetics. One small slice, not the whole pie. Ha! I could almost eat the entire pie myself. But I never have and won't at any time in the future.

Prepare and enjoy this delicious dessert for Christmas and you'll be sharing the recipe also.

Carol’s Pistachio Pie

1 small container Cool Whip
1 box Sugar Free Pistachio instant pudding mix
1 can (20 oz.) chilled Crushed Pineapple (No sugar added) (drained –SAVE –the juice)
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 cup small pecan pieces (these taste better if toasted lightly, then cooled)
1 deep dish baked pie crust s OR 2 regular size baked crusts OR 2 Graham Cracker crusts

If you want it mounded over use 1 crust, otherwise I usually use 2 crusts, it freezes better that way.

Drain pineapple well, so you get all the juice, into a large mixing bowl, set aside pineapple. Add lemon juice to the bowl of pineapple juice. Whisk in quickly 1 box Pistachio pudding (dry mix) until it thickens, add pecans and pineapple. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour into crusts. Let chill for a couple hours.

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Depends on how much Cool Whip I want to use, sometimes I use a bit more (about a cup) from another container. Not too much though or the pie isn't flavorful enough.

For the holidays, if you want to dress it up, add a few Maraschino Cherries–well drained – on top in the shape of a tree, bell, cross, maybe a sprig of mint, etc. Or use your imagination. If you don’t eat all the pie within a couple days, you should freeze, as the crust (either one) will tend to be soggy. I let it set out about 30 min., slice what I need, then refreeze. Cover tightly with saran wrap and foil before freezing.

NaNoWriMo Winner

This winner's button almost fell by the wayside. But, I did finish NaNoWriMo. (National Novel Writing Month) November was filled with family issues, not to mention Thanksgiving and other priorities that kept creeping into my writing time. The closer I got to the 50,000 required word count, the more I knew I had to cross over the winner's line. Writing is as vital as breathing, still family must come first.

Sprinting with a group of fantastic writers helps keep the momentum flowing. Thanks to all the ladies out there in our Endurance Writing Group. I couldn't have done it without your help.

More later, now it's time to relax.

NaNoWriMo 2008

So, I'm half through the month of November plowing through another National Novel Writing Month www.NaNoWriMo.org I'm lagging behind. I started off with a bang, but fizzled out into the second week. With less than twelve days left to finish a rough draft of 50,000 words in thirty days, I'm trying hard to stay sane. Lol.

Karen Wiesner's blog, on Routines For Writers, lists information from her First Draft in 30 Days and I plan to put forth an effort to salvage the rest of the month using her method. Here's the link http://www.routinesforwriters.com/2008/11/18/6-tips-for-when-your-book-isnt-working-a-guest-blog-by-karen-wiesner/ if anyone else is experiencing the same plight I've found myself in.

Good luck and I hope you find the words to forge ahead and finish the NaNoWriMo a winner. Me too!

Now, I'm off and running with my fingers glued to the keyboard hoping to turn out some awesome word counts the remainder of the month.

Got a manuscript draft to complete?

Endurance Writing is a group formed of writers who write in dissected twenty minute intervals. The key element is to write as much as you can without editing.

In a word, rather two words, WordSprints. The group holds writing sessions four to five times weekly, or more, for getting that first draft down quickly. Each participant works at their own pace and need, but not necessarily every night. But, once you experience the elevation WordSprints has to offer, you as a writer trying to get that first draft completed, you'll return night after night.

When I first began First Draft, Candace Havens Workshop, several writers decided to work in groups. Within one of those groups, Word Sprints was birthed. I joined the group and haven't looked back.

My 70,000 word ms, first draft, is at 86% complete. I should finish in about three days if I only write with the group or one to two nights if I glue myself to the chair and also write during the day. Once completed, the manuscript will rest for a week or so and await Candace Havens Revision Workshop to begin.

Most writers in the group have page goals set for the night. Last night my total pages were 14.7. Granted there are issues with the writing, but that's what first drafts are all about. About getting it out of your head and on paper, or onto computer screen.

Once you get into the character's head, he/she takes the lead and you're off to an amazing session. And, there are sessions where we get so caught up in what we're writing, it's hard to stop when the twenty minute buzzer goes off.

One question came from a friend. She worried that her writing was up on the Internet for all to see. Not so. We all use our own word processing program and simply use conferencing to keep in touch for each session. No one will be able to see what you've written.

Anyway, I hope you'll check out both sites to see if either interests you as a writer who needs a jump start on and old manuscript lying around or your next manuscript.

Click on WordSprints to join the group.

And now, back to the writing board.

I wish you music and butterflies . . .

Fast Draft

Candace Havens, author of Charmed and Deadly, holds a group workshop, Fast Draft. For more information visit her site at http://www.candacehavens.com/ Charmed & Dangerous (Dec. 2007)Charmed & ReadyCharmed & DeadlyLike A Charm (Feb. 2008)

For two weeks you write twenty pages per day. At the end of two weeks you have a 280 page first draft ready for revision.

I'm only at thirty pages for three days. The more I write, the more pages I find each day is doable.

If you're interested in seeing what the rest of the group is doing go to Write_WorkshopChat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

That's it for the evening. Back to writing on my next pages.