I finally remembered...

Hi, I'm Gina, and I'm a writer.

Now before you go asking me where you can buy my book, hold your molars in place. Just because I'm a writer doesn't mean I'm published. Yet.

About last month-ish (everything in my life happens last month-ish), a writer-guy on one of my writer-loops mentioned an interview he saw on network tv of James Patterson, in which Patterson admitted to writing lush outlines of his novel ideas then passing them onto another writer to actually write.

When I shared that post with my crit group, one gal said "that's old (but truthful) news." And he's not the only best-selling, multi-pubbed author to take credit for books they didn't write. She named names. Oh dear.

One of my other crit partners said, "Uggh. Patterson's not a writer. He's an outliner."

Yet he's published. And continues to be, although I can't bring myself to read another of his books.

The way I see it if you're going to take credit for writing books you didn't write, then you at least better have the moral character to not admit to it. If you lie to me, and I don't know it, then we're good. But if I know it, we're not good.

A girl has to have standards.

And James Patterson crossed my standards. Which is a bummer because I actually enjoyed those stories he outlined.

Yesterday-ish (everything in my life happens yesterday-ish) over at the Seekerville blog, Cara Slaughter told about how for years she kept her writing a secret. That I understand. The moment a writer mentions s/he's a writer, then the traditional follow-up response is "How many books do you have published?" Or some published book question.

Where does that leave the writer? Feeling awkward and/or obligated to explain the publishing process, of which no non-writer cares about.

Seems non-writers think that the moment you type THE END, there's a waiting line of publishers wanting to buy your masterpiece.

Hahahahahahahahhahahahaha. Ha.

*sigh*

So many of us unpublished writers elect not to tell folks about our writing pursuits. Although our friends and family eventually find out. That should give us a cheerleading squad, right?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Ha.

If only.

"Have you sold your story yet?" A real encouraging question there.

What not much better is "How much money do you plan on spending on your hobby before you drop it and take up [fill in noble pursuit here]?"

Uggh.

A couple years ago-ish (everything in my life happens a couple years ago-ish), my older sister went back to college to get her degree in nursing. Her goal was to enter a field where she could have a more flexible work shedule and get paid a decent wage.

I can guarantee no freakin' person said to her, "How's that hobby coming along?"

While she was spending $$$ and time in pursuit of a career payoff, her $$$ and time was considered an investment.

For many of us unpublished writers, our friends and family consider our writing a hobby. How discouraging. And the pursuit of publication is discouraging enough without our friends and family belittling our investment of time and $$$ by calling it our "hobby." And then when we final in or win a contest, the assumption is that now we'll sell our story.

Hahahahahahahaha. Ha.

Finaling in the Golden Heart was an amazing experience. But the percentage of finalists and winners who sell that finaling and/or winning manuscript is low. Sadly low. But finaling/winning gives our writing a tad more credibility. Friend and family begin to think maybe there is something to this hobby of hers.

Many years ago (not much happened in my life many years ago), actress Geena Davis dedicated her time and money into learning archery with the goal of going to the Olympics. She didn't win a medal. But she achieved her dream. Can you call her process of going to the Olympics a "hobby"?

I don't think so.

A hobby is something a person does for leisure, for the intent purpose of personal pleasure.

A job is something a person does for monetary sustenence.

I don't get paid to raise my children or to be a wife, yet ask anyone who knows me what I do for a living and they'll say "She's a homemaker."

If writing is my hobby, then so is mom-ing and wife-ing and housecleaning-ing.

Some are born great.
Some achieve greatness.
Some have greatness thrust upon them.

Wii maker pushing weight-loss games to women - MSN Money

I've found the secret to exercising.

Wii maker pushing weight-loss games to women - MSN Money

I'm serious. Seriously.

I went to the plastic surgeon today.

What's not so odd is that of all the magazines available for perusal, none were guy magazines. No Sports Illustrated. No Field and Stream. No Rolling Stone. Instead, the options were Parenting, In Style, People, Cosmo, etc.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

The number of men who go to a plastic surgeon are microscopic compared to women. Or the men who do go, enjoy reading girly magazines. Umm, maybe I should say chick magazines. Or they talk on the phone while they lounge in the waiting room.

For some reason, my son (Matthew14) didn't pick up a magazine to read.

BTW, today is his birthday.

Happy 14 fabulous years, Matt!!!

Yours was the longest and hardest labor of all five of my chitlins. But you and your moldy cone head was worth it. Were it not for you, I'd have to pay someone to babysit your siblings.

So back to the plastic surgeon...

Every get that feeling the the doctor is evaluating your potential to be his next patient? Okay, pretend that you are visiting with a plastic surgeon. Now do you understand how I feel? It's kind of a creepy feeling. Then again, maybe he wasn't thinking of sculpting my face. Maybe I'm just a gal with a vivid imagination.

I'm thinking of sending Matt's dad with him to the follow-up visit.

In addition to the vivid imagination, I'm paranoid. Or maybe I'm not. How would I know if I were paranoid or not? Should I be suspicious of myself?

Good news is it looks favorable for Matt not to have to have a skin graft.

Bad news is he's not cleaning the burn well enough each time he replaces the bandages and reapplies the silverdine ointment, so I have to check the wound. Blech. If I wanted to be a nurse, I'd have gone to school so I could get paid to look at disgusting burns. Blech. Blech.

But I didn't go to nursing school. Instead I earned my BA in Communications because I wanted to be a news reporter until I decided I didn't like reporting the news. A girl can only write about so many murders and car jacking and political debates before she decides the news is depressing.

To this day, I don't watch the news.

Well, I usually don't. Sometimes if hubby is watching the local Fox broadcast, I'll tuned in as long as I can before I start wondering if the male anchor had his Botox injections lately or why no one can figure out that he has the most annoying eyebrows. I should post a pic to show you.
The gal he anchors with (Diane) is very very personable. Sometimes I wish she'd anchor the news alone. Not that Curt is annoying to listen to. No, he has a very pleasant delivery style.

But between his eyebrows (the picture oddly does them justice), his plastered makeup, and his Botox injections, I just can't watch him deliver the news.

So I just don't watch the news.

I had a point to this blog, but my two little ones are playing on the deck. One is naked. I probably ought to put a diaper on her shiny hiney. They're having a picnic. The dog is excited.

I should probably check on them.

In the meantime, I'll try to remember my point.

And if before then, you go to the plastic surgeon, let me know how things go.

God and the Scientist

One day, God was sitting in Heaven when a scientist walks up.

"Lord," the scientist says, "we've had a committe meeting and decided we don't need you anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing."

"Really?" God answers in awe (which is generally how God talks).

The scientist narrows his eyes. "No need to be scarcastic."

"Many pardons."

Pleased with God's apology, the scientist smiles. "In other words, God, we can now do what you did in the 'beginning'."

"Oh, is that so? Tell me..."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Why are you so suspicious of my motives? I'm genuinely interested in your results and evidence."

"Well", the scientist says, "we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of you and breathe life into it, thus creating man."

"That is interesting. Show Me. "

The scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the soil.

"Oh no, no, no..." interrupts God.

The scientist looks up, bemused.

God smiles. "Get your own dirt."

Sanctuary

SANCTUARY, the latest book by Molly Noble Bull, bestselling author of The Rogue’s Daughter and The Winter Pearl, was awarded the 2008 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in the Inspirational category at an awards dinner on April 12th in Florida. The contest was sponsored by the Southern Magic chapter of Romance Writers of America in Burmingham, Alabama.

Along with the winners in the other categories, the cover of SANCTUARY will appear in a full page ad in the August issue of the RWR, the national magazine of Romance Writers of America.

SANCTUARY was published in September 2007 in trade paperback by Tsaba House. Sanctuary is a fast-paced Christian novel and the first in the Faith of Our Fathers series about the Huguenots. With danger and persecution lurking at every turn, the characters in Sanctuary leave France and finally settle in Scotland. In Book Two, the family leaves Scotland and travels to the state of South Carolina amidst more troubles and hardships every step of the way. Readers who liked The Winter Pearl, Molly’s Steeple Hill trade paperback, will also enjoy Sanctuary–and learn a little history besides.

Congratulations, Molly!

Writing Tips

I find it both fascinating and disconcerting when I discover yet another person who believes that writing can't be taught. Frankly, I don't understand this point of view. -Elizabeth George in her book, WRITE AWAY

I so agree, which is why I subscribe to a writing group called Writing Tips. To join e-mail WritingTips@googlegroups.com. Each day a handful of links to craft of writing or buisness of writing articles shows up in my e-mail box.

It's notes like this one...

Judging contest is a thankless job.

Literally.

But not always.

Sometimes (1 out of every 10 entrants) an entrant decides to thank her judge. And I freely admit I've saved every TY I've received over the last six-ish years.

Yesterday, I received my latest one.

First let me say I'm pretty generic when I send my thanks to a judge. Mention the entry title, maybe what it's about, and something specific the judge said that was helpful, then end with an "I apprectiate the time you spent." So when I receive a TY that's more than what I'd write, I stop and savor.

Hello,

Re: Entry Title Entry Number

I'm glad I entered [the blank contest]. I especially appreciated your comments and that you took the time to put some within my text. Overall your comments were in line with the other judges. You agreed with my crit partners on my weaknesses, which I've already been working on since I entered Genesis. That was good confirmation. I was amused that two of you had opposite opinions on the presence of the heroine's friend, [xxx], in the story. My agent thought I should add a friend, because [xxx reason]. I believe your comments along with the other judges' will help me to produce a better story, my whole purpose for entering [the blank contest].

I see your willingness to judge contest entries as a service to bring up the level of writing in the Christian market, which is so important. I pray that God will multiply your time as a blessing for all the hours you spent judging.

If I could respond to the entrant, I'd say, "Yes, ponder the merit of the friend. And pondering doesn't mean cut. It means weigh how much of an impact this character brings to the story. If she's there as a filler, then cut. If she's there for a reason and then continues to impact the story, then keep. What impresses me is that you are willing to listen to advice to make your story better. Kudos!!!"

Contest judges aren't always right.

But they aren't always stupid.

The key is maturing ourselves as writers so we learn to distinguish between stupid comments and valid ones.

Hearts in the Highlands Part 2

Ruth happily agreed to answer some of my questions. So enjoy!


How did you get the idea for the story?

We had just moved to the Netherlands and it was our first night in our new house. We were still sleeping on mattresses on the floor. I woke up that first morning with this story idea (part of a dream). Dreams are funny, b/c when you start thinking about them, they appear more and more ridiculous. This one had enough, though, to begin weaving a story around. It was about this confirmed bachelor and a spinster—and how these two shy, reserved people would ever get together!

As you can see, when you read Hearts in the Highlands, the story evolved quite a bit from that first premise.

What's something fascinating you learned during researching archaeology
and Egypt that you didn't get to include in the novel?

How many Europeans had been visiting Egypt since Napoleon’s conquest in the early part of the century. There seemed to be quite a fascination for the country and its artifacts.

Why did you choose the Scottish Highlands for the setting?

My hero and heroine needed to get away somewhere where not only the landscape would promote romance, but also where they were both away from a work setting, in order for them (esp. him) to begin seeing each other differently.

And why the Highlands instead of some other British location or even a US
setting?

One, because it was accessible, especially in the late Victorian period, when trains were beginning to take people all over the British Isles and the concept of resort hotels to remote places was beginning to gain popularity.

Also, there is such a mystic about the Highlands. I had envisioned this mountain climbing scene (inspired, perhaps, in part with a hike I took the summer before around Mt. Katahdin, Maine in researching my previous book, The Rogue’s Redemption. You see, research is never wasted!) The Highlands seemed like a suitably romantic place to have my hero, Reid Gallagher, wake up and smell the coffee! His heart had been asleep way too long!

What setting(s) do your readers have to look forward to in the future?

I’ve had a few readers ask me if I plan to revisit my Maine setting.
I also have an idea for another regency with a Paris setting (right after the Napoleonic Wars).

What's your favorite thing about writing for Love Inspired?

It’s a nice length—a little too short for my usual length historical where I have both a love story and inspirational theme. In the LIH I have to basically focus just on the developing romance, but it makes for a nice pace to alternate the writing of a longer length historical with the shorter. Keeps me disciplined.

Any tips you can give to writers targeting the LI line?

Focus on the romance. You have to put aside all the other desires you might have to inform the reader of all the wonderful historical facts you’ve uncovered in your research, put aside any tendency you might have to wander off into secondary characters’ stories or subplots; and just keep coming back to the hero and heroine and their interaction.

~*~

Thanks, Ruth, for the wonderful insight into you and your lovely story. If you haven't read HEARTS IN THE HIGHLANDS yet, then I challenge you to beat me to the bookstore to see who can scoop up that last copy before someone else does.

Hearts in the Highlands

Hearts in the Highlands
Coming April 2008 from Steeple Hill's New Love Inspired Historical Line

British archaeologist and Egyptologist, Reid Gallagher is a cross between Indiana Jones and Robert Redford in Out of Africa. Widowed many years, he's convinced he'll never love another woman as he did his wife...until he comes home to London for a brief visit and meets Maddie Norton, companion to his elderly aunt.

As she helps him in his work and travels with him to the Scottish Highlands, his closed heart begins to yield to her gentle presence. Her devotion to her brothers' missionary work and her quiet inner strength draw him until he begins to dream of her as his companion in the field.

But can they overcome his fear of loving again, and his family's attempts to keep them apart? Can two solitary souls dare reach out to a new life and love?

~*~

Ruth Axtell Morren's newest release sounds like a fitting beginning to this spring book-reading season.

I have to say I'm a big Indiana Jones fan, so I'm gonna have to read this lovely story. Look for me sometime this month to post a review. But first I must high-tail it to the bookstore to buy a copy.