It Happened in Mt. Dora....

I am way behind on blogging and am working on blending my librarian life and my writing life a little better. August 12^th, 2017 was one of those days where it all worked. (Yeah, I know that was months ago. Told ya I was way behind J)

WT Bland Library of Mt. Dora, FL held their annual Writer’s Expo. This year they talked about some fantastic programs that were coming to Mt. Dora and Leesburg Public Libraries. (Hopefully the rest of the Lake County Library System soon!)

The conference talked about the Self-e, PressBook, and BiblioBoard options for publishing. If you hold a library card for either of these libraries you can use these products to help you self-publish your novel. Libraries aren’t just for checking out books these days they’re for creating them too!

The Friends of the Mt. Dora Library offered refreshments for the event as well, but that wasn’t all. Writers One Flight Up writing group of Mt. Dora sponsored a nanofiction contest with two categories. Romance and It Happened in Mt Dora.

I am proud to say I placed first with my entry in the It Happened in Mt. Dora category. My fellow Lake Writers member and author Sally Max took first place in the Romance category. I was totally taken by surprise and more than thrilled of course.

Below is my winning nanofiction entry. It Happened in Mt. Dora…

“Bartender, refill.” This was a hell of a case. The kind that made an investigator chase his tail before he could get a decent lead. How’d he get mixed up in this chaos?

He gave a snort and knocked back the fresh glass of bourbon. A doe-eyed skirt who sauntered into his Donnelly Street office with a sad story and tear in her eye, that’s what. There was probably an onion in that silk hanky.

He motioned to the bartender for another. “Just leave the bottle. Old Jim here and I need a long conversation about a dame.”

I’m looking forward to the next contest. Which happens to be taking entries right now through Jan. 20, 2018. The theme is Please be mine…. and is sponsored by Writers One Flight Up and WT Bland Library. For details on the contest click HERE.

Now back to noveling, after all it is NaNo November.

A new adventure and finding new inspiration

Gracious stars and garters has it been quite a stressful time, but things are looking up as I have embarked on an awesome new adventure. One that excites me as an author and reader.

Astor County Library with branch manager Jonathan Dolce 

Many of you know I am a strong supporter of public libraries. Our local libraries are our favorite hangouts. Now I have a new way to support my local library, the Astor County Library. I've started working there as a Library Page! Yes, they really let me behind the circulation desk :)

I've been there about 3 weeks now and I LOVE IT! We might be tiny but we are a huge part of this community. Being behind the big desk you can see all the hard work that goes into making sure this area has all the resources it needs.

I can't wait to learn more and work on some programs of my own for our folks. As a matter of fact I just got the go ahead to hold a Camp NaNo program this April for our patrons. The program is open to all but we're going to focus on our kids that come and hang out on Tuesday nights. Who knows we might just inspire the next Hemmingway or Jane Austin.

Being surrounded by books and talking with patrons about their favorite stories has inspired me to be

Proof! They let me behind the big desk! :) 

more diligent in my own writing. I have several manuscripts saying finish me, finish me! It's time to get to it and get another book out on the shelves. That means making some goals. So...

GOALS THIS WEEK
1. Finish the next chapter in Outlaw Born
2. Start putting together some ideas for Camp NaNo
3. Start putting ideas together for Blogging from A to Z Challenge  

Now that I've landed a dream job how about you? What is your dream job or what in your job inspires your stories?

Is good or bad in your character's DNA?

It’s been a busy couple of weeks trying to get everything back on track between all of the real life craziness that buzzes through. I’m working on a novel I love, a western titled Outlaw Born. I want this thing to get finished so the world can meet Ben Mason.

Ben is a complicated fella. He’s grown up hard and tried to be what people think of as a good man, despite his family legacy. There’s a darkness that runs through his blood thanks to his outlaw father.

The idea is based on an old argument. Can DNA dictate whether a person can be good or bad? Does your family history or bloodline really affect the outcome of your life or is it a series of choices that an individual makes?

For Ben, it’s been a series of struggles to deny his papa John Mason’s dark legacy. He wants to be a good man, a good husband, and father, but… that’s just not in his cards. As I write his story I wonder if some of his decisions re influenced by that dark legacy not just his anger, loss and the situation. Would a truly good man really make these choices? Is he still a good man even though he’s taken this path?

I’m enjoying his journey though he might not be. (Sorry Ben) I can’t wait to see how it ends and the answer to his struggles… if there is one.

That brings me to this week’s goals

1. Write every day

2. Write one article a week

3. Blog at least 3 times a week

4. Start brainstorming for NaNoWriMo (it’s never too early for NaNo Planning ;)

Last week’s goal update

1. Write every day: Check! Something was written every day even if it was just a sentence or two in the chaos of goings on.

2. Write one article:  Tanked! I have one started but not complete.

3. Blog 3 times: Um nope. Tanked here too. I got one complete post in then nada. *hangs head.

That should keep me busy and out of trouble… well busy anyway J I’ll leave you with a little excerpt of Outlaw Born WIP.

*scene set up: Ben, a union solider has been wounded in battle and is recovering in the field hospital*

Outlaw Born Excerpt

He took her hand to make sure he had her attention. “In my coat… a letter… Ellen Mason, my wife…“ He couldn’t say more though he tried.

Sarah placed a gentle hand over his to reassure him she had heard. “Save your strength. You can post the letter when you’re on your feet again, Lieutenant.”

His eyes slipped shut once more.  Ben’s dreams drifted from sweet memories of his wife and son to horrible nightmares.

Ben woke with a gasp; it had felt more like a vision instead of a dream. His wife and son trapped in fire. He could feel the heat of the flames as he reached out to them. “Ellen… Joseph…”

Sarah sat up in the chair next to him. “Lieutenant Mason, just lay back, your fever broke, you’ll be alright now.”

It ached to take a breath, recognition set in and so did the ache of his heart. It had just been a dream but he had waked back to the nightmare of war.  “How long have I been here?”

The nurse gave him a gentle grin as she checked the wound. “Four days, not so long.”

Ben sighed as he took the offered sips of cool water. Not so long, but it felt like an eternity. He couldn’t shake the nightmare; it had been a long time since he’d gotten a letter from home.

The nurse left him to assist another. The soldier next to him rose from his cot and took the nurse’s chair. The older man clutched his arm to his chest careful of it as he sat. Something about the old man put Ben on edge.

The man grinned and offered his only hand. “Jorge Wilson, Boston.”

Ben shook the hand, “Ben Mason, New Mexico.”

Jorge looked at him for a moment as if he seemed familiar. “New Mexico… I knew you had a familiarity. Benjamin Alexander Mason, Johnny’s boy?”

Ben’s expression went blank almost cold. “No. No John’s on the tree.”

Jorge chuckled. “No sense denyin’. You got your ma’s eyes. I remember you hidin behind her skirts in the saloon.”

Ben glared at him and forced his weak body upright. He reached out and gripped the man’s wounded stump. “You remember nothing, old man. The laudanum has you seein things not there. No, John Mason in my tree.”

The old man’s eyes widened with the sharp pain as he gave a brief nod. Ben let go and leaned back, his breath came in pants with the effort. He didn’t want to hurt the old man, but the past needed to stay as dead as his father.

What do you think can a man be influenced by DNA or a dark legacy or is it the choices he makes that sets him on a course of good or bad? Or can a man do bad things and still be good? And don't forget to stop by the other ROW80 bloggers on the hop. 

Keeping the plates spinning and new goals

Have you ever seen the plate spinners at a circus or carnival? They start by balancing one plate on a thin long stick, then making it spin. Then they pick up another and another balancing and spinning all these plates on sticks.

Sometimes one will warble and the spinner has to very carefully adjust to make sure it stays spinning and even or… CRASH and the show’s over. Writing and life can feel like that. There’s a plate on a stick for everything we need to do and all the projects we have waiting to be written on.

They warble and sometimes crash to the ground. The key is to not worry about picking up all those shattered pieces. That plate fell, it’s broken beyond repair so just kick the pieces out of the way and put a new plate in its place.

As writers we know that not every project is going to go smoothly, there might be several plates that fall shattering our plots and a bit of our determination as that novel is written. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book or that it’s not worth your time. It just means that we have to make adjustments. Change the plot, setting or character. Maybe even let the manuscript set for a day or so, then dive back in with a refreshed muse.

Life can interfere with those projects too. That’s been my biggest hurdle as of late. RL making all those plates warble and tip, more than a few have crashed to the ground. Instead of worrying about all that broken china, I’m going to put new plates on my sticks and get them spinning. All the glass on the floor is from yesterday, it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s a new day and a new set of plates and a chance to keep them spinning with a new set of goals.

So my ROW80 goals for this week are:

Write daily. Word counts are out the window for right now. Even if it’s only a paragraph that day, it’s forward progress through the RL chaos.

Write one article. I need to work on picking up the pace of some of my freelance work. Consistent paychecks can help keep some of my plates from warbling so much lol.

Write three blogs. Gladiator’s Pen is in need of new content. I don’t want to have a huge gap again in posts. I know it drives me batty when I subscribe to a blog and then… they stop posting. My apologies for making any of you nuts too J I’m going to try and prevent any more long lapses.  

There we have it a set of goals and all the plates spinning with a few minor warbles but mostly balanced…. For now. :)

What do you do when your plates start warbling and crashing? How do you keep your write life balanced with that real life stuff? 

Creating the Write Routine

The last of 2014 was insanely busy and, of course, the holidays helped things get even wonkier. Now it’s time to get back into sync by creating a better routine.

A routine doesn’t have to be rigid or really scheduled. It’s really about building or rebuilding habits.

A daily routine can start out as a simple to do list. The list doesn’t have to be completed in any certain order or at specific times. It can be adjusted for those moments when something spontaneous pops up. (Just like our Row 80 goals)

Start with a list of five daily tasks. Everyone can accomplish a list of five things in a single day. Yeah, there are *those* days we’re lucky to get one, but that’s okay too. Back to our five things…..

Make your list of five tasks as they pop into your head. Now look at your list and highlight two that are most important. Those are your priorities. No matter what else gets thrown at you each day you are going to get at least one of those priority tasks accomplished.

After about two weeks, you’ll find yourself working your tasks in around whatever pops up in LIFE. Goals will be easier to meet and all will be back in sync.

There will still be times when everything gets whacked out of sync. As long as you can get back on the horse and restart you’ll be able to stick to a comfortable and easy to follow Write Routine.

Quarter One Goals

Establish a Write Routine

Write a minimum of 500 words a day

Write one article a week

Read a book a week

This week’s goals

Write daily

Write one article

Finish the book I’m reading

How about you? How do you establish or maintain a routine with writing and life?

Visit other Round of Words in 80 Days blog hoppers! To find out more about ROW80 click HERE

Those Off Kilter Days

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in. I feel like I’ve been off planet part of the time. There has been so much activity going on in my house and life that my poor blog has been suffering from neglect.

My writing has been the same a bit. Usually I write every day, but lately it has been sporadic and short bursts. I feel very off kilter when I don’t write at least a few paragraphs in a day. I feel like I’ve forgotten something very important all day long. 

Though some of the distractions have been super exciting things that could lead to rising up another rung or two on the ladder of success. I was honored to give a workshop at the Fall Conference for Florida Authors and Publishers Association. What a fantastic experience that was!

I was inspired and thrilled to meet wonderful authors and publishers from all over the state. If you aren’t a

How to energize your platform
with technology workshop at FAPA's
Fall Conference

member of FAPA I do encourage it. They are a fantastic group of people who strive to help authors and publishers succeed. It was a hugely positive experience that I hope to have again next year!

My next big distraction was the primary elections. I’m not a very political person and I keep my views to myself. (most of the time *wink*) I do pride myself on being an election poll worker. I am Clerk of Precinct 3500, Marion County, FL. This is my 20^th Year as clerk there. I absolutely love working elections.

Yes, it can be stressful and tedious when things go wrong or very few voters show up at the polls. The day is a long one about 16hrs long for a clerk, but, it is also very rewarding to know I’ve been a small part of history being made.

Now, though those distractions are past and it’s time to buckle down and set some goals that will get my muse back on track and stories moving again.

Goals for the week of 9/7 thru 9/13

1) Write at least 1000 words daily

2) Get 2 articles finished for Orlando Destinations

3) Get one part 1 of special project completed.

4) Go someplace that will inspire the muse.

5) Post one more blog for this week at least.

I think that should get the muse moving and back in kilter… I hope! When big distractions loom or events take place that knock everything off kilter, it can be difficult to set it right again. Getting back into a grove can feel very disjointed until that smooth rhythm can be found again.

Now it’s your turn to set some goals and follow where your muse leads you this week. How do you battle those off kilter times that spring up? 

Getting caught up and making new goals ROW80 and G for A to Z challenge

The last week was busy and thanks to being anemic my energy level has been pretty low so that didn’t help things. Yet even though my Blogging from A to Z is behind (very as you can see lol) I still feel like this week was a success.

Here’s the update, goals for last week were:

1. Work on scheduling things better: Yes, there was improvement here. Even with low energy levels. We were able to make a schedule for the week and stick to most of it.

2. Write at least 3,000 words:  Almost, I made about 2,200. I think for everything going on this last week that was pretty good. I’m going to say even though it’s not 3k this goal was a success because there was still positive outcome.

3. Get rid of two boxes of clutter/junk: Yes! Thanks to a burst water heater pipe, we had to do a lil bit of cleaning out of the laundry room. We managed a box of junk to get tossed and two bags of old clothes that were just sitting in a basket waiting for someone to decide to give them a new home. So off to Goodwill they will go.

This next week is going to be better and finish stronger. I can already see a few crazy days screwing with my new schedule on their way, but overall I’m confident this week will see goals checked off.

Goals for this week:

1. Get caught up on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge

2. Write at least 3,000 words this week

3. Remove two more boxes of clutter/junk

4. Take some time to get out of the house with the camera and just breathe.

Falling behind is part of life. It’s not always easy to get caught back up, but it is always possible.