Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Why Jeff is Cool

Jeff Savage just wrote a fabulous blog over on Six LDS Writers and a Frog. It perfectly encapsulates what makes being an author great. Go read it -- it's called "No Such Thing as the 'Competition.'"

Vengeance




This is the U.S.S. New York, made from 24 tons of steel from the World Trade Center. This is a warship that will carry seven hundred battle-ready Marines. I wonder to whence it will carry them?

You can tear us down, but you can't keep us from rebuilding.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

He is Sufficient


I've always thought of the word "sufficient" as meaning "adequate" or "just barely good enough." With such a negative view of the word, it would always rankle me whenever I'd hear someone say that Christ is sufficent for our needs. I thought that sounded as though He was just good enough, and that was all.

Having run into the expression an inordinate number of times in the last week, I finally grabbed the dictionary and looked it up. According to Webster:

1. As much as is needed, equal to what is specified or required. 2. Competent, well-qualified, able.

This made a lot more sense to me. He is well-qualified, and He is able. Anything and everything we may need, He is able to provide. There is not one problem we face that He cannot deal with -- we can't possibly cook up anything that would render Him helpless. He is as much as is needed, no matter what that need is.

So now, I too can say, "Christ is sufficient for our needs." He always will be enough, even as our needs grow. He can handle it all.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

To Moan . . . or Not to Moan

I participated in the Moaning Meme last week because I was tagged by an individual who thought she was retaliating for me tagging her -- but what she doesn't know is that I plan to tag her again the very next time I get tagged. I just don't learn easy, Jen . . .

However, to get to the point of this blog, Marsha Ward went to the originating site and had this to say:

"It originated over at freelancecynic.com, where the guy thinks our real selves are reflected through our moaning, not our thanks giving. I'm not entirely sure he's right, but let's give it a try."

Don't get me wrong -- I enjoy Memes as much as the next cyber-addicted person. But I got to thinking about Marsha's comment, and here's my hypothesis.

I believe you can tell a great deal more about a person by their thanksgiving than you can their moaning. Here's why.

1. It's easy to moan, but it's hard to give thanks. People who give thanks are strong and courageous.

2. The fact that a person chooses to give thanks even when things are going poorly demonstrates that they have hope.

3. Look at the things they choose to be thankful for. Often, they'll be thankful for the trials, as well as the blessings, because they know that the trials are for their good. People who give thanks for their trials have faith.

4. There is a scripture in D&C 59:21 that reads: "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." A person who is grateful shows respect, worship, and reverence.

5. A person who is grateful attracts light, while a person who complains attracts darkness. This tells me that a grateful person is a beacon.

6. A person who is grateful opens themselves up for more blessings, becoming willing recipients.

I think you can tell about a person's strengths by their gratitude, and their weaknesses by their moaning. Shouldn't we concentrate on what makes us strong?

Friday, July 27, 2007

Mary and Martha


I've always been more of a Martha than a Mary. I tend to get caught up in all that I have to do and forget to concentrate on the more spiritual aspect of my life. This leads to a lot of discontent, and to a lack of power in organizing my tasks and caring for my family. And then something strange happened -- a third woman emerged.

Hi, my name is Nellie.

While Mary is sitting at the Master's feet and Martha is preparing the meal and setting the table, Nellie is scrambling around, trying to decide what should be done next. She wants to set the table, but she can't because the dishes are all dirty. She decides to wash the dishes, but can't because the counters are dirty. So she cleans the counters, unloads the dishwasher, and then realizes that she hasn't checked her e-mail. So she heads over to download her e-mail, rationalizing that it will only take her a minute, but twenty minutes later, she still hasn't loaded the dishwasher to prepare for the meal that hasn't even been made yet.

When we let our priorities get out of control, first it's just a sad thing. Then it becomes inconvenient, and soon, it's debilitating. We aren't able to get anything done because we don't know what thing we should do first.

However, when we put Christ at the forefront of everything we do, He gives us the guidance to know what to do with the rest of it. He'll inspire us how to fit it all in our day, what things we can delegate, and what things we can get rid of altogether. By tapping into His power, we then have the power to control our lives, instead of our lives controlling us.

So, here I sit, Nellie, making a pledge to do whatever I can to draw closer to the Savior and ask Him how to organize my days. Maybe then I'll be able to find my counters.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Writer Tip #26 -- Formatting


When you're getting ready to submit your manuscript, you want to make sure it's in the proper format. I actually prefer to start it from the very beginning in the proper format -- it makes me happy to open the document and see everything how it should be, plus it helps me to visualize the final product. It's like fixing my hair without my makeup on. It doesn't matter how cute my hair actually is that day -if I'm not wearing my makeup yet, I can't see past the face to the hair. I always do my face and then I can see the hair more clearly. Which is obviously more than you wanted to know, but it helps illustrate my point, which is, if you've lost the thread because of my rambling -- the proper format makes your manuscript look clean and professional.

To properly format your manuscript, begin with your first page. Marching down the left side, put:

Your Name
Your Address
Your Telephone Number
Your E-mail

Straight across from that, on the right side, put:

Your name, with copyright mark, and the year
Word count
All Rights Reserved

Note: Since posting this blog, I have received additional input from LDS Publisher, who had this to say -- thanks for helping me keep up-to-date, LDSP!



Then, centered 1/3 of the way down the page, put:

Your Book Title
Your Name
Chapter One





Notice how we schooched down 1/3 of a page before putting in the title, etc. Now you start typing out the book, so essentially, your first page is a little less than 1/3 of a page. It's really helpful if you can put a hook right at the start so it falls on this first page.

When you reach the second page, that's where your page numbering starts. Don't put a page number on the very first page.

Go to your second page, and go into headers. On the left side, say:

Your last name/Title of book

Then set your numbering to fall in the right corner.


Once you've programmed your name and title into the header, and told the computer to insert page numbers, it will automatically do it for the rest of the manuscript.

That's how to set up your basic page, but here are some other things you need to know.

1. Always use double-spacing. If you're not sure what you're using, look at page set-up and check it. I thought I was using double-spacing once and Josi pointed out that I didn't. Oops, it was 1 1/2 -- thanks for that catch, Josi!

2. Always indent your paragraphs to the first tab. I've seen a lot of new authors just write, without paying any attention to paragraphs, and may I just say, it's so hard to read.

3. Just hit return/enter once between paragraphs, and now they're saying to just space once after the period. I was taught two spaces, but that was (literally) twenty years ago. I still automatically do two (old habits die hard) but then I can go in and do a find/replace and take out the second space.

4. Some publishers like you to start your new chapter on a new page, and some don't care. If you do it wrong, they won't reject you for it, but if you can find out, say from an author who already publishes with them, you can present it the way they prefer, which is always impressive.

Taking the time to make sure your manuscript looks as sharp as it can is well-worth it. When you present yourself professionally, it shows that you are serious about your craft and that you're willing to do what it takes to succeed. You wouldn't go to a high-powered business meeting in your pajamas, trusting that your message is strong enough to knock their socks off, would you? Dress your manuscript professionally as well. It deserves it.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

May I Help You?


Back when I was first married, I worked in a family owned Mexican restaurant. (Teela's Tacos, if any of you lived in Springville about twelve years ago.) I was the assistant manager, and one thing that we adhered to with strictest attention was courtesy to the customer. If we heard any of our employees being the slightest bit rude to a customer, they got called down for it. It just wasn't done.

I don't know what's happened to change the way fast food employees are trained over the last decade, but I honestly do not believe some of the things that have been said to me, just in the last year.

Last summer, I was paying with a check and the boy at the window asked to see my driver's license.

"This is expired," he said.

"There's a sticker on the back," I told him, referring to the perfectly legal sticker issued by the DMV which extends the expiration date. He didn't know what I meant.

"Oh, yeah? And what does that do?" Contempt and derision oozed from his voice.

"It means my license isn't expired."

"Whatever."

He disappeared back into the window, to reappear. "Well, your check cleared," he announced in a tone that suggested he thought it wouldn't.

Let me just say, that if I had not been in a hurry, I would have called his manager over to the window and had a few words.

1. You train your cashiers to flip the license over and look for the sticker. I'd bet about 50% of licenses out there sport a sticker like that, and if you don't know what one is, you have no business to be working a till.

2. You never, ever speak to a customer like that. You maintain your cool and your professionalism at all times, and if something arises that concerns you, you call your manager over and have them deal with it.

That young man left that particular establishment (I wonder why) and has gone to work somewhere else. Whenever I am at the other place and see him, I take care that he's not the one to help me. (I wonder why)

Just yesterday, I was in the drive-through of another establishment. The sign read:

Chalupa $1.79
Chalupa (beef or chicken) $2.79

I ordered a chalupa.

"Beef or chicken?"

"Just the regular one."

A pause. "Ma'am, do you want BEEF or CHICKEN?"

Okay -- I can understand that he didn't get what I meant, so I said, "The $1.79 one."

Another pause, while he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Ma'am, I do not know our items by price." This said very rudely.

I went ahead and ordered a chicken one. What I really wanted to do was curse and yell, but I had left the house for the purpose of relaxing, and what's relaxing about cursing and yelling?

Now, here's the thing -- when I worked at Teela's, I did know every item by price. All the employees were encouraged to make themselves as familiar with that order board as possible. If someone came through my line and ordered the regular one, I would know in a flash they meant the $1.79 one. If they said "The $1.79 one," I would know what they wanted. I didn't rely on the computer to tell me how to think. And we would never, ever speak to a customer through our teeth.

I have worked in the food industry, and I know that the people behind the counters are not just placed there for my ultimate convenience. I understand that they are people with thoughts and feelings too, and so I treat them accordingly. It would be nice to have the favor returned.

It does not matter whether I am dining in a drive-through or at a table with a cloth and silverware -- I expect and deserve to be treated with respect.

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Monday, July 23, 2007

Children -- the Great Equalizers

I made pizza with a garlicky marinara sauce for dinner tonight, and while sending the children in to bed, told my six-year-old to look at me. He took my face in his hands and put his nose on mine.

"I don't want to yell at you tonight, so you need to stay in bed," I began, hoping to make some sort of dent in the "going-to-bed" battle we fight every night.

He took a step back. "You need some Colgate to make your breath smell good," he told me before running down the hall.

Apprehension

My e-mail's back up again this morning, and I can't tell you what a relief that is. I've only sent a few e-mails this morning so far, but just knowing I can is a tremendous relief. Like having a van with enough car seats parked in your driveway -- you might not want to go anywhere right this minute, but knowing you can gives you a sense of freedom.

But since I don't know why my e-mail crashed in the first place, I wonder if it's going to happen again. Comcast hasn't contacted me to let me know the cause, so I'm guessing -- was it a phase of the moon? Did it not like the shirt I had on yesterday? Was my breath bad? Did I insult the computer in some way? Should I have worn a lucky rabbit's foot? With so many possibilities, how am I ever to hit on the right one?

For now, I'll continue holding my breath (just slightly, not enough to turn blue) every time I click on "send," until I see that it hasn't rejected me. Rejection has to be one of the worst feelings in the world, especially when it comes from your beloved e-mail. I'll forever wonder if the magic has gone out of our relationship.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Life's Blood Sucked Dry

No, this isn't a post about vampires, although the effect is pretty much the same. My e-mail is down right now.

It could be worse -- I still have access to Internet, and I can blog, and read other people's blogs, and comment on my Yahoo Groups online. But the e-mail -- sigh. The e-mail.

Now I have had times in the past where the entire e-mail/Internet function was gone, and I couldn't communicate with the outside world at all. (Okay, there's always the phone, but why would I want the phone when I ought to be able to use the Internet?) Those were some dark, lonely days, days in which I would dash down to the library, or over to my dad's house, or to my sister's. And none of those places had an ergonomic keyboard, and so I would risk injury to life and limb (well, not life, but definitely limb) and pound out messages on a regular keyboard, and then nurse myself back to health with flax seed and vitamin B, all for love of the e-mail.

Isn't it funny -- I didn't even have e-mail eight years ago, and now I find I can't live without it. My morning routine actually goes like this:

1. Get out of bed.
2. Go to bathroom.
3. Turn on computer.
4. Make bottle for baby or command that it should be done.
5. Read my e-mail.
6. Read Six LDS Writers and a Frog.
7. Read LDS Publisher.
8. Go back and read any e-mail that might have come in while reading 6 and 7.

If I don't start my day this way, I'm a grump. I'm OCD about this, and until my routine is fulfilled, I can't function. My shower has to wait, my breakfast (what breakfast? I usually don't eat until lunch because . . . I'm too busy reading my e-mail!!)

Sigh. I shall get over it. I know I will. I'm told the e-mail problem will be fixed in 63 hours. But that was twenty minutes ago, so we're down to 62 hours and forty minutes. See -- I can do this. One everlasting minute at a time.

Three minutes later: I'm so boooooooooooooooooored ...........

Thursday, July 19, 2007

A Reminder and a Recipe

For those of you who have not yet sent me a recipe for my "Feed My Kids" contest, click here to read the rules. I've been trying all the recipes and will continue to do so until they are all tried -- but I'm not dropping any hints on who's ahead! Keep those recipes coming -- this is a lot of fun and the kids are taking their role as "judges" very seriously. Every time I put dinner on the table, they ask, "Is this for the contest?"

And, whilst wandering through cookbooks, I found a hit: Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps. I tweaked it a little, but here's the jist:

1 chicken breast, baked
4 strips of bacon, cooked
lettuce
cheese (I use mozzerella)
Ranch dressing
White flour tortillas


Dice the chicken and the bacon. Mix together in a bowl with enough Ranch to moisten. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for thirty seconds, then lay a slice of cheese in the center. Top with chicken mixture, then with lettuce. Roll like a wrap ('cause it is one) and eat.

All four of my children loved this. It's a miracle!

Help me in my search for more things my kids will eat -- send me your recipes!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

100 Things About Me

A tradition here in the Blogosphere dictates that when you reach 100 posts, you list 100 things about yourself. I hit my 100 posts a long time ago (this is actually post #205) and decided to save my list for my one year blogoversary, and this would be it. Happy Blogoversary to me!!

And, now for my 100 things, in no particular order.

1. I’ve been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my whole life.

2. I gained a strong testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith while touring Nauvoo when I was 16.

3. My husband is fifteen and a half years older than I am.

4. He was the first guy I ever dated.

5. He was also the first (and only) guy I’ve ever kissed.

6. We were married in the Salt Lake temple.

7. We have four children, a daughter and three sons.

8. My daughter’s birthday is the 4th of July.

9. My favorite colors are burgundy, mauve, country blue, navy, forest green, and sage.

10. I was a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator for three years and really enjoyed it. I may do it again later when I get more time.

11. My first book is one that I wrote and illustrated myself when I was 5. It’s called “Sue, the Dog.”

12. Cabbage gives me a headache.

13. Cooked cauliflower smells like a wet diaper to me.

14. I worked as the assistant manager in a fast-food restaurant when I was first married.

15. Before that, I worked in a floral shop.

16. My favorite TV show when I was ten was “Remington Steele.”

17. My favorite show now is “What Not to Wear.”

18. I’m a chocoholic.

19. I still have a crush on Pierce Brosnan.

20. I’m a major “Pride and Prejudice” fan, but only the Colin Firth version. The other version is a shallow wanna-be.

21. I went to Russia when I was fifteen and got to stay there for two weeks.

22. Later that same year, I went to California and was a nanny for six weeks while they looked for someone more permanent.

23. I love mangos.

24. I really enjoy old movies – usually more than the modern ones.

25. One modern one I really liked was “Miss Potter.”

26. I spend way too much time reading blogs.

27. My house is usually messy. I’m one of those people who always has a whole lot of other things to do, and housework just isn’t very high on my priority list.

28. I prefer silver to gold.

29. In any given year, I will read between 200-300 books.

30. I really like turn-of-the-century literature.

31. I was greatly inspired to write historical fiction by Ann Rinaldi.

32. On one of my dates with my husband (then fiancé,) we went to the library and read each other children’s books.

33. When I was ten, I had a job making jewelry.

34. I was homeschooled and have never attended a public school.

35. My parents met and married in Logan, and when I was growing up, my grandparents lived directly around the block from each other. We’d run around the block to visit whichever grandparent we chose.

36. I owned a robin’s-egg blue manual typewriter when I was ten – I got it for Christmas. Then I graduated to an electric typewriter, then went to a word processing typewriter, and then to a computer. It was at this time that I was introduced to an ergonomic keyboard and fell head over heels in love. We are now on our third computer since we got married.

37. About the aforementioned ergo keyboard – I am not able hold my hands in a standard typing position and so the ergo keyboard was a life-saver.

38. I broke my tailbone and now have a hard time sitting on firm surfaces.

39. I gave birth to my first three children at home with the assistance of a midwife.

40. My fourth child was born via c-section – he was completely breech.

41. The hospital bed (see #40) was extremely hard and uncomfortable.

42. I have never had a broken bone. (Added later -- my bad. See the comment trail.)

43. I have lived in – California, Nevada, Utah, and Virginia.

44. In the U.S., I have been to – Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana.

45. I got lost in JFK Airport.

46. I really hate sticky or greasy countertops.

47. I also hate greasy hair – I wash my hair every single day, regardless of how sick I am or what else is going on. It’s a psychological thing with me.

48. I really liked the first Pirates movie, not so much the second, and haven’t bothered to see third.

49. “The Princess Bride” will always be one of my all-time favorites.

50. My parents divorced when I was a teenager.

51. I have three older sisters.

52. I write better after rubbing Vicks under my nose and my lip balm on my lips.

53. Speaking of that, I’ve discovered that my lip balm is really good for burns and heat rash.

54. My bedroom is the messiest room in my house. No one ever sees it, and so it’s the last room to ever get cleaned.

55. I spent an hour cleaning my room today and didn’t make much progress.

56. I like to cook and bake, but on my terms, no one else’s. I really hate the expectation that I’m going to cook and bake – I like delight and anticipation instead of expectation.

57. I really like Oriental things. The food, the culture, the costumes, the architecture – it’s all gorgeous.

58. I feel a strong connection to the 1940s. I love the movies and the music from that era – I love the Andrews Sisters, Nat King Cole, Glenn Miller, etc.

59. I hate classical music.

60. You know how they say the sound of rain or of a waterfall will relax you? If you even think of subjecting me to that, I’ll hurt you.

61. I will only take out the garbage if my husband is out of town. I hate, hate, hate taking out the garbage.

62. When I was a little girl, I was so afraid of getting kidnapped that it terrified me to walk anywhere by myself.

63. Now I’m only terrified of the freeway.

64. I procrastinate a lot, usually putting off something better to do something good.

65. My carpet is beige.

66. When I was little, I had a white rabbit that went insane. Then I got a black rabbit who died of heat stroke. I didn’t have much luck with rabbits, but I still like ‘em.

67. I have never ridden a horse, but I want to.

68. I have never milked a cow, but I want to.

69. I would love to move out into the country and own a ranch, a small one, and raise my kids in the sunshine, with lots of chores and hard work, as well as playing hard.

70. I love the Bible and the Book of Mormon, but my favorite book of scripture is The Doctrine and Covenants.

71. I love to scrapbook but I hardly ever have time anymore.

72. I think more than the scrapbooking, I love to shop for scrapbook stuff. I have a lot more than I’ll ever get around to using.

73. My best writing ideas come to me in the shower.

74. I read really fast.

75. I don’t run very fast.

76. I type moderately fast.

77. I talk fast too, especially when in front of a lot of people, and double especially when I’m excited about my subject matter.

78. I don’t enjoy flying.

79. I used to get car sick, but over the last two years, that seems to be getting better.

80. If I peel an orange, I have to scrub my hands with soap immediately afterward.

81. Along the same lines, I really have to wash all the fuzz off a peach before I eat it or it feels like splinters in my lips.

82. I spent about four hours a day in front of the computer.

83. I’m 31.

84. I have hazel eyes that turn green when I cry.

85. I love to take naps and then stay up late.

86. I hate walking into a spot of water on the floor when I’m wearing socks.

87. It drives me nuts to see people out watering their lawns in the middle of the day – don’t they know they’re just steaming their grass and it’ll die that way? Water at night, people!

88. It also drives me nuts to see people carry their babies in their car seats without draping a blanket over the top, and the poor little things are staring straight up into the sun.

89. I like Wal-Mart and hate Target.

90. I go to three different stores to do my grocery shopping, but it saves me about a hundred dollars a month.

91. I have the cutest kids on the planet.

92. I like to eat out – it means someone else cooked and will clean up after me.

93. I really hate mismatched socks and if the mate doesn’t show up within a reasonable amount of time, it goes in the trash.

94. When potty-training, I would rather throw away poopy underwear than try to wash them out. There’s just no reason to try to salvage them, esp. when they’re only about a dollar each (or less).

95. I’m very opinionated.

96. But that notwithstanding, I will listen to what others have to say, and if I was wrong, I admit it.

97. The library and the craft store are two of my favorite places in the world.

98. My bed is another favorite place – but since I already said I like taking naps, you already guessed that.

99. I am a direct descendant of the Hole in the Rock pioneers of Utah history fame.

100. This one had better be a good one, as it’s the last. Um . . . um . . . I have a heart-shaped birthmark on my right ankle.

And there you have it – 100 things about me. That was a little harder than I thought it would be, but happy blogoversary to me anyway!! One year, and 205 posts strong.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Writer Tip #25 -- Making Feelings and Emotions Real

One of the things that will draw your reader in and make them identify with your story is the description of your character's feelings and emotions. Tell me, which example makes you care the most?

She felt disappointed when her date didn't come.

Or . . .

She let go of the curtain and sank down on the couch, disappointment cascading over her. The pit in her stomach that had grown with every passing moment was now the size of a softball, and felt just as hard.

Don't just tell your reader how your character felt:

She was sad.
He felt disappointed.
She felt miserable.
He was happy.


. . . describe their feelings, and their physical manifestations of that emotion.

Think for a minute about times in your own life when you've felt:

Pain

Sorrow

Agony

Disappointment

Fear

Anger

Joy


Take a moment to write down not only the emotions, but the physical reactions you had to the emotions. Were you so happy you cried? Were you so afraid, you trembled? Did you throw up when the pain got too bad?

But now, take it a step further. Don't just say,

She was so happy, she cried.

That's still really flat. Instead, give me:

Her joy was so intense, it completely overcame her and she sobbed huge tears of happiness.

Do you see the difference?

When you give your character an emotion, and then you give them a physical manifestation of it as well, and then you tie it together with a description, then you help the reader to feel that emotion too.

For more writer tips, go to the search bar at the top of this page and put in, "writer tips."

Monday, July 16, 2007

Writer Tip #24 -- Targeting Your Audience

Hi there! If you're here looking for the Amazing August Blog Hop, click here ... I sort of linked the wrong post on the Linky. I'm still learning. :)

***

No, I haven't fallen off the planet as far as writing tips go -- although I'm sure it feels that way.

Writer Tip #24 is to know who your target audience is. I believe I've talked about this before, but it's so important, I'm going to do it again.

As you sit down to write your book, you need to picture who you're writing for. Anything that's family-oriented, romantic, or has a nostalgic feel will, for the most part, be aimed at women. Anything that's bang-em-up, ridin' horses, or really heavy suspense will, for the most part, be aimed at men. Now, you will have your exceptions -- some men really enjoy a good nostalgic story and some women really get into a shoot-em story, but speaking of the generalities, which usually predict the market, this is how we'll categorize our books for men and women.

Why are we doing this? By determining our audience, we determine our writing style.

Again, using generalities:

Men like their stories a little more terse and to the point. They want to get to the action. They want suspense right up front, they want things to move along quickly, and they don't care as much about setting, colors, and descriptions. They like to have a general idea of what things look like, but for the most part, it really doesn't matter to them if the girl's dress was crimson or scarlet -- for them, it's good enough that it's red. They are action-oriented readers.

Women like their stories to touch them emotionally. When a character suffers, they want to feel that suffering for themselves. Women want to feel as though the characters in the book are their friends. Women want to know what shade the dress is, what the room looks like, how she fixed her hair for the big party. When the guy breaks the girl's heart, women want to cry right along with the character. Women want to connect internally with what they're reading.

So, as you're writing, ask yourself -- am I reaching out to my reader in the way they want me to?

For example:

She went into her room and cried.

This is not enough for a female reader. Let's try again:

She went into her room and kicked her discarded yellow t-shirt out of the way, closing the door behind her with a thud of finality. Only then did she let the tears flow, but her chest hurt from keeping the sobs in for so long. She threw herself down on her unmade bed, pulling her lavender pillow close and using it to muffle her sobs.

Okay, that's more of a woman's story. We get emotion, we get description, and we feel some of the character's pain.

However, for a man:

She went into her room and cried. Downstairs, he loaded his gun, then climbed into his Jeep 4X4, peeling out and leaving black streaks on the concrete. As he drove past Marconi's house, he rolled down his window and blasted the garage door with four perfectly round holes.

In this example, it doesn't matter what her room looks like, what color his truck is, what color Marconi's house is, or what anyone was wearing when they did it.

You'll also use these tips as you write different genres -- a straight romance will generally have more description than a straight suspense, while a romantic suspense will employ both methods.

For more writing tips, go to the top of this blog and put "writer tips" in the search bar.

Friday, July 13, 2007

What Do I Love About Jesus Christ?


Karen at Over the Backyard Fence has a beautiful post up right now about the five things she loves most about Jesus Christ, and invited anyone who wanted to share to do so on their blogs. It's so hard to encapsulate my thoughts and feelings into a list of just five, but I've been thinking about it for a couple of days and now would like to post my list.

1. Jesus Christ is accessible to us. We can reach Him at any time in prayer, He listens, and He answers. Sometimes we have to wait a little while for the answer, and sometimes it's a no, but He always does answer. We don't have to make an appointment or be an ordained minister to merit His attention -- He listens to each and every soul on this earth.

2. He understands each of us perfectly. He knew us before we came to this earth, we are more dear to Him than we can possibly imagine, and when we have a trial in our lives, He knows how we feel and He deeply cares.

3. He gives me hope and joy. It is because of Him that I look forward to every day. Whenever I start to feel discouraged, I know I can lean on Him to take away that discouragement and to give me the strength to conquer whatever it is that troubles me. He doesn't give us darkness; He gives us light.

4. He always wants what is for our best good. The commandments aren't there to fetter us or to take away our fun -- they are there because by living those principles, we find the most joy and happiness. He never asks us to do anything that would bring us misery.

5. He is the pathway back. He laid the markers, He showed the way, He told us how to do it, and offered to help us succeed. He made it so incredibly simple -- we just make it harder for ourselves by not listening. But He outlined every step for us so that if we just follow Him, we can return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and live with Him eternally. It's a precious gift that He holds out with both hands, if we'll just take it.

My thanks to Karen for passing on such a thought-provoking blog theme.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Insecurity

I'm having a lot of deep thoughts today, but I'm going to try to lay them on you one at a time so as not to overwhelm the blog planet I'm attached to.

During my life I've known several people who have, for one reason or another, tried to make me feel like they were more important than I was. I'm a little sheepish to admit that for the most part, they succeeded. I never really did stand up for myself much when I was younger. I thought that being polite was next to Godliness, and that to offend someone was the greatest sin. I think that may have something to do with my Welsh heritage (you'll rarely meet more polite people) but I digress.

Just in the last year, I have run into all but one of these individuals, and I discovered the strangest thing. You remember the scene in the "Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy goes in to see the wizard and claim her promised reward, only to discover that he's just a man behind a curtain? I had the same experience with each of these people.

As I looked at them, I found myself detached and was able to see them in a whole new light -- as persons with insecurities, who had sought to foist themselves off on others in the hopes of appearing grand and glorious. I can reference another movie here -- "Labyrinth," when Sarah says to the Goblin King, "You have no power over me." That's exactly how I felt.

I'm not intimidated by these people any more. Instead, I feel sorry for them -- all that blustering and blowing, and it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference to me. I only wonder why I was given this gift of detachment now, and not earlier. Maybe I needed to grow up more. Maybe I needed to have this sense of overcoming, and I wouldn't feel this way if I had never fallen under their spell in the first place. Whatever the reason, I'm so glad I have this gift now.

In a way, I have to thank each of these people, for they did teach me something. It wasn't the lesson they'd hoped to put across, otherwise I'd be worshipping at their altars. But I can't say that I regret the experiences I had with them. I'm a better person now; I trust myself more, I am more confident, and I'm not afraid to stand up for myself. Those are hard-won lessons, but win them, we all must.

Oh, the Betrayal!

I left home for twenty minutes last night, just long enough to run a quick errand. When I returned, this is what I found on the television:



That's right -- my family took advantage of my absence and went to the On Demand menu, selected Boobah, and they were (gulp) watching it.

I am an avid Boobah hater. I hate, hate, hate Boobah. I don't care that it's supposedly a scientifically advanced children's program designed to increase the viewer's intellect and make them grow up to be artists and concert pianists and Nobel Peace Prize winners -- I hate the show. And I think my kids are pretty darn special without it.

So I walk into my own house to find that my own children have betrayed me in this horrible manner, and that my husband actually let them. What made it even worse -- Benjamin, my darling two-year-old, was dancing and laughing and giggling, loving every minute of it. He has joined the dark side!

Well, of course I couldn't turn the show off -- he was enjoying it too much. So for an entire hour last night, I had to endure the stupid, insipid, furry little dancing thingies with huge eyes and no mouths and the eerie, disembodied voice calling out "Booooobaaaaaah" which is, apparently, their alien master who they must obey.

If Benjamin wasn't so darn cute, they would not have gotten away with this flagrant "I Hate Mommy" demonstration.

If you're interested in some previous documentation of just how much I hate the show, click here.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Our Troops in Iraq

There are certain factions who would seek to make us think less of our soldiers, to demean the sacrifices they offer daily for us and for the people of the world. To combat all the e-mails we get of alleged abuse perpetrated by our troops over in the Middle East, I offer:


Armed American Troops Force Iraqis to Seesaw Until They Talk!





Iraqi Child Bites GI In Self Defense After Obvious Torture!




GI Falls Asleep On Duty While Using Iraqi Child As Body Armor!





Soldier Attempts to Eat Iraqi Child !





Soldier Caught At 'Tickle-Torture' To Extract Intelligence!






GI Forces Iraqi Child To Hang By Fingertips!





And, all joking aside . . .





We support our troops in the Pinkston household.

(My special thanks to whoever put together this e-mail -- I was unable to forward it with the pictures intact and found this the next best way to share it.)

Monday, July 09, 2007

Whoever You Are -- I'm Sorry

Last week was really hectic for me. In addition to celebrating the 4th of July, we had my daughter's birthday (on the 4th as well). The 3rd saw me running hither and yon, getting a cake pan, cake mix, presents, napkins, and all sorts of other birthday trappings, as well as 4th of July supplies.

Mid-afternoon I popped in at Roberts, looking for that aforementioned cake pan. A car was pulling out and I drove into the vacated spot, not realizing that a car coming from the opposite direction had their eye on the same spot. They were coming at a weird angle, I was in a hurry, and the sun was wicked hot and bright, and I didn't see their turn signal until I was 3/4 of the way into the spot. I then realized what I had done, but they were already waving their arms and calling me all sorts of names. I'm glad both our windows were up or I'm sure I would have caught an earful.

So -- I would like to make this a public apology. If you were looking for a parking spot at Roberts in Orem, Utah, on the afternoon of July 3rd, and had your parking spot swiped from you, I'm really sorry. It was completely unintentional.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Humanitarian Aid

In tonight's e-mail, I received a cry for help from someone who is seeking to raise awareness about the situation in Darfur. I confess, I didn't know anything about Darfur because I don't watch the news. Every time I turn it on, there's a story about a child who was taken from their front yards or swiped from a grocery store, people getting murdered, pornography rings under investigation -- the list goes on --and my children get very upset that they might get taken or murdered. I tend to get most of my news from the Internet, or I remain uninformed.

Tonight after reading this e-mail about Darfur, I went to Google and did some hunting on it. Now I feel more informed about it, but I was also a bit unsettled by a few things concerning the news stories I read. I warn you -- I'm about to get on my soap box.

First of all, I watched the movie "Hotel Rwanda" last fall and was deeply moved and troubled by it. The people of Rwanda were begging and crying for help and could get no one to listen to them. Not the US, not the UN, no one would give them the help they needed. So many people were slain that their bodies filled the streets and the trucks would literally drive over their bodies to get down the road. I truly hope that we learned our lesson in Rwanda and that's why there's such an outcry over Darfur -- otherwise I would be tempted to ask, why did no one listen to the Rwandans, but they're raising money like crazy for the Darfurians? This is not to say that I don't care about the situation in Darfur -- I do, greatly. I'm just trying to come to an understanding of why one group's needs are so much more important than another's. Like I say, though, maybe we learned our lesson in Rwanda and now we're more sensitive about situations around the world.

Secondly, I was curious to see what the LDS Church had planned by way of aid. I had the misfortune of stumbling on a site that seemed determined to bash the Church for its humanitarian leanings, stating that we seem to pick and choose who we will help and who we won't, and then going on to state that the Church seemed to be focused on gay marriage right now and wasn't paying attention to anything else. I thought it was really poor taste to interject a discussion of gay marriage into a forum that was set up to discuss the murder of millions of people. Sure, the protesters would like the right to live how they choose, but how can you throw that into a discussion of millions of people who won't get to be alive . . . at all?

At the time this discussion took place, which was in 2006, the Church had stated that they had supplies ready to go as soon as they were called upon. This led one squawking individual to wonder, vociferously, why the Church had to wait to be "called" before they'd send the items. Well, I wrote a nice reply and discovered that the comment trail was closed for that discussion (that's what I get for being a year late) but in essence, I pointed out that the other humanitarian supplies that had been shipped over there were being swiped by the people doing all the killing, and that the humanitarian workers were being held and harrassed. The aid isn't reaching those in need -- why send it? I think the Church is being wise in waiting for a time when the things they send will have a better chance of getting where they're supposed to get. For all that these squawkers pretend to know, they didn't know that the aid was being pilfered. Hey, I found that out in ten minutes on the Internet. Get educated before you squawk.

Others complain that the Church doesn't do enough to help those around them. Again, a very uneducated statement. The Church donates scads of money to various causes all over the world. Medical treatment, food, clothing, vaccinations, newborn baby supplies, quilts -- these items go all over the world and all over the country. The Church was right on hand when Katrina hit, but the politicians in charge decided not to let the aid trucks into the area. That's right -- trucks from all over the country, from many different agencies and not just the Church, were stopped at the border and were not allowed to go in and ease the suffering of the people in Louisiana. But that's another blog for another day. The Church isn't focused on gay marriage right now -- sure, that's on the agenda, but that's not all they're thinking about. Take a look at this list of articles, gathered from the Church site:

Mormon Volunteers Clean Up Mongolian Landmark

Clean Air is Major Aim of Church Humanitarian Program

Service Program for Small Community Grows into Relief For the World

Mormon Young Adults Help to Eradicate Measles in Guatemala

Mormon Doctors Give the Gift of Sight

Mormon Youth Dance to Help Food Bank

60,000 Mormon Volunteers Help 300 Brazilian Hospitals

One beloved squawker stated that he wished Mormons would go out and do good on their own without waiting for the Prophet to tell them to. Um -- hello? Look at these articles above. There are fifty more pages of links on the site to stories just like the ones above. These people didn't get a phone call from the Prophet, telling them to go do all these things -- they did them on their own.

I'm all for free speech. It's that freedom that allows me to blog every day. But if you're going to rant and rave, would you please get your facts straight before doing it in such a public forum? Can we try to show respect for one another's beliefs and discuss them calmly and rationally instead of going off on tangents and making claims that are untrue? Can we go into discussions with a genuine desire to learn about the other person and where they're coming from without launching into full-scale attacks? And could someone please pass the chocolate?

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Burn-Out

I was taking stock of my life yesterday and came to the important conclusion that I'm teetering on the brink of burn-out. I can't imagine why. Let's think.

* I have four children.

* One of them is two.

* I homeschool.

* I write book and movie reviews.

* I'm an author.

* I blog.

* I'm a housewife.

* I'm a Scout leader.

* I own my own business.


It's not so much that I have a lot on my plate, although I do. My main issue is that I have a need to do everything perfectly. I get that from my mother. If we're given an assignment, we both feel the need to do it to the absolute best of our ability. This makes us wonderful chairpersons, presidents and leaders, but it also makes us looney, daffy and grumpy. (Yes, we're having a Warner Brothers meets Disney moment.)

Why this ever-pressing need to be perfect? Isn't it okay to do a good job without having to do a superlatively fabulous job?

I read Donny Osmond's book and one thing he said really struck me. He had such a fierce desire to be perfect that it was causing him social anxiety disorder every time he'd perform, fearing he wouldn't be good enough. He said the thing that helped him the most was hearing his wife say that it was okay to do a good job and leave it at that. He gave himself permission to give a little less, and it freed him up to do even better.

So I'm going to try that for a little while. I can do a good job without having to be perfect. I give myself permission to relax and to stop worrying about all the things that are going to slip through the cracks. Chances are, they weren't all that important anyway.

Visit Lengths

If you have a counter on your blog, you will be able to track many things about the people who come to visit you. On Statcounter, the one I use, I have the option of viewing visit lengths, which is, how long each person stayed on my blog. I'm sure this option is available on many other counters as well. One thing I notice as I view my statistics is the tendency for guests to stay for less than five seconds on the days I neglect to post a new blog. This makes sense -- they came to see me yesterday, and today they're checking to see if there's something new. When they discover the same blog at the top of the list, they move on.

You can increase the length of your guests' visits by posting a new blog every day. It doesn't have to be something horrendously profound or life-changing, just something new and interesting to put a smile on their faces and make them glad they came by to see you. And you'll find your stats improve quite a bit.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Let Freedom Ring

I've been having deep thoughts today, and as you know, this almost always leads to a rant. So here we go.

We've often heard the expression that "Freedom isn't free." This is so true. Men and women from all over the country have gone out to defend our freedoms and sometimes haven't come home. I honor their sacrifice and think of them with gratitude on days such as this, when we celebrate the freedom we have because of the things they did.

But as I think about those who defend our freedoms, I wonder -- how many of us are content to let others fight for our freedoms? Shouldn't we be the ones to defend ourselves? I'm not saying we should all enlist and go fight, but what are we doing in our legislature? In our local voting district? In our own communities and homes? Do we let others impinge on our personal freedoms, or do we stick up for ourselves?

Freedom comes in many different forms. I have the freedom to fly a flag, but I also have the freedom to not fly a flag. I have the right to free speech, but I also have the right to turn and walk away when someone else's free speech is obscene or offensive. I have the right to protect my family from terrorists, but I also have the right to protect them from bullies, insults, anything that would lower their self-esteem or make them feel less than they are. There aren't soldiers assigned to safe-guard the emotional well-being of my family -- that's my job, with my husband leading the charge.


On this 4th of July, let's not think of freedom as just freedom from foreign rule. Let's think about everything freedom means -- the freedom to learn, grow, explore, discover, create, become, enjoy, thrive, nurture, prosper, edify, uplift, celebrate, rejoice, worship, love, care - and let's protect those freedoms from anyone who would seek to take them away from us, be they a terrorists with a bomb, a constricting law being considered by congress, or even a well-meaning friend who doesn't understand why we choose to live the way we do. We would fight these opposing forces very differently, but we still need to treasure and protect our rights, so we don't someday lose them.


And by the way -- I choose to fly the flag. Long may she wave!

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

To Be Read

On my computer desktop, I have a file named "Books to be Read." As I wander around the Blogosphere, I'll often find a book review for a book that sounds interesting, so I'll open that file and jot down the title. It's not that I think I'll ever really read every single thing on that list, because I add several books to it a week, but it's so nice to have a whole file of books that someone else has read and recommended. It makes me feel like my odds of scoring a good read have gone up several percent.

And, because it's a computer file, it's easy to go in and delete books once they're read, and to print it off when I'm out the door to the library.

The only thing I would do differently would be to write down where I saw the book reviewed. Yeah, that would have been good.

Monday, July 02, 2007

You Have Nothing to Fear But That Big Hairy Spider Crawling Up the Back of Your Neck

The Top Ten Fears of Unpublished Writers:

10. What if my book doesn't sell?

9. What if the stores won't stock my book on their shelves?

8. What if no one will publish me?

7. What if no one likes what I've written?

6. What if I can't get this ending/plot/scene right?

5. What if I used lay when it should have been lie?

4. What if the computer crashes and erases all my work?

3. What if I can't write more than 40,000 words?

2. What if this is the stupidest story ever known to man?

1. What if I'm not really a writer?


I'd wager these fears sound familiar, if you're an aspiring author. You might have put them in different order, and perhaps have thrown in some things like "finding time to write," etc, but by and large, I think every new writer has these fears.

Now, let's look at the other side of the coin.

The Top Ten Fears of Published Writers:

10. What if my book doesn't sell?

9. What if the stores won't stock my book on their shelves?

8. What if no one will publish me?

7. What if no one likes what I've written?

6. What if I can't get this ending/plot/scene right?

5. What if I used lay when it should have been lie?

4. What if the computer crashes and erases all my work?

3. What if I can't write more than 40,000 words?

2. What if this is the stupidest story ever known to man?

1. What if I'm not really a writer?


Notice anything? Yep -- the published author has pretty much the same fears as the unpublished author. If you're published, you may feel a little more confident over the whole lay/lie thing (I don't) and you may feel that you've got a better handle on your scene structures, but deep down, we're all the same. We all want people to like us, we all worry that our readers won't like this new book as much as they did the last, and we wonder if our publisher will or will not accept our latest submission. A published author feels nervous while waiting for that acceptance/rejection letter, and it makes our day when we hear that someone liked our book.

I'm not telling you this to depress you -- I'm telling you this so I can lead up to one simple, fundamental truth: getting published is not like waving a magic wand that will make all your problems go away and all your dreams come true. It will not make you more attractive, it will not make you an instant public speaker, and it will not ensure popularity. It will not boost your confidence. It will not make you a fabulous promoter.

You must work on all these things yourself.

You make yourself a better speaker. You make yourself good at promotion. You build your own confidence. And there is no reason on this great green earth why you should wait until you're published to start working on these attributes.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

A Neurotic Mormon

Must not work on Sunday . . . Must not work on Sunday . . . Must not . . . Phew! It's 12:05 am, Monday morning. I made it. And do not be fooled by the timestamp on this blog -- I never have been able to get it set right.

Yes, I've been sitting here, hovering over the computer, waiting for the clock to change before opening up Word. Am I warped or what -- either just open the dang document or go to bed! But no -- the guilt would consume me. So I've been reading blogs, leaving a comment here and there, did a Meme -- but it wasn't work! I promise!
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