Storymakers 2nd Annual Midwest Writers Conference

Date: Saturday, Sept. 21^st, 2013

Time: 8 am – 9 pm

Location: Holiday Inn (8787 Reeder Road, Overland Park, KS  Phone: 913-888-8440)

Hotel rooms are available for conference guests at the special rate of $84 per night. Please reference the Storymakers Midwest Writers Conference when booking your room.  This rate is only available for reservations made before August 30^th.

Registration Fee: $105, includes all classes, conference materials, lunch and dinner.

2013 Keynote Speakers . . . 

Best-selling author, Janette Rallison

Amazon’s 2012 Breakthrough Novel Award Winner, Regina Sirois

Additional presenters include . . .

Traci Hunter Abramson

Rebecca Belliston

Don Carey

 

Danyelle Ferguson

John Ferguson

Tamara Hart Heiner

Heather Justesen

Gregg Luke

Lynn Parsons

Matt Peterson

Join us for a day filled with writing awesomeness!

Questions? Email Danyelle Ferguson at StorymakersMidwest@gmail.com

A Taste of Home

It's always nice to return home to Pennsylvania. But while I enjoy visiting my family and friends, I'm really sneaking out my "Taste of Home" list and checking items off one by one.

 For example, my all time favorite potato chips are only found in Pennsylvania. And oh, they are simply divine! Middleswarth, how I love thee!

A few weeks ago, I drove through PA with my oldest daughter. I told her that you know when you're definitely in PA when you go to a buffet and they serve pickled eggs. My Great Aunt Erma used to make pickled eggs for our family holiday meals and throughout the summer too. They're not only pretty, but a delicious tangy treat.

Another absolute must - a stop at OIP. (That's Original Italian Pizza for y'all not from Pennsylvania). No need for toppings. Just grab a slice of classic cheese and your taste buds will thank you.

Anyone traveling through PA absolutely must stop for a cheesesteak sub. There's only one state that makes them right - and you have to go to a local bar to get the best. My fave location is The Old Corner in Lock Haven. My order always includes grilled onions and green peppers, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and crushed red peppers. No matter what toppings you prefer, be sure to try the crushed red peppers!

 So these are a few of my faves from my personal Taste of Home Tour. What delicious treats do you enjoy when you return to your hometown?

My New Book Release!

I'm excited to announce that I have a new book out! I was selected to write a short story for Michael Young's Advent Anthology series. Each year, Michael invites authors to put together a series of short stories based on Christmas songs. What an awesome advent for bookaholics! But the best part is each year a charity is selected for all the proceeds to be donated to.

This year's charity is Autism Speaks. And y'all know how near and dear autism is to me and my family. So I was thrilled when he asked me to participate.

  

The Gifts of Friendship and Hope by Danyelle Ferguson
  
The Gifts of Friendship and Hope, (based on the song "Mary, Did You Know?") is about Holly, a mother of two children--one of whom has autism--struggling through her first Christmas as a single mother. At the end of yet another difficult day, Holly can't decide if she should use the little energy she has left to clean the kitchen or wrap holiday gifts. Especially when all she really wants is to go upstairs, sink into her bed and embrace the oblivion of sleep. When her best friends from the local Autism Society group arrive armed with treats, ribbon and bows, Holly is reminded that laughter and friendship not only ease away the stress of a crazy day, but add a big dose of hope for the future as well.

Yes, I know it's May and Christmas is still, oh, 7-ish months away, but it's never too early to buy a perfect gift.  =)  Over the next several months, there will be blog tours and interviews with the authors as each contributor shares their personal "why" for participating in the series. I'll post promo information here and on my Facebook page. I'm sure there will be some fun interviews, reviews, and maybe even some prizes, too. Until then, Carol of the Tales and Other Nightly Noels can be purchased on Amazon.com or for your Kindle. If you would like an autographed copy, I'll have links for that on my website in June. Enjoy!

Stretching Survival Guide for Writers

Now that we've talked about combating the dreaded writer's butt, let's move on to the importance of stretching.  (If you're just tuning into this conversation about writer's health, then please check out this post first.)

A major health hazard writer's face is sitting for hours on end. The only movement that occurs while we're caught up in creating the story in our heads is our fingers as they type, type, type away. This is a big No No. Why? It can cause nasty carpal tunnel that can spread up your arms, into your shoulders and even your neck. Another big yucky side effect is that sitting shortens the muscles in your body, which equals less flexibility and being more susceptible to injuries if you slip or fall.

Stretching 2-to-3 times a day is crucial for a healthy writer's body. It only takes ten minutes to stretch the most important zones. Let's start from the top:


Neck, Shoulders and Upper Torso


Computer monitor placement can greatly effect your neck and shoulder areas. If it's too low, the neck and shoulders get scrunched and hunched. Too high results in a stretched sore front neck and crinkled cranky mid-shoulders.
 

Begin with some neck stretches. Slowly stretch your neck from side to side, then with your chin to your chest. Hold each position for 15-20 seconds. Don't roll your head in a circle. Always return to the center before moving to the next area. After the first set, do a second set, using your hand to add a little additional pressure to the stretch. Don't tug on your muscles. Use gentle, slow movements.

 Next, loosen those shoulders and upper back muscles. Simply wrap your arms around yourself and hug. As the muscles loosen, wrap the hug a little tighter. When the muscles feel nicely stretched and relaxed, release and swing your arms at your side a few times before beginning the next stretch.

Open up your chest muscles. Link your hands however is most comfortable behind your back. If you can't link your hands, try using a stretch band. Once in position, roll your shoulders out and push your chest forward. Hold for 30 seconds or until you feel ready to release the stretch. This gives the most incredible stretch to chest muscles that are rarely used. It's my personal favorite.

Two fabulous shoulder stretches. For the top stretch, bring one arm across your body, then use the other arms to reach up and pull it a little more closely to your body. This gives a nice stretch to the back part of your shoulder muscles and upper arms. Hold for 15-20 seconds, then readjust as the muscle loosens. Repeat with the other arm.  For the bottom pictured stretch, bring one arm up, parallel to your head, then bend your elbow with your hand reaching back towards your mid-shoulder. Use your other hand to hold your arm in place. As the muscle warms and loosens, you can slowly add a little more stretch. This stretch helps the muscles from under the shoulder all the way through to your lower waist.



Lower Back and Legs

How do you sit in your chair? Do you have good posture or do you slump? Do you move your legs periodically? Tap your feet to keep circulation moving? Personally, I'm a slumper. I recently purchased a chair that has an ergonomic back that juts out and pushes into my lower back. It reminds me to sit better and stop slumping. The following stretches also help our lower bodies.
 

Lower back stretch. I always feel so, so fabulous after this stretch. Don't worry about actually reaching your toes. There are a few important things to remember though. Plant your feet shoulder width apart, and do not lock your knees. Keep them slightly bent. Slowly bend over and relax. Let your arms dangle. Don't strain to reach your toes. Then breath deeply. In and out. As you relax, so will your lower back muscles and your upper body will help to slowly stretch those muscles out a little more. Give this stretch 1-2 minutes to thoroughly get those lower back (and upper back thigh) muscles happy again.

 

Lower calf stretch. If you have time, finish your ten minute break by stretching out your lower calves. The picture illustrates an easy way to do calf stretches on a set of stairs. Balance on the step with the front half of your foot, then slowly drop your heel and hold the position for about 20 seconds. You can do both heels at the same time.  

This short routine will give your body the much needed movement it needs after working at your desk for extended periods of time. If you do it consistently (at least twice each day), you'll soon notice more flexibility and also be more aware of your body's movement needs. Healthy muscles = a healthier you. In my next post, I'll address a few simple exercises to strengthen your muscles during another ten minute break session.

Combating the Dreaded Writer's Butt and Other Curses

Once upon a time, I was a young mom who spent most of her time chasing kids, playing soccer in the backyard, and desperately trying to find bits of time to write. Now that all my munchkins are in school, I spend the majority of my day at the computer editing for clients, organizing writing events and working on my own manuscripts. The problem with this is that I would much rather be working at my computer than doing that dreaded other thing - exercising. But (maybe that should be "butt") that combination has taken its toll on both my body and my health.

The solution: Kick the exercise-is-yucky attitude to the curb.

I started with purchasing a FitBit. Actually, my hubby and I both got some and challenge encourage each other to meet our personal goals. I decided to get a baseline count of "normal" life, so I hooked it on and ignored it for the first three days. Holy mackerel was I shocked! I averaged less than 2,000 steps per day. Per day! On the good side, the cold hard numbers were enough to boost my determination to set achievable goals and work to meet them. Here are some examples of what I have done to make my life healthier.

Walking

I schedule 1 or 2 longer walks (30-45 minutes) during the day. If it's not raining, hailing or tornado sirens blaring, then I try to walk my son to school and take a longer route home. I don't plan an actual mileage count. I just walk until I feel like I'm done. Not exhausted, mind you. Just happily done. It started out at being about a half mile. Now I tend to do more like 1 1/2 to 2 miles. I take different routes each day to make it interesting. I also have a walking playlist on my cell phone with songs that have beats to match my walking stride. A few examples are One Directions "What Makes You Beautiful" and Colbie Caillat's "Brighter Than the Sun." If my day goes well (or if I don't lose track of time while writing), my second walk of the day is to pick up my son from school with a slight detour on the way. Not as long as the first walk of the day though. When Mother Nature intervenes, then I do one afternoon walk at the local mall after I drop my daughter off at afternoon Kindergarten. My step counts now fluctuate between 5K to 12K per day. It's a big fluctuation, I know. My goal is to healthier, but I also refuse to stress out about meeting a specific number each day.

10 Minute Breaks

Scattering ten minute breaks throughout the work day is one of the best things I added to my day. I generally either crank up the music and dance in my kitchen, do a series of stretches (check out my post on Monday for more details), fold a load of laundry while standing, do some squats (so good for your butt and legs), or go for a short walk around the block. My goal is to have three breaks in the morning and another two or three in the afternoon. Ten minutes goes a long way to giving your body a much needed break from sitting. The best part is doing something different helps rejuvenate my brain. I usually come up with great ideas for my plot or have a renewed energy to meet my next editing goal.

Easily Accessible Drinks

Drinking enough water is so, so hard for me, and diving into my own stories or someone else's makes it even harder to remember my body's needs. I've tried a lot of different strategies and finally realized I just need to schedule drinking breaks. Sad, but true. I love travel mugs for their *mostly* spill proof qualities - and shopping for cute ones helped me commit to this essential part of living healthy. I keep one at my desk all the time filled with either water, diet citrus green tea or cranberry juice. Sorry, friends, no soda, coffee or margaritas at this desk. How do I schedule drinking breaks? It's quite simple, really. I have a wind-up kitchen timer on my desk. I set it for 30 minutes. When it dings, I drink a few sips, reset the timer and move on. The interruption is less than a minute, so it doesn't interfere with my creative flow.

Healthier Snacks and Rewards

Munchy, munch, munch. There's a reason why I don't keep potato chips or chocolate in my house. I'm a mega snacker. Can't resist the temptation. Instead, I have snack baggies filled with 1/4 cup servings of mixed nuts, trail mix or Honey-Nut Cheerios. Other healthy snacks I indulge in include Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and all natural popcorn. I also keep a Rewards Jar on my desk. When I reach my daily goals, I get to choose a sweet treat--usually a Sugar Free Werther's Original candy (caramel apple or cinnamon are my favorite flavors).


It's so easy to get caught up in our character's stories or be so focused on a looming deadline, that we forget to take care of ourselves. The key to success is making your health a priority. Figure out what your needs are (moving around, eating, drinking, etc), then look at your daily routine and find ways to work those needs in. Don't just say "oh this would be nice" though or you'll never accomplish it. Which, in my case, would add more guilt to my shoulders. No guilt! Make changes that will work for your lifestyle and in a way you will actually follow through.


What tips can you share to conquer the dreaded writer's butt?

An Autism Awareness Month Giveaway

CJ over at the fabulous website, Give, Oh Giveaway, reviewed my book - (dis)Abilities and the Gospel - today AND she's offering a fabulous giveaway in honor of Autism Awareness Month.

Here's a short blurb of something she learned from the book:

"Another great thing I read in this book is to change MY attitude on a particularly rough day…instead of day thinking, “What am I going to do with this child today” think “What does this child need today?” WOW. I know it seems basic–but to an inexperienced volunteer like myself this was a profound idea! I tried it on a rough day and saw HUGE improvements…not only in the children but in myself as well."  

You can read the rest of her review on her website and enter to win as well.

Happy Autism Awareness Month!

How to Balance the Fun of Easter with the Real Meaning of Easter

Easter is much like Christmas. There's the commercial shopping/celebration side (Santa and the Easter Bunny) and the real reason for the holidays (the birth, death, and resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ).

As a child, I never thought about the real meaning of Easter. I just wanted to get my hands on that basket filled with goodies. But then again, my family didn't attend church either, so Easter was all about the bunny, candy and egg hunts.

But now, my life is much different. I'm the parent and have had to find a balance between the fun of Easter and the real meaning of the holiday.

 










Saturday is for Fun

At the Ferguson Home, the Easter Bunny visits us on Saturday morning. Each year, EB leaves notes filled with clues for the munchkins to search and find their baskets of goodies. The kids can't wait to see how sneaky EB will be each year. Saturday if filled with fun activities . . . egg hunts, board games, and depending on the weather, possibly bike rides, a trip to the park, or a family hike. We call this day "Easter Bunny Day" at our house--and it's all about family fun.


Sunday is for Jesus

On Sunday, we have a family gathering and the kids take turns sharing their favorite stories from Jesus' life. Then we talk why it was important that Jesus died for us and the significance of the resurrection. I have full body picture of Jesus that I had copied onto a clear laminate. I use this to illustrate Jesus' body and his spirit. It's a great way for kids to understand the difference between the two. When Jesus was alive on Earth, his body and spirit were one (put both together). When he died, his spirit went to heaven and his body stayed in the tomb (separate the two), but when he was resurrected, his body and spirit were joined together again and will be that way forever (join the two back together). We go to church on Sunday (as we do every week), have a nice family dinner, and watch videos about the Savior's life. Easter Sunday is our day to celebrate the life of our Savior Jesus Christ.

This has worked great for our family, but I know each family has different traditions. How does your family balance the fun of Easter with the real meaning of the day?

Rapunzel and a Little Girl's Baptism

Today, I attended my sweet friend Sarah's baptism. Sarah is eight years old and loves the Disney princesses, especially Rapunzel. She invited me to talk about the topic of baptism and I decided to compose something special just for her.

I thought some of my blog followers would enjoy the talk & possibly want to tweak it for future use. In parentheses, you will see answers to questions I asked Sarah. Enjoy!

 

Princess Rapunzel & Princess Sarah's Baptism

Once upon a time, there was a princess who had forgotten who she really was.  She was very kind and loved to read and draw. She also did lots of cleaning.  Each year, she stayed up late into the night so she could gaze out her window as thousands of lights filled the sky.

Do you know which princess I’m talking about? (Rapunzel)

Like Rapunzel, we come to Earth and forget who we really are. We see glimpses of our divine potential, but we don’t remember where we came from before we were born.

Daughter of a King

Now, Rapunzel had a father. Do you remember who he was? (The king)

You have a dad here on earth. But did you know you have a father who is a King too? Heavenly Father is a King and you are His daughter. So that makes you a princess, too. And every princess needs something sparkly to wear. (Present sparkly headband)


Cleaning

Do you remember how I said Rapunzel did a lot of cleaning? Today you are going to do a bit of cleaning too.

When Rapunzel cleans her home, she dusts, mops and makes the windows shine. But when you get baptized, something much more important than dust gets cleaned away. What is it? (Your sins).  That’s right. All of the mistakes you’ve made are washed away and you become clean and pure. It’s a beautiful gift from Heavenly Father.

After Rapunzel was reunited with her family, she had to learn to act like a princess. Did you know I met you when you were a little 2 year old toddler? Over the last six years, I’ve watched you learn about Jesus and Heavenly Father and how much they love you. I know your family and church teachers have taught you how to live like a daughter of God, which is another kind of princess.


They’ve taught you:

- to be kind to others

- to read the scriptures

- to pray to Heavenly Father

- to make good choices. 



Today, you’ve made a very good choice that Heavenly Father is very proud of:  to be baptized.

When you are baptized, you promise Heavenly Father that you will follow His commandments. In return, He makes promises to you, too.

He promises to

- always forgive you when you repent

- to give you the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide you

- and that you can return to live with Him forever.


Heavenly Father’s promises are very special. At church, you’ve learned about the things you need to do to return to live with Heavenly Father, Jesus, your family and friends. The opportunity to live together forever is your very own Happily Ever After. The first step to getting your happy ever after is being baptized.

Help Along the Way

Rapunzel has a dream to travel to the kingdom. Why does she want to go there? (To see the lights fill the sky). Is it easy for her to get there? (No).  That’s right. She needs to find people to help her along the way. Like Rapunzel, your life here on Earth won’t be easy. There will be lots of happiness, but there will also be difficult challenges to help you learn and grow—but there will be people who love you very much to help you. Who do you think some of those people might be?

- Parents

- Sisters

- Friends

- Church leaders

- Heavenly Father


Did Rapunzel ever make mistakes? (Yes, she did). Sometimes you will make mistakes too. I’ll tell you a little secret (shh!)—Even though I’m an adult and a mommy, I still make mistakes every day. Right after you’re baptized, you are going to be clean, with no mistakes. But do you think you might make a mistake tomorrow? (Maybe) But if you do, remember that one of the things Heavenly Father promises is that if you repent sincerely, then he will always forgive you. 


In Closing

Do you remember how Rapunzel loved to read? Well, there’s one book you can read that will help you live like a daughter of God. The scriptures. There’s a scripture I love that helps me to remember how to keep my promises so that I can be worthy to receive Heavenly Father’s promises. It’s in John 13:34.

In this verse, Jesus tells us that we should love each other, just like He loves us. I know that if you love others and treat them with kindness, and also love yourself and respect your body as a daughter of God, that you will stay on a good righteous path. 

You are a beautiful daughter of God, Sarah. The things that make you beautiful are your smile, your laughter, your kindness to others, and your love for the gospel. I know that Heavenly Father is so proud of you and loves you very much. Today, I want to share with you that I know the gospel is true. That it can bring you peace, comfort, and joy throughout your life. I’m so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and that He was willing to both live as an example and also die for us so that we can have the opportunity to live and learn here on Earth and return to live in heaven with our family and friends. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



 

Ultimate Chick Flick Contest Results!

 

The results are in! Check out my hubby John's review of each movie and the ultimate winner below:

As a general rule I don't hate Chick Flicks--I've just learned to approach them with caution. I enjoy watching strong characters tackle difficult problems while trying to build a relationship. I even like the emotional payoff at the end when the girl gets the guy or when a family is reunited.

Still there are a lot of Chick Flicks I just can't stand. My biggest pet peeve is when the female lead is so flawed that I end up wanting to just walk away. The next one is the plot that could be solved by one, simple conversation or a call to the police.

As you can tell, Chick Flicks and I have a bit of a topsy turvy relationship. So with that in mind here are my thoughts about the three movies I watched for this competition.

Notice: Spoilers Ahead

Steel Magnolias

I'd never seen this moving before, so I was looking forward to it. It took me a while to get into the movie, and I always felt a bit off throughout the whole thing. It had great dialog and powerful problems, but it just didn't do much for me.

In fact, I was frustrated at how stupid and two-dimensional every male in the whole movie was portrayed. From the prankster husbands to the responsibility-dodging teens, not one male is portrayed as very useful or helpful.

Then it hit me. The writers did this on purpose. The rest of the drama was so well done, the dialog snappy, and the story flowed even with the jumps in time (It was awesome how they used the holidays like that). The flat male characters were done on purpose. How many times in film have women been portayed this way? I'm not asking for a count but I'm sure is huge. The fact that this movie stood that on it's head was gutsy to say the least.

So I took another look at the film.

It was the Chick-iest of the three. It revolved around strong female leads who struggled through issues that tear at the core of most women: marriage, divorce, being a widow, starting a family, raising children, supporting a husband, correcting a husband, losing a child, wayward children, defining yourself, supporting your girlfriends . . . and for those of your who haven't seen this movie, yes all those topics and more are in here. It's powerful and funny and even though I didn't love the movie I enjoyed it and what it showed me about myself.

Ever After

I know. How can I possibly go from Steel Magnolias to Ever After? They're Chick Flicks on opposite sides of the spectrum. But I'm going to do it anyway. Don't get whiplash.

I enjoy watching Ever After. It's light. It's funny. It's Cinderella-with-a-twist before Cinderalla-with-a-twist was all that and a bag of chips. I'm completely expecting them to remake it as Never After which would be Cinderella-with-zombies. They could even keep the crying Spanish princess and all the scenes in the ruins. There's a part of me who would love to see what Leonardo Da Vinci and Danielle could do against a horde of zombies, but I digress.

I like the movie. I like the character of Danielle, and even though I'm not a fan of the "big lie" plot, this one worked for me. It's a simple, straightforward, comedy romance with a enough jokes and twists to keep me interested.

'nuf said.

Collin Firth (I mean Pride & Prejudice)

I have a confession. I've read Pride & Prejudice and liked it. Jane Austen is a master of dialog. I was amazed at how she could compose words in such a way that I knew exactly who was speaking even in a room full of people. She weaves layer upon layer upon intrigue upon suspicion upon insult upon double-meaning upon completely-innocent-accident upon political-positioning and makes it all work.

And of all the adaptations of the book, I like this version the best. Even at five hours long. It stays fairly close to the original. The costumes, the setting, and the cinematography (although not quite as dramatic as the Keira Knightly version) was all impressive.

I enjoy how the story starts in a small, rural town and then expands out to the surrounding estates, all the way to London, and beyond to Pemberley--the world at our fingers. Then something snaps and the whole story collapses in on itself, characters tumbling together, storylines crashing into each other, condensing, shrinking back to a single manor, a single family, and the great loss for Elizabeth. It's heartbreaking.

Slowly, the story simmers. Letting us feel the ache. Absorb it. Taste it. Only a five-hour movie has enough time to do this justice.

Then the movie leads us out of the darkness only to rub our faces in Lydia's pompous, blissful, ignorance and her Mother's gleeful approval.

But it all turns out in the end, which is a great emotional payoff.

And the Ultimate Chick Flick winner is: 

Jennifer Ehle . . . I mean Pride & Prejudice.

What do you think about my hubby's assessments of the movies? Do you think he chose the best Chick Flick?

The Red Box rental winners are . . . 

Brenda Pitts won 3 free Red Box rentals

and 

Lisa Swinton won 2 free Red Box rentals.

Congrats, ladies! I'll send you the codes via email. And thank you to everyone who nominated movies!

Best-Selling Author Christina Dodd Shares Bit of Wisdom After 23 Years of Writing

Today, I received this awesome newsletter from author Christina Dodd. I love her insights on being an author, and after seeing her note that we could share the newsletter, I knew I absolutely had to post it here for my readers. Enjoy!

 Happy 23rd Publishing Anniversary, Christina!

Today, February 2, 2013 is the twenty-third anniversary of the day I got The Call. In publishing, The Call is when an editor makes an offer to publish your first book. In my case, my first published book was CANDLE IN THE WINDOW, winner of the Golden Heart and RITA awards. Mind you, it wasn’t the first book I ever wrote. In fact, I wrote two complete manuscripts before CANDLE IN THE WINDOW. I learned a lot with those two manuscripts (which will never be published because they’re lousy.)

Six years ago, I wrote a blog detailing everything I’ve learned about writing and pretty much everything I know about life. It’s surprisingly short, and here it is:

Yes, it’s true. On February 2, 1990, I got The Call from my agent. HarperCollins wanted to buy my first book. The time was 3:30pm.

MY TOP TEN POINTS OF WISDOM

10.  After ten years in the business, an author has A Well Established Career. After twenty, an author is an Expert, a Venerable Institution ... a Crone. Pardon me while I go to pluck the stiff white hairs off the chin of my current manuscript.

9.  From my vantage point, everyone in publishing is doing better than I am. From everyone else’s vantage point, I’m doing better than they are. The truth is somewhere in between — and an author who’s published is not going to get any sympathy at all from an unpublished author who’s written for ten years, finished three manuscripts and has twenty-five rejection letters. Believe me. I know. I was that author.

8.  Editors are sometimes right.

7.  How well an autographing goes is not an indicator of how well your career is going. Thank God. (Photo is of my first autographing...I can hear you giggling from here.)

6.  I’ve published forty-nine full-length novels and contributed six stories to anthologies. Some books are hard to write. Some books are easy. Some books are beloved by many. Some books are reviled by the vile. As the author I never have an idea which books will be my most popular. Never. I have to give up trying. Soon.

5.  Some people write mean reviews. I don’t read them.

4.  Some readers don’t like my writing. That’s okay, everyone has their right to their own taste — as long as they don’t write mean reviews about my books.

3.  Some readers love my books. Some of them write good reviews. Some of them write me heartfelt letters of appreciation. Some of them come to meet me and say wonderful things, sometimes with tears in their eyes. Some of them buy my books and never let me know. God bless them every one.

2.  I can’t remember my characters’ names, and I live with them day and night for months while I write their books. So I apologize in advance, but I’m hopeless and I’m never going to remember your name, either.

1.  I am never going to understand what people mean when they say I write funny books. I write serious, meaningful, emotional, sexy books that somehow get translated into funny.

AND THE NUMBER ONE POINT OF WISDOM CHRISTINA DODD HAS TO SHARE IS:

1.  When a Writer/Crone lies about having ten points to make but there are actually more, it’s not a lie. It’s “Fiction.”

MORE NUMBER ONE POINTS:

1.  Nine out of ten people in the U. S. want to write a book. One out of that nine thinks s/he’ll do it “when s/he has a free weekend.” In many states, it’s a misdemeanor to kill this person.

1.  Publishing is divided into two distinct occupations: Writing Books and Being an Author. Writing Books consists of being alone for months on end, creating imaginary people who converse, face challenges, and make love. Being an Author consists of introducing yourself to sometimes incredulous booksellers, talking to total strangers as they enter Wal-mart in the hopes of selling them a book, and interacting with publishers and editors in a manner that will convince them you’re sane enough to write forty-nine more books. This is why all authors are schizophrenic.

1.  It’s well worth pondering that most people don’t have a cool job that consists of being alone for months on end while creating imaginary people who converse, face challenges, and make love. It’s worth the schizophrenia.

1.  The more you write, the faster you write, the more skilled you become.

1.  Spend every last dime of your first advance taking your family to Disneyworld. Especially if you’re poor. Publishing your first book is a life-changing event. Treat it like one.

1.  The best thing a writer can have if she wants to be successful is a mother who believes she’s wonderful. A husband who believes she’s wonderful and supports her for ten years while she tries to get published helps, too. Failing those things, the most important thing an author can have is an absolutely brutish belief in herself and her talent, and she can never ever allow the facts to change that faith.

THE NUMBER ONE NUMBER ONE POINT:

1.  The Girl Scouts have a song with the lyrics that go, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” The Girl Scouts know a lot about publishing. And people. And my friends.

Thank you for a wonderfully fulfilling twenty-three years, and I look forward to writing the next forty-nine books ... for you.

Warmly,

Christina Dodd
Cool Suspense, Hot Romance!
http://www.christinadodd.com

Please feel free to forward this email to your friends who write and your friends who read.

More Blogs of Interest:
— How to write a book...
— Yes, this really happened. It’s funny ... if you’re not me.

Information for Readers:
— Print off my book list sorted by genre and series!
— Visit me on Facebook!
— Chat with me on Twitter!

The Ultimate Chick Flick Finalists!

Thank you to everyone who voted for the Ultimate Chick Flick nominees. The top three finalists are . . .

Ever After

Pride & Prejudice (BBC version)

 Steel Magnolias

The chick flick movie judge (my hubby) has started watching already. Stay tuned for his notes and final results!

Elizabeth Gilbert (Author of Eat, Pray, Love) on Muses and the Life of a Writer

I'm still on my writers retreat, but had something awesome I wanted to share. Each day we've had a mini-devotional about writing, goals, etc. Today, Tamara Hart Heiner talked about our personal expectations and how we view our writing/muse. Then she shared this awesome TED talk with author Elizabeth Gilbert. I love how she describes our thoughts as authors, society's view of creative people, and where our muse comes from. The talk is a little less than 20 minutes, but so worth viewing. Enjoy!

Make the Time

Sometimes when you have a goal, you need to carve out time to get it done. These past three weeks have been filled with reading for the Whitney Awards and edits for clients. With so many stories floating through my head, you can imagine that it's extremely difficult to concentrate on my own writing projects.

How to solve the problem?



 Make the time. Carve it out and make it count.

I'm leaving today for a 3 day writers retreat. My to-do list is probably longer than I can get done in the time period, but I'm prepared to jump in and make my fingers fly, fly, fly. Afterall, when you work diligently towards your goal, your to-do list becomes your ta-da list!

What's your goal? How do you make it a priority?

Vote for The Ultimate Chick Flick!

Got Scouts? It's Pinewood Derby Time!

For this year's Pinewood Derby, I'm on the awards committee. My mission: To search for enough "award topics" for each Cub Scout in our Den. We have about 30 cubs, so this was a bit daunting. Until I turned to my friends and a few fabulous websites. And now, I'm sharing the love with you! There may be a few repeats on the list. I didn't get a chance to go through and sort them all. Be sure to mark this list on Pinterest, print it out, email it to friends and whatever else you do to save bloggy awesomeness for future use.

Cub Scout Award Topics 
(for Pinewood Derbies, Rain Gutter Regattas, or Rocket Launches)

1.    Best Paint Design
2.    Most Futuristic
3.    Most Original
4.    Most Realistic
5.    Fastest Looking Car
6.    Most Patriotic
7.    Most Unique
8.    Best Design
9.    Funniest
10.    Most Creative
11.    Most Humorous
12.    Sportiest
13.    Best Use Of Color
14.    Best Wedge Car
15.    Best Workmanship
16.    Most Aerodynamic
17.    Most Artistic
18.    Most Colorful
19.    Best Craftsmanship
20.    Best Detail
21.    Best Driver In the Car
22.    Best Funny Car
23.    Best Of Show
24.    Best Racer
25.    Best Vehicle Not A Car
26.    Coolest Design
27.    Fast and Furious
28.    Fastest Car In The Pack
29.    Judge`s Favorite
30.    Most Awesome
31.    Most Decals
32.    Most Unique
33.    Shiniest Paint Job
34.    Smoothest Finish
35.    Strangest Shape
36.    Kid’s Choice (where the children themselves pick a winner)
37.    Best Accessories
38.    Best Block Of Wood
39.    Top Movie Or TV Show Themed Car
40.    Best Color Scheme
41.    Best Jungle Car
42.    Best Law Enforcement Car
43.    Best Sports Theme
44.    Best Use Of Imagination
45.    Best Engineered
46.    Best Military Vehicle
47.    Best Flames
48.    Best Fuel Economy (slowest car)
49.    Best Imagination
50.    Best Use Of theme (assuming your group has a theme)
51.    Best Wood Carving
52.    Coolest Paint Job
53.    Best Truck
54.    Best Off Road Vehicle
55.    Crowd Favorite
56.    Fastest Car In The Den
57.    Fastest Car In The Outpost
58.    Most Complicated Wood Carving
59.    Ranger Derby Spirit Award
60.    Most Creative Use Of Material
61.    Most Cub Scout Pride
62.    Most Innovative Design
63.    Most Likely To Be On Front Cover of Motor Trend
64.    Most Scouty
65.    Most Sporty
66.    Most Colorful Paint Job
67.    Scariest Car
68.    Shiniest Car
69.    Simplest design
70.    Tallest Car
71.    Thinnest Car
72.    Most Bling
73.    Prettiest Car
74.    Strangest Shape
75.    Spirit of Pinewood Award
76.    Wildest Looking
77.    Muscle Car
78.    Plainest Looking
79.    Weirdest Looking
80.    Most Flashing Lights
81.    Most Lights
82.    Best Resemblance to a NASCAR
83.    Best Resemblance to an INDY Car
84.    Best Resemblance to an F1 Car
85.    Best Resemblance to a Monster Truck
86.    Most Cartoonish
87.    Least Wood Left On Car
88.    Best Classic Car Design
89.    Best Street Rod
90.    Best Drag Racer
91.    Best Use of Advertising
92.    Peoples Choice Award
93.    Racers Choice Award
94.    Best Paint Job
95.    Most Colorful Paint Job
96.    Shiniest Paint Job
97.    Best Use Of Color
98.    Most Realistic Paint Job
99.    Most Realistic Looking Car
100.    Most Original Design
101.    Coolest Design
102.    Best Funny Car
103.    Most Unusual
104.    Fastest Car In The Pack
105.    Fastest Car In The Den
106.    Sportiest Looking
107.    Best Workmanship
108.    Best Use of Imagination
109.    Most Aerodynamic Car
110.    Best Detail
111.    Most Unusual Car
112.    Most Humorous Car
113.    Fastest Looking Car
114.    Most Decals
115.    Smoothest Finish
116.    Strangest Shape
117.    Most Futuristic
118.    Most Patriotic
119.    Funniest
120.    Best Wedge Shape
121.    Best Driver In the Car
122.    Best Vehicle Not A Car
123.    Best Racer
124.    Best Design
125.    Most Unique
126.    Judge's Favorite
127.    Best of Show
128.    Most Creative
129.    Most Artistic
130.    Sportiest
131.    Most Creative Use of Material
132.    Best Fuel Economy (slowest car)
133.    Best Block of Wood
134.    Most Magical
135.    Most Imaginative
136.    Most Colorful
137.    Most Aerodynamic
138.    Car The Judge Would Want to Drive in Real Life
139.    Most Sci-Fi
140.    Most Energy Efficient (slowest)
141.    Sleekest Design
142.    Best Paint Job
143.    Most Innovative Design
144.    So Bright We Had to Wear Shades
145.    Cheetah Award
146.    Most American
147.    Most Explosive
148.    Most Flyin’
149.    Smoothest
150.    Shiniest
151.    Heaviest
152.    Lightest
153.    Fuzziest
154.    Tastiest
155.    Wildest