Tuesday, March 29, 2011

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein

Love that quote...especially coming from Einstein!

Working on the first round of revisions of the Love By Design. In the first round I'm looking for inconsistencies and places where I put 'zzzzzzzzzzzz' which means I couldn't think of anything at the time but wanted to push forward. At page 92 right now. Going back and forth from file on laptop and the file I loaded onto to my Kindle.

I found it helpful to read it on the Kindle. Why?
1. Reading it in a different format helps me spot errors
2. I can use the highlight to mark those errors and I can make notes to myself on changes I want to make.

While I'm revising I have a file open for my synopsis and as I come along major events I note them in the so when I go back to write it I have everything there that I need.

After it's done I'll print out the whole manuscript and put it aside for 2 weeks - maybe a month then In the second and final round I look for flow of sentences, spelling, and grammar (LOL) - who am I kidding I hate grammar but I do the best that I can.

In the meantime I've started 2 new works-in-progress. One is a dystopian young adult and a women's fiction - not a romance - in fact there are no men in it save maybe a Catholic priest.

As excited as I am about the young adult the world building involved may deter my efforts. My idea for the women's fiction has been on my mind for quite some time - but only time will tell which will take over.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday - 3/27/11

More from Love By Design - just a few minutes later - the meeting with the network executives is about to begin....


Russ leaned back in the chair looking as though he was the star of the show and not an unwanted interloper. How could he be so relaxed when she was wound tighter than a bad celebrity facelift? Victoria tilted her head from side to side. Despite her misgivings, she wished his tanned hands were busy massaging her shoulders instead of tossing a paper weight into the air and catching it with the flair of a Las Vegas magician - so unprofessional.
God, he rubbed her the wrong way. She looked away before she started thinking about him rubbing her the right way.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I don't know where my songs come from... If I knew, I'd know too much, more than we are allowed on this plane. Judy Collins




When I went on cruise in October one of the female singers sang an old Judy Collins song that I had forgotten about. The song was Both Sides Now. It's one of those songs that the lyrics and the melody become more than just song.

Here are some quotes from Judy Collins....
I don't dream songs. I'm more apt to write dreams down and then to be able to interpret them into a song. I also tend to get up and write prose in the morning from which will come songs.
Judy Collins

I don't think you get to good writing unless you expose yourself and your feelings. Deep songs don't come from the surface; they come from the deep down. The poetry and the songs that you are suppose to write, I believe are in your heart.
Judy Collins

I think people who are creative are the luckiest people on earth. I know that there are no shortcuts, but you must keep your faith in something Greater than You, and keep doing what you love. Do what you love, and you will find the way to get it out to the world. Judy Collins

Do what you love, and you will find the way to get it out to the world. Judy Collins

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday - 3/20/11

This is just moment after last weeks six - Victoria was wondering how much he heard - she had joked to her agent/friend Ava that Neil her absent co-host would want Russ (who is from Australia) to go 'down under' on him




“And let me state for the record I only go down under on the opposite sex,” said Russ.
Yeah, like anyone would question your sexual orientation. Regaining her ability to speak, she did manage to quip, “Neil will be so disappointed.”
“Just as long as I don’t disappoint you.” His lips curved into a wicked smile as he added, “Do you still think you can handle me?”

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

What does your favorite superwoman say about you?

Yes - it time for another Woman's World Personality quiz!

The fictional heroine you admire most is a real reflection of our own super qualities....so who is my favorite superwoman?

Wonder Woman - duh
That means I am an exuberant charmer - I know that femininity is a strength. A talented multi-tasker I identify with her roles as hero and working woman.

Here are some others

Bionic Woman - you're a resilient self-starter
Nikita - you're a alpha nurturer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - you're a perceptive wit
Xena - you're a wise idealist
Sydney (from Alias) - you're a resourceful smarty

Of course one has to wonder why Batgirl (my second favorite) is not on the list.... So who is your favorite?

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday - 3/13/11


This is my first six from Love By Design! Victoria is a co-host of Design Intervention and she is waiting to meet her new temporary co-host Aussie Russ Rowland which she is not happy about - in this scene she is with her agent and they are looking at his photo.

Russ’ burnished blond hair fell in waves past his neck in such a way that begged for her fingers to dive in and explore its texture. His dazzling smile mocked her as if he knew she craved to kiss the photo like some thirteen year-old and to top it off, his light brown eyes colored like the hues of the outback at sunrise stared back, daring her to do so.
If a two-dimensional photo made her feel like a feline predator ready to pounce, what feelings would the 3D version churn out? She would just have to deal with it, not that she had much choice, as they say, ‘The show must go on’. “I can handle him,” said Victoria.
"I'll look forward to it Luv."

Thursday, March 10, 2011

I'm just writing a story that I want to read. Jean M. Auel



Looking forward to reading these two book. The first is Jean Auel's The Land of the Painted Caves. All I can say is FINALLY! It's the final volume of the Earth Children's series. The release date is March 29th.





This one is from the author of The Celestine Prophecy - he is the original self-published made it big authors. The Twelfth Insight puts a positive spin on the Mayan 2012 Prophecy. It's available now.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Happy International Woman's Day!



originally called International Working Women’s Day is marked on the 8th of March every year. It is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.

This is a great day for women but I’m not ashamed to admit that a few years ago I used the day to get chocolate from the men in the office at the Public Works Dept. where I worked at the time…at first they didn’t believe me there was such a day…though by the time we got back from the lunch all the ladies had a Reese Peanut Butter Cup on their desks.

Here are some quotes that celebrate woman!

"Women are the real architects of society." ~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

"If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." ~ Margaret Thatcher

"The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world." ~ Charles Malik

"Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition." ~ Timothy Leary

"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." ~Charlotte Whitton

"Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece. ~Author Unknown

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday - 3/06/11


Okay - this is the last one from Playing For Keeps because I finished Love By Design! Hoo-Ray! So next week I'll start sharing. But for now....


What was it about this man that made her feel safe, that made her want to risk it all? Kissing him in elevator, having sex in the hotel gym, what the hell had she'd been thinking? She didn't think he'd sex and tell, but she had to ask to be sure, to remind him of the stakes.

Before she could even form the question on her lips he said, "Don't worry Samantha, your secret is safe with me." Ryan reached out, his thumb caressed her cheek. "All of them."

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I look back on my life like a good day's work, it was done and I am satisfied with it. Grandma Moses




Anna Mary Robertson Moses (September 7, 1860 – December 13, 1961), better known as "Grandma Moses", was a renowned American folk artist. The original late bloomer Grandma Moses didn't start painting until her 70's. Here are some quotes from her....

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.
Grandma Moses

Painting's not important. The important thing is keeping busy.
Grandma Moses

A strange thing is memory, and hope; one looks backward, and the other forward; one is of today, the other of tomorrow. Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day.
Grandma Moses

(She said the following in 1950 - imagine what she would say today!)
Now that I am ninety-five years old, looking back over the years, I have seen many changes taking place, so many inventions have been made. Things now go faster. In olden times things were not so rushed. I think people were more content, more satisfied with life than they are today. You don't hear nearly as much laughter and shouting as you did in my day, and what was fun for us wouldn't be fun now.... In this age I don't think people are as happy, they are worried. They're too anxious to get ahead of their neighbors, they are striving and striving to get something better. I do think in a way that they have too much now. We did with much less.