Catchup and Cool Blogfest Envy

Shew! Catching up after being out of town is hard work! Especially at this time of year. But I'm back, and I'm making the rounds.

Where was I? Well, I tagged along with hubs on a work-trip to Scottsdale, Az., and I have to confess. Part of my motivation for going was superstition.

Superstition Mtns

You might remember this post (link) where I shared how I started writing my first book after returning from Scottsdale and visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West.

Something about the story of him really getting into his life's work, his passion, and designing his most famous buildings when he was almost 60 gave me hope.

It's never too late to start.

And we talked about how he died at his drafting table still working, happily, at 90-something.

Taliesin West

Then I told you about my visit to the cool souvenir shop and the freak hailstorm-40-degree temperature drop that occurred while I was in the American-Indian artificats gallery.

I revisited that place, too, on the way to Sedona so hubs could see the Red Rock formations this time.

But what I'd never done before, and what was really fun, was climbing all over the Camelback Mountains that are located slap in the middle of Phoenix.

So that's what I did. In other news, have you noticed the cool blogfests going on lately?

Camelback Mtn.

My friend DL Hammons (link) is hosting "Write Club," which pits short passages from writers against each other. Everyone votes, and the winners move on to the next round in February. Check it out! (link)

Then my other friend Jen Daiker of Unedited fame (link) participated in the Heroine Challenge where she had to defend a fictional heroine against another writer's choice. Everyone votes based on their arguments. Very cool. (link)

I hosted a blogfest once with Dr. Kang (link) where we all told jokes. But now I'm wanting to do something literary.

Like everyone picking and defending their most satisfying reunion scene from a book. Or their favorite couple. Or best literary battle. (I threw that battle one in for my male followers. You all know I'm a romance junkie, so I'd be more interested in something along those lines.)

Cactus Santa hats

But I think it could be fun and educational. Like it would help me as a writer to see what's most appealing to readers.

So what do you think? What's a literary blogfest you'd like to participate in?

Now let me get back to digging. Christmas is coming, reader- and writer-friends! Have a great weekend; get some shopping done. Til Monday~ <3

If I Could Be Anybody Else...

In honor of the release of our good bloggy friend Talli's brand new book, Watching Willow Watts (link), we've all been asked to write about who we'd like to be and why. Other than ourselves, of course.

I confess. This was hard for me! I'm too analytical. I know everybody's got their own set of problems, even if it looks like they've got it made in the shade.

We all have our unique challenges and insecurities to round out the good things in our lives, so it's best to be thankful for who we are, enjoy our blessings, and learn from our hard times.

But that's boring! And I like games, so I sat down and thought about it.

Who would I want to be... Who looked like they'd done the most interesting stuff, who had the coolest setup, who I'd like to emulate... hmm...

It was a tie.

My first choice: Frank Lloyd Wright. Remember my post about starting my very first novel? Back in 2009, when I decided I was also possessed by the spirit of FLW in the creepy Indian artifact museum during the freak hailstorm in Sedona, Az.? (link)

Me as FLW

In follow-ups, I told someone I thought it was so cool that FLW was able to live his life doing what he loved, that he got recognition in his lifetime, and that he was able to do it until he died at 91 (at his drafting table, sketching). And his creations still live on, admired and preserved...

Yep, that's what I want.

My second choice: Rosalind Russell. (The actress for you youngsters.)

I was about nine when my grandmother introduced me to the fabulous world of classic movies. She rented The Big Sleep for me, and we watched together. I was instantly hooked, and I spent the next 31 years watching, rewatching, and loving old movies.

Me as RR (that's JRM as Carey Grant)

Of all the actresses, Rosalind Russell is my favorite. At least onscreen. She was tough and sassy. She was hilarious and full of heart. Think about it. From her early films The Women to His Girl Friday, to musicals Auntie Mame and Gypsy, all the way to The Trouble With Angels. She was just fantastic.

She created unforgettable characters, worked with amazing people, and she always looked like she was having a blast doing it.

That's the other thing I want.

So there you have it. And now you all need to get Talli's new book! Take it from me, I read (and reviewed!) Talli's first book, The Hating Game (link), so I can only imagine this one's even more fun. It sure looks that way.

Here's the link to the ebook version of W3 on Amazon (link). The paperback's coming in November, but you Kindle kids, at $2.99, there's no excuse not to grab it and spend the weekend happily reading.

Have a great week-end, reader- and writer-friends! Til Monday~ <3

What's it all about?

When I graduated high school, my mom said I was going to write a book. She actually used to say that a lot, and true confession: It drove me nuts. It really did.

I had no desire to sit in a chair for hours and hours, day after day, trying to keep up with some story idea. I just couldn't conceive how that could ever possibly be enjoyable or fulfilling.

And I didn't even know about agents or rejection letters or reviews or sales figures back then.

I remembered this because I read another interview with Kathryn Stockett about her five-year, 60-rejection-letter journey to publication with The Help. (link).

More true confessions, I avoided reading that book for years--mostly because I was just getting started on the journey to publication, and I didn't want to see any similarities to myself in it. (Which would mean that was at least a fraction of the pain I was going to have to endure before... something happened.)

I finally caved when my book club decided we'd read it in January, and of course I loved it--like everyone else in America. I even reviewed it for The Burrow (link).

But now when I read Stockett's story, I react in a different way. Now I know what I'm up against, and now I'm wondering why I had more sense at 17 than I do now, more than 20 years later.

Trying to become a published author (at least the traditional way) is self-abusive madness! So why am I doing this?

Hmm... I've asked myself this before, and I'm not sure if there's one reason. Last time I pondered the question, I decided it was because I'd gotten to a point as a professional communicator where it was the only thing I hadn't done.

That sounds really good, right? I'm not sure it's true.

I sat down and wrote my very first book in the fall of 2009. I'd just returned from a trip to Scottsdale, Az., with JRM, who was there for a work convention.

While he was in classes and hanging out with his lawyer-buds, I was alone, in one of his partner's rental cars (an '09 Camaro, no less), cruising around, visiting ghost towns, running up to Sedona...

Taliesin West

I visited the Frank Lloyd Wright house Taliesin West (link), and on the tour, they told us how Wright was a teacher and a designer, how he did what he had to do to survive the Depression in his 50s and 60s, and how it wasn't until then, in his 60s, that he started getting the commissions he's most known for today.

He started work on Falling Water (link) when he was 67 years old. He finished the Guggenheim art museum in New York City when he was 92, after working on it for 16 years.

After I got home from that trip, I sat down and wrote the first of four complete novels and four half-novels that bring us to today, with me in revisions on #4.

What happened?

Well, I visited this weird little souvenir shop on the road to Sedona, and while I was there, in the Indian artifacts room, suddenly all the lights went out and a bizarre hailstorm started.

Source

I was alone, in the dark with shrunken heads, masks, weird weapons, pottery... I walked to the nearest door and looked outside at the huge hailstones falling and thought how glad I was to be driving a rental that day.

The temperature nose-dived 50 degrees in less than 10 minutes. And I returned home possessed by the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Just kidding.

OK, the part about the freak hailstorm and the temperature drop while I was in the creepy souvenir shop is true, but it's just one of those crazy, "it happened to me" stories I like to tell.

That story of Frank Lloyd Wright did effect me, though. When he died, he was at his table sketching, they said at Taliesin. Happy.

And I think that's it. I think when you hit on something you love to do, you just can't help doing it. It's nice if people like it and you get recognition while you're alive. But I'm not sure if it's ever possible to stop doing it.

I don't know. Why do you guys keep pursuing the dream?

Til Monday, have a great week-end, reader- and writer-friends. I'm over here revising~ <3