When Do You Quit?

My friend Chris York shared an awesome blog entry that talks about when a writer should hang it up.

Read it here: http://www.murderati.com/blog/category/toni-mcgee-causey

Tweet!

You can now follow me on Twitter! My name there is Bookwormlady2 (someone thought of it first!)

I promise not to litter it too much, but you'll get tweets when my column is online, when I update this blog, or when I sell something.

I'll listen for you!

An Article I Wrote for the OWN Blog

I recently wrote an article on "The Do's and Don'ts of Sending Out Manuscripts." It's my thoughts after a push to get a large number of stories back out in the mail.

You can read it HERE.

Let me know what you think!

Interesting column concerning writers and the current economy

Kristine Kathryn Rusch, a successful award winning writer, comments upon why the current economy is a golden age for short story authors, and has comments on how one in general can cope with the economic crisis with a good attitude intact.

You can read it HERE.

Reading, writing, and a blog to check out

I devoured the Twilight saga last month. It held me and carried me through to the end. I know some people found BREAKING DAWN to be disappointing, but I liked it. It just demonstrates that different people like different things.

This goes for editors as well. A rejection doesn't mean a story's bad (it might mean that, but not necessarily); it means it didn't hit the editor's buttons. Or they'd just bought something like it. Or they don't have room or budget for it. All kinds of reasons.

This week I'm working on getting short stories out that have been sitting in my office for months. They won't sell sitting on a desk, so I'm working on getting stuff in the mail (or email).

Check out the OWN Writer's Blog, listed under my links on the right. The people penning these articles are professional writers, and worth checking out if that's what your goal is.

Updating...

Yeah, it's been ages. My serious apologies. Real Life has been kicking me in the teeth lately, making it hard to get things done.

So, let me run a list of what's up so you know what I'm up to:

• Currently reading: Finishing up Adams Vs. Jefferson, a must read if you want to study the birth of partisanship and political parties in this country. Planning to dive into New Moon pretty soon.
• Currently listening to: Aside from my usual fare (country, etc) I'm listening to Michael Connelly's Black Echo. Let's hear it for libraries that loan out ebooks.
• Currently watching: Battlestar Galactica, Bones, and getting seriously interested in House. Caught 24 for the first time in ages, still looks good.
• Current favorite new toy: A Blackberry Curve. I am seriously in love with this thing.
• Current projects: Working hard to finish a short story to submit to a workshop I'm planning on attending later this month. Other writing projects in various stages...probably will go into more detail on that in the next couple of days.

That should give you an idea of life at the moment...

My columns can be seen online!

As I've indicated in past posts, I write a weekly column called "Laura's Look" that is seen in the Highlands County News Sun on Sundays.

Now, for those who haven't had a chance to read them, you can go to the News Sun website and search for my name, "Laura Ware." You'll find my comments on a variety of topics.

Read and let me know what you think!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hope you have a great day!

Nano is coming!!

National Novel Writing Month (Nano) is coming in November!

Nano is a period of insanity where bold and insane writers pledge to attempt to craft 50,000 words in the month of November.

I'm the Municipal Liason for Sebring, and trying to kick things off here.

If you live in the area, email me and let me know!

Or, go to www.nanowrimo.org

Finally back!

I'm home after two exhausting and awesome weeks at the Master's Class, an intensive writing workshop.

I got back in town Monday night. Went to bed at around 11 PM. Woke up Tuesday at about 4:30 PM. Yeah, I was pretty tired. :-)

Hope to give dribbles of information as time goes by. Right now trying to get back in the swing of real life again. :-)

In Oregon for a couple of weeks...

Sorry I've been silent - been getting ready for a major writing workshop I have a chance to attend in Oregon.

So right now I'm typing this post while waiting for the Master Class to start. I won't be able to post much the next two weeks - the instructors promise to keep us QUITE busy.

Cheerful replies and emails are welcome!

A book I hadn't read in so long...

I teach a Ladies Bible class on Tuesday mornings. I was doing a lesson I called "Nameless Service."

Sometimes when I teach I recall things that apply. I think this is God's way of helping me out.

This time, as we talked about not having to take credit and thanks for everything we do reminded me of a child's book I read when I was young, called "Understood Betsy."

It had been years - perhaps more than 20 - since I read the book, yet I recalled parts of it clearly. I'd read it several times and loved it. I can still see the cover of it in my mind.

Wednesday I did a websearch and to my delight found the book (published in 1917) was available to read. It was as good as I remembered it.

Will my writings be like that for someone? Something they'll remember with pleasure even years after they read it?

I hope so.

By the way, if you want to read the book yourself, you can link to it here.

One Step at a Time...

Those who know me know that this was a stressful summer.

I had seven people living at my house at one point - that's a lot. My youngest was getting ready to go off to college, my oldest was spending his last summer with us (he's getting married next June). Plus there were health issues with a family member.

I was stressed. Something had to give, or I might have cracked.

What gave was Weight Watchers.

I've been on Weight Watchers since October. In July, I'd lost 40 pounds. Not a small thing.

But I quit going to meetings. I quit counting points (in Weight Watchers, food has points). I didn't go hog wild - for example, I didn't consume a whole cheesecake in one sitting - but I wasn't being as rigid as I was.

Last week, I started back. I started counting points again.

Last night, I went back to my first meeting in 8 weeks. I only stayed long enough to weigh in and see how bad the damage was.

Fortuantely, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. In 8 weeks, I'd gained 3.8 pounds.

Next week, I'll stay for the meeting.

One step at a time.

Did you know...

...that September is "Be kind to editors and writers" month?

Find a writer or editor you know and give them a hug!

Governor Palin

The coverage and out and out hostility that has greeted Sarah Palin has been disturbing.

Look, people are entitled to their opinions. No one is required to like the governor as far as I'm concerned. Some people don't agree with her stands. That's a valid argument.

But can I have the same courtesy?

Can I agree with Governor Palin's views without being dismissed as a hick or stupid? Can I disagree with Senator Obama's stands on things without being ignorant?

Can we respect the fact we disagree without acting like we're better than each other?

Or is that just me spinning more fiction?

Don't mess with a writer's copyright...

I've heard of Stephanie Meyer, though I've never read her books.

Looks like her last book will be on hold, thanks to someone ignoring her rights and posting her stuff on the Internet without permission...

Stephanie Meyers drops new book after Web leak.

I KNEW reading was good for you!

Reading novels enhances social skills: study

Fay has come and gone...

..and it wasn't much. Wind and rain and VERY wet mail, but other than that, it was just a weird day.

Tropical Storm Fay...

Just when you thought it was safe not to close the hurricaine shutters... :-)

We're under a "hurricane wind watch" at the moment.

It doesn't look bad out there but I've seen the weather change quickly. At this point we're just figuring on a lot of rain and some wind, nothing to freak out about.

So meanwhile life goes on...

The birds have flown!

John and James left for college today.

I'd say more, but I'm a little cranky.

Anyone have some chocolate?