Best of PBW 2016

On the last day of every year my tradition is to sort through the archives to see how things went, what I accomplished (or didn't) and get some ideas on ways in which to improve things with PBW and my writing life.

A lot happened with me professionally in 2016. I successfully negotiated my first publishing contract without an agent, and my work will now be published in French, also a debut for me. I went on my first writing job interview in person since 1989 (which I think is also the last time I put on pantyhose.) I booked ghost writing projects with my clients that will keep me busy writing fiction until Fall of 2017, and probably beyond that. As for the interview, I got the job -- I'm now working as a staff copywriter for a design firm -- and I will be part of a very talented team creating a new quarterly print magazine.

Losing 30 lbs. took almost the entire year, but I did it with sensible, healthy changes to my diet and exercise routine. It was slow and tough, but I hope to keep at it so I can lose the last 20 lbs. I need to shed in order to be at a healthy weight. I also successfully pulled off my secret art project for 2016 with Valerean, my anonymous Tumblr blog, which provided a lovely, private creative outlet. Participating in Library Thing's Early Reviewers Program brought eight free ARCs to my doorstep, saving me $149.27 on my 2016 book budget.

Personally I think I failed as much as I succeeded this past year. I put off trying to figure out indy publishing in 2015, and I haven't gotten back to that (and with my clients and the new job, I probably won't have a lot of time this year to dabble in it.) I let the pinheads annoy me so much I had to unplug from the internet and retreat to the ivory tower for a couple months to cool down. After more than a decade of blogging daily, and writing free fiction for my readers weekly for the last couple years, I had to curtail my posting to twice a week and back-burner the latest free story. I didn't have time to participate in NaNoWriMo last month. I didn't support my writer pals as much as I would have liked to.

In the big-picture sense, 2016 wasn't all sunshine and roses for most of us. I'm not going to get into why (that would attract more pinheads) but I'm sorry that the dark and evil prevailed so often.

Since I've taken off so much time from the blog in 2016 I'm going to skip the usual best-of links list. I'm also not heading into 2017 with a theme or resolutions or a huge list of goals. We live in dangerous times, and it's easy to see the new wave of dark and evil looming on every horizon. I'm simply going to focus instead on my family and friends, the work, and being part of the light -- however I can.

How was 2016 for you? Any plans for 2017? Let us know in comments.

By Way of Santa

These are the first books I'll be reading in January, thanks to my Library Thing Secret Santa. Some amusing, old writer chick trivia: I haven't read MaryJanice Davidson, but I remember her from the heyday of chicklit back when I started PBW. David Weber I've also skipped, but he and I once both wrote in the same universe, and our stories were published together in Baen's The Ring of Fire anthology.

As for the other two, they're also titles I've never read. I didn't know there was a memoir that inspired the film Awakenings, which is one of my favorite Robin Williams movies. Bonk is a scientific look at sex, which should be fun.

Did Santa drop any new books in your stocking? Let us know in comments.

A Little Reveal

Since I probably won't have time to do any more with it this year, I thought I'd finally share my secret art project for 2016: Valerean, aka my Tumblr art blog.

I started it on a whim, really. I still miss PBWindow, and I wanted to have a space where I could post photos that I took and show what I made during 2016. I also didn't want to be the author me while I was doing it, or do it every day, or feel any pressure.

Of course I had absolutely no idea how to use Tumblr when I first started, and I'm still pretty clueless, so it's very basic. That said, it was fun to be Valerean for twelve months and share my art with people who didn't know me. I could post pictures of my family and no one batted an eyelash. I found some super inspirational photographers and quilters on Tumblr as well, and followed their blogs so I could watch their projects evolve. Everyone was very kind to me, too (which is why being anonymous has its privileges.)

I have removed some posts that had personal/family stuff involved, but the rest show how creative I've been this past year. If you want to see thumbnails of everything I've posted for the last twelve months, the archive is here.

I don't know if I'll continue posting to it now that I've made it public, but it was definitely a neat project.

Wishing You

Last-Minute Gifts to Make

Ten Things that Make Easy Last-Minute Gifts

Books: For the reader on your list, pick up some of your favorite titles from your local used book store, or find some new reads at your public library's book sale room. Stack, wrap or tie with a ribbon, or place in a reusable tote.

Cookie Exchange: This requires some cooperation from your recipient. Agree to exchange as gifts a batch of your favorite cookies. Once you've made them, pack them in a pretty tin or container (the Dollar Store has great holiday tins), add a bow or tie with a ribbon. Be sure to share your recipe on a note card. This idea is also great as a theme for a Christmas party with friends; everyone brings a batch (my friend Jill holds her cookie exchange every year at Starbucks) and you draw names from a hat for the exchange.

Devoted Day: This is a gift of your time -- make up a coupon for you to spend any day with your recipient doing [fill in the blank]. If you need ideas, you can offer to house clean, babysit, go shopping, hiking, visit a local attraction or just hang out and watch TV. Lovers, you can get even more creative and offer a night. :) Place your coupon in a nice card or clip it to a 2017 calendar.

Dollar Challenge: This is great to do with kids -- you agree to buy each other a gift that costs only $1.00, and go shopping together (and you'll need to shop either at a dollar or thrift store, but that's also fun.) One year my daughter found a little pocket manicure set for me that I still have in my purse.

Flowers: This makes a nice gift when you're visiting someone. Find a pretty bouquet of flowers at your local market (mine have them for under $10.00) and put them in a plain glass vase from Dollar Store. If you want a more ornate vase, check your local Goodwill store. Tie a red, green or white ribbon around the vase, or add some pine needle sprigs or a wrapped candy cane to the arrangement to make it extra festive.

Framed Shot: If you've taken a nice photo of your recipient or someone dear to them during the year, print it out in a 5X7 or 8X10 size and place it in a purchased frame. The Dollar Store has basic frames, but if you want something more elaborate try Hobby Lobby or Target.

Instant Music Collection: Bundle together some CDs you record or purchase that you think your recipient will enjoy. One fun variation is to make some mixes for them to play in the car. My mom did this for me one year with Christmas music.

Snack Bowl: Find a pretty serving bowl at Goodwill or the Dollar Store. Add some bags of microwave popcorn, fresh fruit, hot cocoa mix envelopes, small bags of chips or pretzels, cereal snack mix, etc., wrap with cellophane and crown with a bow. You can tailor this to your recipient, too; I do an exotic tea-and-cookies snack bowl for one of my friends every year (World Market is a great place to find unusual teas and snacks, too.) If you want to make a special but easy snack for the bowl, you can find my no-brainer fudge recipe here.

Stuffed Stocking: For that impossible-to-buy-for person on your list, make or buy a stocking and fill it with something they love. The obvious choice is snacks, but you can also stuff it with small toiletries, crumpled dollar bills (college students love that one), two or three scarves, writer stuff, hand lotion and lip balms, kitchen tools or towels, the ingredients for a recipe, etc. This is also a fun gift to make with small toys or treats for the family pet.

Yarn Basket: For the knitter or crocheter in your life, fill a tote or pretty basket with a project pattern and enough yarn skeins to make it. Be sure you know your recipient's skill level and color preferences before you buy the supplies. You can do a fabric and sewing pattern variation of this for your favorite seamstress.

Working the Holidays

In the past I sometimes tried to take off work for the month of December to enjoy the holidays and recharge my batteries, and Publishing generally cooperated because they shut down almost entirely, too. Since going freelance, however, I've chosen to work seven days a week. I do take time for family dinners and events (and I actually gave myself Thanksgiving Day off this year) but other than that I am writing for at least eight hours every single day of the year.

It's no big deal for me; I'm doing what I love for terrific clients who appreciate me and pay me very well for my efforts. That income covers my kid's college tuition, my bills and keeps the pantry stocked. My guy may have to retire next year, so what I can save also will help when we transition to living on his fixed income. It will be another decade or so before I can retire, so I'm determined to make the most of the income-earning years I have left. If that means working through the holidays, I'm on board.

Family and friends with day jobs and/or who aren't writers -- which, let's face it, is practically everyone in a writer's life -- do not always understand a writer's working holiday. We hear things like, "Oh, you can type that up later" or "Shouldn't you take a break?" or even "Can't you get that done already so we can have a good time?" They seem oblivious to the fact that through the rest of the year we face the same harassment from all directions. During the holidays it's also easy to feel resentful because the day jobbers usually do have weekends and Christmas Day to party while we're stuck in our writing space trying to get things done.

Let's remind ourselves of the universal truths about writing:

1. No one but another writer will ever grasp what you do for your job. So why justify it to people who never will?

2. Writers have a long-standing rep as solitary, long-suffering, socially awkward and badly-dressed hermits. I know, you're thinking, "And why is that a problem?" but the nice people who aren't us don't get it.

3. They will never know what goes into the work, and if they did, they might lock us up.

Seriously, you can navigate the rough waves of a writer's working holiday by using your common sense. Unless you're under a crushing deadline, set aside some time for your friends and family. If you can't, make a date to see them after you slay your deadline (for this you will have to apologize, but it's better than a no.)

Send some cards and/or make a phone call. The reason these people bother you so much is because they care about you. Or they want a gift. Anyway, a cheerful card or a quick fifteen-minute conversation may get you off the hook.

Do group things so you can see as many loved ones as possible in one shot. A family holiday party isn't that difficult to throw together -- have everyone bring a dish and make it pot luck; that's always fun -- and you can check off a bunch of names from your to-see list.

Ask for time off from the family fun as a personal favor for you. I have no problem at all saying to my guy "You can handle dinner for the next three days, okay?" or "I'm going to work at the library today; please walk the dogs for me" any time during the year. This week he's been especially wonderful in helping me out around the house and running errands so I can finish a deadline project today.

Finally, put in the time for family and friends when you need to. It's easy to forget the people you care about when you're buried in the work, but it doesn't hurt to make an effort for them, too. For example: I was going to put up another off-to-write post and unplug today, but I haven't been around much. So here you go, fifteen minutes of me. Now I really am off to write.

Off To Write

I'm finishing up another project for a client, so I'll see you all on Monday.

I Thank You No Ten

Since the holidays are upon us, I thought it might be time for my annual list of:

Ten Things I Do Not Want for Christmas

Assembly Required Objects: I no longer have the ambition, patience or motor skills to fit together nine hundred pieces of chipboard with a thousand little screws that require a special tool that inevitably is missing from the package. Even if it means I can't have a Darth Vader-shaped bookcase (and why would you think I'd want that? Batman is my guy.)

Books That Are Not Books: This includes but is not limited to book safes, book boxes, book-shaped book ends, shelves, stands for other books -- look, I know I love books, but the reading kind, people.

Diet Products: I don't use them. I lost thirty pounds because I became more active, watched my portions and stopped snacking. That's it and that's all I'm doing next year. Heartless of me, I know.

Faux Fur Purses: You don't think they're creepy?

Hairdo Tools: I do not crimp, straighten, curl or blow dry my hair. I wash it and towel/air dry it. If this makes me a cave woman, so be it. I still have more hair than most women my age, so I must be doing something right.

One-Cup Coffee Makers: Sorry, tea drinker. Also, I think they're too expensive, the cup things are weird and (unless you're single or the only coffee drinker in the house) using them is a bit selfish.

Political Junk: Please take your soapbox out of my face and my holiday, thank you.

Satin PJs: If I have to explain this to you, you're too young to know why.

Singing Ornaments: I have about ten million ornaments already, but with my hearing problems when they activate while I'm alone I think someone is in the house with me. I then run out of the house, peer in the windows, debate on calling 911 and generally behave like an idiot. Save me from myself and my lousy eardrums, will you?

What don't you want for Christmas? Let us know in comments.

PBW's Book of the Month

My book of the month for November is Shadowlands and Songs of Light by Kevin Ott. When the author lost his mom suddenly in 2010 he suffered from depression, and this book is about his spiritual quest to heal and find his way out of despair. That he does that with the novels of C.S. Lewis and the music of U2 is what makes it so wonderful.

This is a Christian inspirational work, but don't expect anything stuffy, bland or patronizing. Kevin offers a fresh perspective on healing and faith, as well as an authenticity that is undeniable. Every page makes you feel as if you're having a conversation with the author. It's also such a thoughtful and joyous book that you come away feeling as if you've found a friend. In times of grief there is no better place to turn than to someone who has found the light through loss, and this author is a spiritual lighthouse.

I should also explain why I'm mentioned in the acknowledgments. Kevin and I have been sharing a journal since August of last year. We send it back and forth as we discuss writing, our lives, troubles, hopes and dreams in the pages. I had nothing to do with this book, but the fact that I've been able to share some of the author's journey as a writer has been a wonderful privilege. So was reading his debut work -- I only wish I'd had it when Dad passed away. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially readers who are dealing with grief.

Off to Write

I'm unplugging to finish up a project for a client. See you on Friday.

This and That

Sorry I'm a bit late posting today. I would like to congratulate everyone who participated in National Novel Writing Month; whether you made the 50K goal or not, you are all winners in my book. My advice is to now step away from your manuscript, take what I'm sure is a well-earned break, and enjoy the holidays (if you're inclined to work on your novel a bit more this month, that's fine, too.)

Library Thing is holding their annual SantaThing, a secret Santa book-giving event for LT members that I participate in every year. Here are some of the details, quoted from their info page:

"Who can do this?

Anyone from anywhere can do this. Unfortunately, for various reasons, we can only ship to countries on this list without extra permission. In order to sign yourself (or a non-LibraryThing member) up, you have to have a LibraryThing membership—which is free. To become a LibraryThing member, go to LibraryThing.com and click "Join now".

What do I agree to?

You agree that you're doing this for fun. By signing up you agree to take what comes and to be pleasant about it. This is about the giving. Things might go wrong. Unless LibraryThing employees run off to Mexico with your money, you don't have a case against us.

How does this work?

Fill out the form above, including a valid PayPal receipt number.
You can make yourself the recipient or someone else. You can enter as many times as you like!
On Sunday, December 4th at 5pm Eastern, LibraryThing will stop allowing people to sign up for the SantaThing program.
Shortly afterwards, we will tell you who you are matched up with by sending a profile comment. If you entered multiple times, for yourself or others, you will also need to pick for multiple members.
The gifts you pick cannot exceed the total chosen by your Santee. No single item can cost less than $2.50.
You will have until Monday, December 12th at 9am Eastern, to decide what you want to give. We will give you a web form to fill out, with a space for a message.

LibraryThing employees/elves will order everything from the bookseller you choose. We will pay the shipping; if anything is left over, we get that money."

For more information, see their information page here.

A Tale of One Book

Today I'm going to be a reader instead of a writer, and tell you a tale of one book. It's a trade paperback I bought over the weekend, and it's new, expensive (the $15.00 I spent on it would have bought me five books at my local UBS) and almost everything about it pushes no-way buttons with me. So why did I buy it?

Let's start with why I didn't want to. The cover art, while pretty, features blueberries. So does the title, which is also too long and employs the word Irresistible, for God's sake. Like I can't stop myself from buying it. Please. Back to the fruit: for blueberry lovers this is great, but I don't like them. They taste like perfume to me. I'll eat them if I have to in a muffin or a pancake, but I'm just not a fan. All the blueberries in my face was strike #1.

According to the bio, the author is a corporate attorney who writes fiction on the side. I'm all for the day job, but lawyers are not my favorite people. They generally make lousy writers, too, and I personally know only one attorney-author who is a marvelous writer. So the lawyer bit was strike #2.

There is a blurb on the front of the cover comparing this book to a novel I really love. Plus, right? Not really. I hate blurbs that compare a book to more successful novels. Also, the author who blurbed the book went on TV with a commercial in which he threatened to kill off his protagonist if readers didn't buy his book. I loathe that kind of advertising. The blurb was strike #3.

I should have put the book back on the shelf at the store, but even with the three strikes I wanted to see what the writing was like. Actually I was positive that the writing would confirm all my little judgments. There would be some stupid weather report, or a fake emotional introspective yawner, or some plodding fumbling attorney crap, or even one of those 12-step podium speech intros: My name is Yada Yada, and I am helpless against blueberries, which changed my life . . . Seriously, though, I was expecting it to majorly stink, just as everything about the book did at that moment -- and I was prepared to gloat over how right I was about the book being a total suckfest.

Five minutes later I checked out and bought the book. Why, why, why? you ask.

The writing. The writing was a homerun. In fact, the first five words knocked it out of the park. The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe by Mary Simses has the best opening line I've read in years. The first page grabbed me by the imagination and wouldn't let go, but honestly, the reason I bought it was the first line. That's how much it wowed me. It steamrolled right over the blueberries and the attorney thing and that awful blurb.

I don't care who you are, or what a publisher does to your book. If you write well, I will buy your work. I will follow you, and keep an eye out for more, and tell my friends about you. I will write about you here on PBW, even when your book had three strikes against you from the get-go. Because when it comes down to it all that really matters to me is the work. I won't care if you own a thousand blueberry farms or a hundred personal injury lawsuit franchises. Write a homerun, and I'm yours.

If you NaNo'ers out there are serious about becoming a professional writer, don't be distracted by the hoopla or the mystic or the prestige of the job title. Don't be sucked into all the self-publishing crap. Focus on the work. Get it done, edit brilliantly, and make it the best damn story anyone has read in ages. And we will be yours.

Off to Write

I'm unplugging today to catch up on work. See you on Monday.

Wishing You

Down Time

There are nine days left in National Novel Writing Month, and I'm sure plenty of NaNo'ers are nearly at or already over the 50K finish line. I usually finished with a few days to spare whenever I participated. I remember one writer reporting on the forums that he'd written 50,000 words by the fifth day (which I imagine is possible if you're fast, focused and have servants.)

I'm not here today to nag you about making the most of the next nine days for writing. That would be great, but there's something else that's just as important: down time. Aka taking breaks from writing. On Thursday here in the US we have Thanksgiving, which is a very good day not to write. If you're not into turkey, big family dinners or football, November 24th is also National Sardines Day. Sardine lovers, get out there and crack open some cans and . . . eat them, I guess. Who thinks up these holidays?

Anyway, the benefits of taking a little break from writing are sometimes just as important as reaching your wordcount goals during NaNoWriMo. It holds off mental exhaustion, allows the creative batteries to recharge a bit, and gives the writer time to think about something other than how to get the surly dragon to rescue the clueless hero from the Pit of Eternal Stench. It can also lead to light bulbs appearing out of nowhere.

Here's one of mine: I rewrote a character twice trying to find the right voice on the page. This involved three chapters and god knows how many other revisions throughout the second half of my current project -- and it didn't work either time. The character still sounded and behaved like a clone of another character. I tried everything to get it right: I considered the character's unique background. I made trait lists. I even went through the affected scenes in my head and replaced the character with one of the Three Stooges (weird, I know, but sometimes it works.)

It didn't work this time, though, and I was very unhappy, so I gave myself a day off not to think about it. I sewed, and did housework, and cooked. At one point in my day I thought about what the character might be doing while I wasn't writing or thinking about the project. On a whim I imagined the character doing what I was doing at that moment -- and suddenly the character started talking to me in the right voice. At last, I had it.

I didn't rush back to my manuscript. I didn't take notes. I just let the character talk to me, and I listened for the rest of the night. I went through the scenes and let the character take charge. Together we worked out all the dialogue and action. And then I went to bed, and slept better than I had in a week, and woke up the next day to start writing the third revision. Which was the charm.

Down time from NaNoWriMo is tough, because writers have such little time already to reach their goals, so this won't work for everyone. But even if you can't spare a day, take an hour or two away from your novel whenever possible, do something else, and let things percolate. You might be surprised by how much work you can get done not writing.

My Finish Line

Back in January I got on our bathroom scale and nearly fell off it. Not because I'm a klutz, but because it read 184.9 lbs. This was the heaviest I've been since my last pregnancy (22 years ago), and it explained why none of my clothes were fitting anymore, why my knees felt awful all day, the lack of energy, etc.

I'm not obsessive about my weight, but I knew I had to do something about it. At my age it's just not a good idea to carry so many extra pounds. So I resolved to use this year to lose the weight.

Ideally I needed to lose 50 lbs., but that didn't seem like a realistic goal. I'm 55 years old, and everything about me is slowing down. My arthritis makes it difficult to exercise, and I've been on a sugar-free and low-fat diet for the last ten years. There are only so many calories I can cut. Also, I'm not a fan of diet products and plans. I needed to make changes, but my options were limited. I thought if I got creative, and worked really hard, I might be able to lose 30 lbs. in a year.

I started the work by walking more, and changed my lunch to salads only. I was tired and hungry all the time, but now and then I'd get on the scale and be a pound or two lighter. I love bread a little too much, so I cut that way back, and gave up salty chips and snacks. But the weight didn't magically melt off me, and it was depressing. After six months I'd lost twenty-six pounds, but that was where I plateaued.

Four pounds aren't a big deal. I'd done very well. I was fitting back into my clothes, my knees stopped hurting and I had lots of energy. I could have put off losing more weight until next year.

Those are the bargains you make with yourself when the finish line seems impossible to reach. You tell yourself it's okay to quit, that you did most of it, and the rest is too hard. And then one morning you climb on the scale and you've gained a pound or two. I did, in August, after I'd been flirting with giving up.

I didn't much care for that, especially after all the work and sacrifice it took for me to lose a pound or two. I went back to work. I watched my portions. I walked twice as much. I walked the dogs, and went out and walked around town and the malls and the markets. I worked outside to help my guy with some yard stuff. He took me to a big flea market on weekends so I could walk there. I stopped sitting around so much, and I also stopped weighing myself so much.

The extra pounds went away, but the four remaining to make my goal stuck with me. I figured by the time Halloween rolled around and the winter holidays loomed that I probably wasn't going to lose them, but I kept at it anyway. You see, after I lost these thirty pounds, I planned to try for twenty more next year. To do that, the changes I'd made to my exercising and diet had to become permanent.

Yesterday I got on the scale, and this is what I weighed:



So I've lost thirty and a half pounds* in eleven and a half months. I fought hard for every pound that came off. And next year, I'm going to try to lose twenty more. I think I'll be successful, too, but even if I'm not, I'm going to work at it every day and get healthier.

*Added: I put the wrong weight at the beginning of the post, which I've now corrected -- I started at 184.9 lbs. in January.

Blast from the Past

I am unplugging today to finish a work project, but while I'm away here's a ten list I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2012 to give you some ideas on how to shake off pretty much anything that is messing with your writing mojo:

Ten Things to Help Restore Your NaNoWriMojo

Change Locations: Moving your writing to another space may eliminate whatever is distracting you. Think of an alternative place that is different from where you're writing now (i.e., if you're hanging out in a busy coffeeshop and getting nothing written, try the quiet room at your local library. Or if your quiet spot at home isn't working, try a busy coffeeshop.) If weather permits, find an outdoor space (the backyard, a park, a lake, the beach, etc.) where you can commune a little with nature while you write.

Clean Something: Vacuuming a room, doing a load of laundry or even tidying up your writing space restores order to some part of your immediate environment and, unless you like being a slob, makes you feel better about it. That good feeling can carry over into the work once you start writing again.

Emergency Reward: Often that carrot you've hung over the finish line seems too far away, so set up one that's a bit closer. Promise yourself a small reward for just making your writing goal today. Make it something good, too; the more you want it, the more you're likely to work for it.

Exercise: Another good way to vent some frustration is to get moving: take a walk, go to the gym, jog around the block, put on that workout DVD and follow along for twenty minutes, etc. Your goal is to work up a sweat, then take a warm shower and get back to the writing (hopefully in a more relaxed, refreshed state.)

Make Something Minty: Mint is naturally soothing, so drinking a cup of mint-flavored tea, chewing a stick of mint gum or otherwise indulging in a mint treat may bump you from crabby to calm.

Muse with Music: Play your favorite CD while you sit and relax for ten minutes. Don't think about anything; just listen. If you have a soundtrack made up for your story, that's a good choice -- or just listen to the sort of music that puts you in a positive mood. If you can write with the music playing, take it back with you and listen while you work.

Project Switch: This is one of my personal mojo restorers; I stop work on one project and write on another for a short period of time. I always switch to something I enjoy writing but I'm not especially invested in so it doesn't steal me away from my NaNo novel.

Scene Skip: At least once a week without fail I hit a scene that for whatever reason I can't write. If this happens to you, instead of letting it become a brick wall between you and the rest of your story, skip it and go work on the next scene. Mark the place in your manuscript with a notation [I use square brackets and a one-line description of the scene like this] so you can easily go back and write it later.

Switch Creative Gears: This past weekend I had a particularly dreary writing day during which I fought to get every word on the page. I took regular ten minutes breaks and used them to work on a small quilting project. Switching gears like that gave me little creative/spiritual boosts, which kept me from giving up.

Write Past It: This last idea is tough, but if writing stories was easy everyone could do it. You just keep writing. Doesn't matter how well you write, or if anything you do write will be salvageable. You're not going to think about how you're writing because you're going to be too busy writing. Keep working and moving forward with the story until your mojo returns (and yes, if you push on it generally does. If it doesn't, you can always edit brilliantly.)

Light

Library Thing just gave me the heads-up that the next ARC I'll be receiving from their Early Reviewers program is Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk by Danielle Krysa, published by Chronicle Books. Since this is the one I wanted most from the October list I'm quite happy.

There are nineteen days left for National Novel Writing Month, and I regret to report that I did not kick writing ass this week. Mostly because a stomach virus and a wrenched shoulder kicked my butt, but also other things that thoroughly stomped on my spirit. It happens to us all, and when it does, all you want to do is lock yourself in a dark room and sleep or weep.

Creative people rely on inspiration to help bring beauty and joy to our work. When that goes away, and it seems like everyone around us is determined to fight or harp or feed themselves to the evil, it can get between us and the writing. It tries to poison the well. It whispers that there's no reason for what we do. That no one cares. That all there is and ever will be is that dark room, and there's not a damn thing we can do about it. Even Byron said that darkness is the universe, and has no need of us.

I guess Byron would be right if the universe was a complete void, but it's not. It's full of galaxies and stars and nebulas and planets and comets and pulsars and amazing, wonderful things we've yet to discover. Maybe if Byron had ever looked up, he might have seen some of that.

Creation is looking up instead of down. It's inviting hope instead of despair. It's going into a dark room and lighting a candle. Darkness will always be there; we know that. It's not a fair fight because we can't ever defeat it. But here's the thing about reaching for better instead of surrendering to the bleak: the light of you can be seen by someone else in the dark. You can inspire them to hope. With your light, you let them know that they're not alone -- and that may be the most important, valiant thing you can ever do. When you do, and you reach someone, the darkness loses another victim.

This is my candle for you: Look up, not down. Write this week with me. Find beauty and joy and hope however you can. Be the light, not the dark.

Im(possibilities)

It's Sunday night here, and tomorrow is my mom's 80th birthday, and the much-dreaded election is the day after that (and I'm too sick over that to even think about it.) I moved a lot of furniture last week to get my carpets cleaned for the holidays, and then put it all back on Saturday. My guy, our daughter and one of my daughter's friends helped, for which I am beyond grateful (Ryder, you are the best!) I have two big quilting projects to finish this month, and two more projects for the clients to write by the twenty-third. Thanksgiving looms on the horizon in the shape of the Godzilla turkey I might have to make this year.

I used to handle my life without even thinking about it, but I'm not a youngster anymore. I'm old. I'm tired. Everything seems a little impossible tonight.

I'm still a rabid planner, but sometimes don't go according to plan. And there is so much to do; so much that seems impossible to accomplish in three short weeks. I seriously need to mop the floors. The laundry, like the election, we will not discuss. The dogs need a bath. I also need to go shopping because the fridge is basically empty. Did I mention I need to clean the fridge out, too? Which reminds me, I need to know who is coming here for Thanksgiving so I can buy the right-size turkey, but no one wants to commit. Probably because they don't have to do the cooking, the ingrates.

Then there's Mom. I made a quilt for my mom and sent her that and flowers for her birthday, but this is the first year she didn't call me to let me know they arrived. I don't think she realizes I sent them; her dementia is advancing pretty fast. So I'll call her tomorrow and remind her of who I am, and make sure she knows she's loved and missed because that's what you do.

As for the other thing? To my surprise I wrote about 27K since last Monday. I'm going to write another 3K tonight if I can. This while I'm feeling a bit blue about Mom, my bad shoulder hurts from moving furniture, and I have absolutely no idea how many people I'm feeding for Thanksgiving. Doesn't matter. Baby, I kicked writing ass this week.

There are three weeks left in National Novel Writing Month. Three weeks to sit your butt in that chair and attack that keyboard and put your story on the page. This is your novel and your time. It's impossible, I know. Your lives are as busy or even busier than mine. You can't do it, right?

Only you can. Don't plan, don't worry, don't feel blue. Find some time. Set the rest aside, and do what you love. Kick writing ass with me this week, people!

PBW's Book of the Month

October was so busy for me I had time to read only a few books for pleasure, but the most enjoyable was 50 Ways to Wear Denim by Lauren Friedman, my latest ARC from Library Thing's Early Reviewer program.

As a teenager I loved jeans, especially the hip hugger style that was so popular when I was in high school. Wearing a pair of jeans with a pretty blouse or T-shirt was practically a school uniform for my generation -- but unfortunately my mother absolutely hated denim. She considered it something that farmers wore, and refused to buy anything made from it for me (she also made me wear dresses to school, for which I was suitably tortured by my peers.) That's why I got my first pair of jeans with some money I made babysitting, and since then have never stopped buying them.

Lauren Friedman's book is a crash course in how to wear denim jeans, shirts, jackets, vests and accessories to their best advantage. I had no idea there were so many different types of denim, or that you could pair them and wear them in such a wide variety of styles. With artfully drawn illustrations the author takes the reader through dozens of denim looks for every occasion, from dressy styles for work or formal events to the most casual of cutoffs and beach wear. She clearly identifies the types of washes and treatments designers give denim, something a fashion-challenged gal like me found very interesting, and offers several options on how to wear the particular cut or style.

In the back pages there is a short history/timeline of denim that I thought was delightful. I also appreciated the section on how to recycle denim, which provides some ideas on upcycling. Just as an aside, quilters often make heavy-duty quilts out of patchwork made from old denim, which I've always wanted to try -- only I'm too attached to my old jeans to cut them up just yet. My only criticism is the author's recommendation never (or rarely) to wash your denim. It may help preserve the fabric but I'm too much of a clean freak to do that. I also think that the more denim fades, the more attractive it becomes, so that may color my opinion here.

Since my daughter is young, hip and much more fashionable than I'll ever be, I asked her to take a look at the book and give me her take on it. Here's what she said:

She's not a huge fan of denim (she must get that from her grandmother) but it will always be timeless and popular.

The styles are well put together and very trendy.

It would have been nice to represent more diverse body types in the illustrations (her only criticism.)

50 Ways to Wear Denim is a fun read, and a great way to learn more about the fabric and how fashionably flexible it can be. I recommend this book for the jeans lovers or anyone who wants to get more mileage out of their denim garments.