Story Land Jamboree

Hello, and greetings to all members of The Tribe.  I hope all of you wonderful creative folks know that I did NOT forget you this past week. I'm a few days late on writing a new blog post because I have been down, man ... really down.  Why? Well, thanks for asking. I will tell you. It's embarrassing and immature, but it's the truth and if I am ever to relate to any of you ... I have to tell the truth.  I allowed an editor to critique my work. There. I said it. Oh, the horror!!! Here's the deal with critiques ... as writers, we all need them. If you are going to be a writer, you MUST get feedback from someone - preferably a copy editor and/or another experienced writer -- to help catch typos and grammar errors, locate possible plot issues, etc.  The problem with most of us is that we're so excited to have completed something that we just want to get it "out there" where we can share it. However, most first drafts are complete crap! Actually, secon...

Good evening and Happy New Year to all members of The Tribe! Lots of interesting things are happening around my place lately. My husband, Keith, who is a poet, recently got introduced to Twitter. I have had an account for quite some time. To say he is enjoying it is an understatement! It began as a way to promote his upcoming third book of poetry -- "Lifelong Road." (He's good, ya'll. Once it's released, you will definitely want to check it out.)   He set up the Twitter account to promote his book -- the same reason I set up mine. However, he found that he has enjoyed networking with other poets, writers, and music artists. My husband LOVES music (as I do -- it's one of the many things we have in common) and he enjoys finding new prog rock bands to check out.  Allow me a moment to step away from my main point as I have to state what should be obvious to all Tribal folks out there. The obvious is the the fact that everything is changing. Indie bands/musi...

Good morning all members of The Tribe,  I hope your Christmas holiday (or whatever holiday you choose to celebrate this time of year) has been a good one and not the cause of too much anxiety. If you DID have some awkward moments, then utilize it as rich fodder for use in your writing endeavors. Yeah, I mean the stories about the weird, confirmed-bachelor uncle who likes to sit too close to you and talk -- in excruciating detail -- about his taxidermy hobby, his knife collection, his daily bleach bath, and his never ending hunger for Jello. Go ahead and chronicle the exact moment when you realized Uncle Weirdo fits a serial killer's profile, then ease yourself politely away from his presence and run to your notebook or computer and begin your story. I was recently asked by a new reader: "What do you mean when you call your readers 'The Tribe?'" I explain this periodically. Many years ago, I noticed a certain awareness level in people. Not everyone has it.  ...

Good Day to The Tribe,  This week I've been thinking a lot about duality.  It would not take Freud or Jung to figure out why this has been on my mind. I have a writing life as L.A. Story. Under my own name, I am working on what is shaping up to be a serial novel (probably two parts) called The Gifted . ( The Gifted will have two novels following - Criers and Beyond Shammua .)  Anyhoo, in the most basic breakdown of the plot, it is simply about good versus evil - in the world and in ourselves. Under my own name, I will be publishing supernatural/fantasy/scifi work. Okay, so that would explain why I am examining this, right? But, just like with an infomercial - THAT'S NOT ALL! I also write under another pen name. I gave her official life last week on Twitter. Under that name, I write ... um ... darker stuff. Horror. Why do I feel the need to hide this part of myself under a pen name? Well, my friends, there's the question.  Last night, my second oldest daughte...

Good Evening, Members of The Tribe,  I hope you are all living the lives of which you have always dreamed. I have been a busy little thing. I have been working on a first draft of my novel, The Gifted, and anticipate it will be completed by January 2015. Publication? Well .... (scuffs toe at the dirt) ... we'll see. I will have a LOT of polishing to do.  Since my last post oh-so-long-ago, I have moved into a new home, begun a new job with a new company, and have made some life-changing choices.  For the past few years, I was excited when I managed to create a word or two. I wrote lots of poetry because it was an easier form for me to enjoy -- creatively speaking -- than my fiction. Yeah, I know, I know ... poetry is a noble art form and all that. I won't argue. I love poetry. I love writing and reading it. Jeez! Calm down ... It's just that I have always wanted to be a fiction writer. A novelist.  For too long, I have not been living up to who I...

Greetings to the Tribe!  I hope everyone has had a terrific week and that your metabolism equals your appetites. Mine? Not so much.  I have become convinced that Satan is real and he wants me to stay tubby. It never, EVER fails ... I will decide to go on a diet Monday and THAT VERY DAY someone who I haven't seen in 1,000 years will bring over one of her world-famous desserts. Everyone knows that if I do not get to have some of that dessert, I will expire immediately from deprivation.  As a result, I decide to start my diet the next day and one of my generous office friends will bring doughnuts to work from the best bakery in town. Happens. Every. Time. My week will go this way until Friday. As EVERYONE knows, you cannot diet on Friday because that's the National Off-Diet Indulgence Day. If you didn't know that, then you're welcome. Mark it on your calendars. Now.  This leaves us with Saturday and everyone knows you never diet on Saturdays. It is too hard to p...

Good morning, dear Tribe!  I hope everyone has had a good week. I have been doing okay as I have set off on the adventure that is my life -- working for paychecks that are already gone before they reach my bank account. So many bills, so little time .... ahh, but life doesn't have to be that way, does it? It's all about keeping one's sense of humor. I have to laugh. Life is ridiculous sometimes. It's wonderful and ridiculous and it is the little things that can bring us so much joy.  This past week, the thing that amused me most was how I knew I was aggravating people who had to repeat things to me. Someone was telling me something and I was looking right into her face and I would have to have her repeat half of what she said because my mind was on something else. If I am working on something else, or have other things on my mind, then it is hard for me to focus on any one thing. It can make for interesting situations. The "conversation" can go something...