#AtoZChallenge, Y is for Yearning (and a Special Surprise Giveaway!)

If I were to isolate a single word that sums up all of creativity, I would offer up the word "yearning." So much of what we aim to do in our art journals, fiction, screenwriting, poetry, the visual arts is, I believe, based on yearning. The yearning to be whole. The yearning to be authentic. The yearning to tell our unique and soul-specific stories.

Today's art journal page is based on my Gothic novel, Overtaken. It's the story of a portrait artist yearning to find not only her missing husband, but her true identity, as well as her strongest artistic self. Of all the art journal pages I made for the #AtoZChallenge, this is one of my favorites. I've always enjoyed a touch of romantic melancholy and nostalgia, a little bit of mystery and regret, a dash of "beauty in the ruins." Writing Overtaken satisfied many of those same yearnings and I'd like to share that story with you.

In order to accomplish that, I'm giving away a paperback copy of Overtaken chosen at "R is for Random" to anyone who comments on any of my #AtoZChallenge posts (past comment-leavers are eligible too!) until 11.59 PM, Sunday May 8, 2016. I figured I'd give a little extra time for last-minute comments as I know from past experience it's sometimes easier to stop by after the challenge than during it. The winner will be chose on Monday, May 9, 2016.

Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge. I admit to feeling rather sad to reach the end. I can't say I'm exactly yearning to start all over with another 26 days, but it has been fun and I've enjoyed the self-discipline of art journaling along with the blogging every day. How about you? Let me know--you could win a free book!

Tip of the Day: What are you yearning for? Write it all down, every single little angsty bit of it. Find or paint images to reflect your feelings rather than the actual items or states of being. 

O is for Overtaken--and a Free Giveaway

My recent novel, Overtaken, is a keeper because--I wrote it! Better yet, I want you to have a copy too! 

From now until the end of the 2014 A-Z Challenge on April 30, all you have to do is leave a comment on any of my posts and you'll be entered into a random drawing on May 1, 2014 to win your very own copy. This goes for everyone who's already commented on earlier posts as well. And if you're a follower of my blog who leaves a comment, it gets even better--I'll throw in a bonus prize! This is to thank all of you wonderful people for taking the time to visit, comment, and join. "O" is for overjoyed to meet you!

In the meantime, here's a little more about the book: Published in 2012, Overtaken is a literary Gothic fairy tale centering on Sara Elliott Bergsen, a portrait artist living in London. You can watch the book trailer here, and get some idea of the story settings from my Pinterest board here. 

I started writing the book as part of an exercise in a workshop I took at the International Women's Writing Guild Summer Conference at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. We were meant to try a visualization process to invite a story in that we could write about. We closed our eyes, sat in deep silence and meditation, and asked a character to visit us. That's when Sara appeared, climbing the stone steps to a mysterious mansion, on her way to being . . . Overtaken. I was equally overtaken, and for the next several years I wrote every day in my spare time to find out what happened to Sara and why she was at the mansion in the first place. I was as surprised at what I found as she was.

Now Sara and her story are so much a part of my life I can't think of what my world would be without her. One of the strangest things about writing, to me, is how our characters become real--imaginary friends that change our lives as much as we create theirs. What is real, what is illusion?, the exact dilemma Sara faces throughout the book, and questions I still love to explore.

How about you? Looking forward to hearing from you so we can discuss these questions together! See you tomorrow with the letter "P."

Heroes and Heroines

Just in time for NaNoWriMo: How well do you know your characters? By now you might be familiar with their physical features, their taste in evening clothes, and what they like to eat for breakfast, but what about their personality quirks and motivations?

One of my favorite writing how-to books to help uncover more about my characters' inner worlds and psyches is one by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders:

Originally written for screenwriters, The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines, Sixteen Master Archetypes is a great tool for all writers, poets too, I can imagine! Based on the idea that there are 16 character "types" common to all fiction and mythology, the book is a great one to read just for fun as well as for research.

The other day I thought it would be interesting to re-examine where and how the three heroines from my published novels fit into the various categories. I also used the templates to evaluate the Pinterest boards I had created for these books: What kind of pins could I add to each? I started with:

The Great Scarab Scam

See The Great Scarab Scam Pinterest Board!

The Great Scarab Scam is my Egyptian mystery for young readers 8-12 years, so obviously there isn't the conventional male-female interaction you might find in a book for older readers. However, my main character, eleven-year-old Lydia Hartley, definitely falls into the category of "The Spunky Kid," and not just because of her age. Her other traits and story difficulties include:

• She's stuck between two brothers--one a little bit older and one quite a bit younger.  Although neither of her brothers are particularly "heroic." 
• She's a reader--and even enjoys doing homework!
• She's fiercely loyal to her father, a university professor and archaeologist.
• Loves history, especially ancient Egyptian history.
• She's curious about the world around her, but can be shy in social situations.
• She's brave, but a little reckless too.
• And she's very motivated when it comes to helping others. 

Better Than Perfect

See the Better Than Perfect Pinterest Board!

My Young Adult novel set in New Zealand, Better Than Perfect, follows fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Haddon when she is sent from London to live with her wealthy relatives in Auckland. Elizabeth falls into "The Waif" category.  She's:

• Lonely.
• Unwanted.
• The "poor relation."
• Insecure.
• Smart, but without direction.
• Prone to envy, especially when she continually has to make do with second best.
• And she has a serious crush on an unconventional "bad boy."

And although Elizabeth does manage to find her true north and come to grips with real life in the course of the story, she does so with all the handicaps of a victim and lost child.

Overtaken

See the Overtaken Pinterest Board!

Written for an adult audience, Overtaken includes some of my most complex characters, especially my heroine of Sara Bergsen.  I had a bit of trouble discerning exactly which archetype she truly was, but in the end I decided she was "The Librarian."

• She's essentially a loner.
• Her chosen career as a portrait artist reflects her powers of observation and love of order. Abstract painting doesn't interest her in the least.
• Her wardrobe, at least in the beginning of the book, consists of practical pieces in black and gray--great for work!
• And this girl does love work. She's disciplined and dedicated to deadlines.
• At the same time she takes risks because she is confident in her own ability to succeed.
• She's a reader--which has also led her to believe in the possibility of a happy ending.

One of Sara's main challenges is to confront and understand the three men in her life: a Warrior, a Lost Soul, and a Charmer.

Tip of the Day: The Complete Guide to Heroes and Heroines is an excellent reference for any stage of your manuscript, even your published stories. For your WIP's see where your characters match up to the suggested archetypes, and pay particular attention to the sections on how they all work (or don't work) together. For your published manuscripts, you can still use the book to help describe your characters in your marketing material. You may be surprised at what you find!

My Trip to Mood (and other NYC Sites Along the Way)

Yes, I really went to MOOD last week! And in New York too! Which I guess is only momentous if you are, like me, a total Project Runway fan. In case you're not a fan or have no idea what I'm talking about, I promise that I did take advantage of touring other New York sites, too.

At the moment, though, I'm still a little breathless, and not just from wheeling my suitcase through the airport. It all happened so fast, and there was so much to take in, and there's so much I want to say about the trip . . .  where to start?

How about at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I saw the Egyptian collection:

This was particularly special for me as Egyptian antiquities were the inspiration for my book The Great Scarab Scam. Added bonus: some great ideas for future pottery and ceramic work:

It was also a thrill to see the samurai collection at the museum because it's the basis of my current National Poetry Month project on Japan. (Samurai armor has always intrigued me; so much so that I used it in a section of Overtaken):

And it felt very elegant (if not a little dangerous) to be served a Metropolitan Martini on the museum balcony while a string quartet played in the background:

Unforgettable: walking through Greenwich Village and bumping into Pillow Fight Day. (Or that's what I thought it was. I could be wrong; maybe Rizzoli's ran out of signed copies of Overtaken?)

Seeing the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center was a big highlight too; especially as when I went back there the next day the maintenance crew was a) closing the rink for the spring/summer season, and b) retrieving the biggest, goldest, bling-iest bracelet ever from a flower pot as I watched with great surprise and interest. I did my best to refrain from insisting it was MINE: "Yes, Officer, I was right here on this very spot only yesterday. Honest."

And of course there was the totally unexpected river taxi ride that just happened to go to my hotel while passing the local statuary:

But on the very last day of all, after the Guggenheim (Solomon R. in the guidebook), Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and more pasta than I'm sure is legal, all my dreams came true and I went to MOOD! I played with Swatch! I pulled his ears! (I don't think you're really supposed to pull his ears, but he didn't seem to mind.)

Swatch refusing a signed copy of Overtaken:

In case you're interested, that's the inside of my coat on the chair along with the Mood bag holding the fabric I bought (see top photo again) as well as an amazing sketchbook called a Fashionary. Each page of this nifty little book has 3 templates of "models" you can draw the clothes on whenever you're seized by the muse: A dress just like the Empire State Building! A cape made from faux Central Park squirrels! The possibilities are endless and might even land you on Project Runway one day.

So, yes, I had a really, really good time. And I finally understand all those I-heart-New York souvenirs because you can't not love New York. Now all I need is a nap and time to design some pants for Swatch in my Fashionary. Catch you all later.

Tip of the Day: Be spontaneous--take a risk. I hadn't made serious plans to go to New York; it just sort of happened. Which also means I had no itinerary whatsoever, and it couldn't have worked out better. Just like writing and artwork, once you dive into a project, you can work out the details later. The important thing is to go there. Bon Voyage!

Highlights of 2012

Merry Christmas, everyone! With just one week left 'til New Year's Eve ... can you believe it? 

So what did 2012 bring for you? For me it was a mixture of creativity, big changes, and a whole lot of fun, starting with:

1. Publishing my Gothic romance novel, Overtaken in both paperback and Kindle editions.
2. Creating the book trailer for Overtaken.
3. I sold my house (a miracle in this current market).
4. Moved into a rental condo--and I love it. No maintenance. No gardening. No "what if I want to sell it?"
5. My day job moved into spacious new premises.
6. Although I had a great little studio at my old house, I now have a new space three times bigger.
7. I participated in National Novel Writing Month, and reached my 50K goal!
8. Took a fantastic 3-day screenwriting seminar aka "screenwriting boot camp" and learned that writing a screenplay is just as difficult as I thought it was, LOL.
9. I also took a 6-week oil pastel class and found my true north. I absolutely adore oil pastels now--especially Sennelier brand.
10. Went camping in an RV for the very first time--and found out I love RVs. Will have to do this one again very soon.
11. Prepared two manuscripts for 2013 submission: my nonfiction book, A Pet Owner's Book of Days, and a new novel, The Abyssal Plain.
12. Kept up with this blog and had two fantastic giveaways. Big congratulations to my winners!

That's a lot--more than enough, I think--for one year's worth of memories. 2012 has been a fantastic year for me, and I hope the same is true for you. Drop me a line and let me know some of your favorite moments!

Tip of the Day: As a journaling exercise for next year, make a practice every evening of writing down 12 things that made the day special for you in some way: for instance, accomplishments both large and small; important insights that arrived unexpectedly; a line from a book that caught your imagination. Remember to not judge, just write.

Published! Overtaken

At last!  It's here!  I'm happy to finally announce that Overtaken is now in print, with a Kindle version soon to follow.  At the same time, I want to thank everyone of you for reading my blog, buying my books, and supporting me along the way with your helpful comments, Tweets, Facebook "Hello's" and all the other great social network sites we share.  You are as much a part of my writing journey as my Alphasmart and favorite fountain pens!  What would I do without you?

Although the book is for sale at Amazon.com, my "Look Inside the Book" feature isn't activated yet, but if you'd like to read the quick book description, it is: 

"Marry in haste, repent at leisure." Portrait painter Sara Elliott has never been afraid of risk. Moving to London, pawning her jewelry, taking difficult commissions, Sara lives life on the edge. But when she agrees to marry a stranger days before he is scheduled to leave the country, even Sara wonders if she has gone too far. Over the coming months, alone and uncertain of her future, Sara drifts into an uneasy routine waiting for her husband, Miles, to return. When an unexpected letter suddenly threatens her plans for a settled existence, Sara is forced to question everything she thought she once knew about Miles, her present situation, and her own mysterious past. Caught between her imagination and her desire for the truth, Sara worries she is losing her mind, or worse: has she been OVERTAKEN by a power beyond her control?

And here's the trailer--popcorn time!

Whew.  Looking back over the past year and more, Overtaken seems like one of the longest writing journeys I've ever traveled.  Some days I felt not only "overtaken" myself, but I also feared that I would never, ever reach the finishing line.  When I did get there, though, it was more than a relief, it was an epiphany.  I realized how very much I loved writing and all the many steps that go into making a book--even the frustrating, discouraging potholes and seeming deadends.  Sometimes I think those "bad days" have the most to offer as the best and most genuine learning-the-craft moments.  And it's still not over--the next and biggest step it to get the word out about the book so readers can start reading it.  So tell a friend!  Thanks again for being there for me--I appreciate it.

Tip of the Day:  The best way to stay on course with a WIP and see it through from idea to published manuscript is to absolutely love your characters, believe in your theme and core story, and most of all, believe in yourself.  And stay in touch with your writing buddies--they're some of the best friends you'll ever have.

Overtaken Update (and Another Blog Award--Yay!)

Wow--the last few weeks have been hectic, sending me far away from my blog, my usual social media sites, my life...  Proofing Overtaken has been intense to say the least.  Scary, nerve-racking, and insomnia-producing would be good descriptions of the process, too.

But during all this sturm und drung, there have also been some bright spots along the way, starting with The New Mexico Women Author's Book Festival in Santa Fe where I presented a workshop on making book trailers (yes, it will be a future blog post!) and where I signed copies of Better Than Perfect as well as The Essential Guide for New Writers. 

And,

I received another blog award--this time from the wonderful "writer of creative nonfiction, poetry, and musings" Chris Galvin Thank you, Chris!  I really appreciate you thinking of me.

This is the second time I've been given the Versatile Blogger Award, and it's an award I love.  Versatility is the soul of creativity and I'm grateful that my friends acknowledge how much I enjoy blogging and sharing new ideas with you.

The requirements that come with the award are that I share it with 15 other bloggers, notify them that they have received the award, and that I then list 7 things about myself. 

Because 15 is a rather hefty number, I'm going to break it down over the weeks so that I can include not only some of my favorite blogs, but new ones that I discover along the way.  This week I'm going to start with two:  

suzcatsilverdesigns

doseofcreativity

Congratulations to these lovely and multi-talented bloggers, people who truly epitomize what it means to be a  "versatile blogger." 

As for the "7 things about me," I thought for a change of pace I would list 7 things about Overtaken.  These are:

1. The story is set in London and a privately-owned Greek island.
2. My main character is named Sara Elliott and she is an artist.
3. I started writing the book as an exercise in a workshop at the International Women's Writing Guild summer conference in Saratoga Springs.  Pages 15-16 of the finished manuscript were first written in a morning workshop presented by poet and author of Gifted Grownups, Mary Lou Streznewski, and the last page was written in a class I took later that same afternoon, led by Emily Hanlon, author of Petersburg and The Art of Fiction Writing.  When I got home from the conference I was too busy with other projects to even look through my notebook.
4. But when I did start thinking about turning those exercises into a full draft, I entered the first 50 pages into the Gothic Romance Authors Haunted Hearts contest, the first contest I'd ever entered, and I won 3rd place!
5. Overtaken is the most unusual book I've ever written, a modern literary gothic, part fairy tale, part metaphysical search.
6. It was also the first book I'd ever used my "magazine cut-out" collaging techniques to help develop my plot, setting, and characters.
7. I wrote my entire first draft and all extra material long hand.  I then transcribed it onto paper using my trusty Panasonic KXE-700M typewriter, and then finally transcribed it again onto my computer.  Writing long hand and using my typewriter were definitely my two favorite stages.

So there we are!  Just a few more weeks and with any luck Overtaken will be published at the end of the month.  Whew.  Now back to my proofing.

Tip of the Day:  It was fun for me to make a list of "7 things about Overtaken," making me think it would be a good idea to do something similar for my other books, including those already published and those still in the WIP stage.  Not only is it a good jumpstart to future marketing, but it helped to clarify my thinking for those times when I'm asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" or "What is your book about?" 

In the meantime, do visit the blogs I've mentioned here and say "Hi!" to their writers.  You'll be glad you did.

Overtaken: We Have a Proof!

OVERTAKEN:  The proof is here at last, complete with cover art which I absolutely could not resist sharing with you all.  I'm thrilled with the way it turned out, and I'm just as pleased with the look of the interior pages too.

So armed with my trusty red pen, mini post-its, and a brand new legal pad, I am now taking the next few days off to go through the entire book line by line, word by word.  Again (!).  Oh, well.  As they say, "the proof is in the pudding" and my choice is pistachio.  Should keep me sustained until publication day.  Wish me luck!

Tip of the Day:  Keep writing--keep drawing--keep going.  There were days--weeks and months--when I thought I would never be holding a copy of this book in my hands.  How silly was that?  If I could give you just one word that means everything to me, it would be:  Persevere.  It's the only way to accomplish anything.  See you soon.