February 18, 2015, marks the 84th birthday of American novelist and professor, Toni Morrison. She made her way to the short list of top American authors in the 20th century when it was not easy for a person of color to break into the publishing industry.
I love this Toni Morrison quote: “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
Thank you, Mrs. Morrison, for blazing a trail for other writers of color and female writers of all colors!
On January 18, 2015, I posted a seven-point “Writing Plan of Action” and promised an occasional update. It’s been a month, so I decided to assess how I’m doing.
(1) Schedule book signings/author events. I have scheduled a book signing on April 11 at 2pm at The Book Shelf in Tryon, North Carolina. I haven’t had any success with public library bookings. I’m not giving up!
(2) Continue to blog every day. I was doing very well with that until I read that I shouldn’t blog every day. (That was the one thing I thought I was doing right!) I’m struggling to find a schedule that suits me and will keep my followers interested. I have a lot of learn.
(3) Continue to research and write captions for a Piedmont NC vintage postcard book. I continue to work on that.
(4) Spend two hours each week building a list of places that might sell a Piedmont NC vintage postcard book. I haven’t kept a record of the time I’ve spent doing that, but I have worked on it a little.
(5) Continue to search for writing contests to enter or magazine articles to write. I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made on meeting this point of my plan. I have entered one contest and made a chronological list of more contests to enter this year. I’ll be ready in a few days to pitch an idea to Cobblestone magazine. I’ve written a piece about Maggie McCurdy that I hope the magazine will use in its March, 2016 issue. I wrote an article for Cobblestone in 2007 titled, “Aunt Lula Buys a Model-T.” Putting this “Writing Plan of Action” on paper nudged me into working on this aspect of my freelance writing.
(6) Set aside one day each week to edit my historical novel manuscript. This is where the wheels fell off the wagon. I have only worked on this one day in the last four weeks.
(7) If Arcadia Publishing rejects my author proposal for a Piedmont NC vintage postcard book, start in earnest to find a literary agent to represent me and my novel. I cannot submit a proposal to Arcadia until after February 25.
Overall, I’m pleased with what I have accomplished since making this writing plan. It definitely helps me to have a written plan. Based on this plan, I have made daily lists of things to do. I tend to be too optimistic and end up moving many items from one day to the next.
I will eventually get most things on the list done, and I will try not to beat myself up over the things left undone.
I just read Mudhouse Sabbath, by Lauren F. Winner. Dr. Winner is a Jewish Christian. In Mudhouse Sabbath, she explores various facets of the Jewish faith and practices in which she grew up and makes comparisons with her current Christian faith. Each of the 11 chapters looks at a different practice or ritual, including keeping the Sabbath, prayer, fasting, candle lighting, and weddings.
Dr. Winner misses some of the practices that gave her comfort when she was a practicing Jew, and she looks for ways to incorporate them or similar activities into her life now as a Christian.
Mudhouse Sabbath is an easy read in that it is written in layman’s terms and in a personal style that has the feel of sitting and having a conversation with Dr. Winner. Although it can be read quickly, it will leave the reader with a number of things to ponder.
Rocky River Presbyterian Church near Concord, North Carolina, will begin a Lenten study tomorrow based on Mudhouse Sabbath. It promises to be a thought-provoking study as we examine some of our practices and beliefs as compared to those of the Jewish faith out of which Christianity grew.
Another rejection. Such is the life of a freelance writer. I submitted a devotional to The Upper Room last June. After eight months, I had forgotten about it. Yesterday I received an e-mail telling me my piece had not been selected for use in the daily devotional publication.
The devotional I submitted in June was about Mary and Martha in the Bible and my sister and me. The way my sister and I interact with one another and many of our personality traits remind me of Mary and Martha.
I am disappointed that my work was not accepted for publication. It would have been helpful if I had been given a reason for the rejection so I would know where I failed. The number of submissions The Upper Room receives prevents critiques.
I will probably try again sometime, when I think I have something worthwhile to contribute. It takes patience to try to write for magazines or daily devotional publications. The lead time is months long or even one year. Like happened in this instance, one can forget about a submission by the time a piece is accepted or rejected by the publisher or editor.
Today is John Grisham’s birthday. I have enjoyed reading his books, and I got to hear him speak in Charlotte a few years ago. He is an entertaining speaker, just as he is an entertaining writer. I find hope in the story of how he couldn’t even give away copies of his first book. He traveled around The South with copies of the book in his trunk. The first bookstore that agreed to try to sell his book has the honor of being the site for his book launches. I love that!
I read that John Grisham has developed a beef allergy and has said that he would kill for a cheeseburger. I ate a cheeseburger and homemade potato chips at Jake’s Good Eats in Charlotte yesterday in homage to John Grisham.
Thank you, Mr. Grisham, for all the hours of enjoyment your books have given me. It must be gratifying to know that millions of people eagerly await the release of each of your books.
I aspire to be a published novelist. I take heart in knowing that even authors as successful as John Grisham had a bumpy road in the beginning.
I meant to write a tribute to James A. Michener yesterday in honor of the 108th anniversary of his birth. One of his novels, Centennial, is one of my all-time favorite books. Since reading it in 1975, I have wished I could write such a book.
I loved the way the second chapter started by telling about the formation of the world, the way it talked about the Earth’s layers, how Colorado was formed, and how the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado fit into the grand scheme of things. It was a powerful visual. I loved the characters in the book and how it carried through from generation to generation. Mr. Michener managed to weave geography and history together in a way that resonated with me. What a gift!
Forty years later, I recall more details of Centennial than most of the books I’ve read in the last year.
I have taken advantage of two free classes at the Harrisburg Branch of the Cabarrus County Public Library System recently. You can’t beat FREE!
I took a PowerPoint class because I think that skill will eventually come in handy with my writing. When I speak at a library or bookstore, it would be nice to be able to have a PowerPoint presentation to offer for the event.
The Skype class a couple of weeks ago was informative. It’s something I’d like to be able to do with far-flung friends and relatives, and it is a tool that might be advantageous in my writing. I can see that a literary agent might want to communicate via Skype. Many authors offer to “meet” with book clubs using Skype.
Last year I took a free Microsoft Excel class at the public library and almost immediately put that new skill to use by creating a tri-fold brochure about my books.
The public library is much more than a repository for books! If you haven’t visited your local public library lately, you need to “check it out!”
I’m happy to announce that I have entered my unpublished historical novel, The Spanish Coin, in the 2015 Top of the Mountain Fiction Contest held by the Northern Colorado Writers! Finalists will be notified on or about March 1. I’ll keep you posted.
I submitted the first 20 pages of the manuscript along with a three-page synopsis. The submission fee was $25.
This is the first contest in which I’ve entered my novel manuscript, so it is an exciting step.
Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, was the book discussed last night by Rocky River Readers Book Club. We met at Rocky River Presbyterian Church.
I haven’t seen the movie yet, although I plan to do so. Unbroken is a powerful book! I read it last year and many details from it are still vivid in my mind. Louis Zamperini was an amazing man. His rough and tumble childhood and teenage years set him up for a life of trouble. Track and field gave him discipline and self-confidence. Everything in his early years in some way prepared him for his horrible World War II years.
Many of you have probably seen the movie. I urge you to also read the book. It is another masterpiece by Laura Hillenbrand, who also wrote Seabiscuit.
Yesterday marked the 256th anniversary of the birth of “The Bard” of Scotland, Robert Burns. He is beloved in Scotland and his birthday is still marked there and in Scottish circles around the world with Robert Burns Dinners on his birthday.
I’ve started trying to mark various writers’ birthdays by preparing their favorite foods; however, I did not attempt to make haggis yesterday! I understand Burns’ favorite food were haggis, neeps, and tatties. I’ve eaten haggis in Scotland (“when in Rome…) and it wasn’t too bad as long as I blocked out of my mind what some of the ingredients were. There’s no way I’m going to make it. For starters, where does one purchase a sheep’s stomach?
Last night we dined on mince, neeps, and tatties and remembered Robert Burns. After supper I got out my dulcimer and attempted to play “Call the Yowes to the Knowes.” It’s one of the many Burns poems that has been set to music. I thought I had the dulcimer music for “Auld Lang Syne,” but I couldn’t find it.
Oh – mince is ground beef crumbled and cooked with chopped onions and a small amount of rolled oats. Neeps are turnips. Tatties are potatoes.
Haggis… well, you don’t want to know what that is. A Scottish friend was proud of me for eating haggis when I was over there. He said one must lower his or her voice a couple of octaves when saying, “I’m a haggis eater!” It got to be quite a joke between us. Scots have a great wit about them when you get to know them.
