The Connection

Well, the Idol 12 are in. The only real surprise for me last night was Aysha--(I know I didn't spell her name right.)

I think it's a good top twelve. I still think there will be more boys than girls around in a few weeks.

This Idol contest makes me think of us writers who are trying to get published amidst a sea of thousands of people trying to be published. There are a lot of good writers. There are probably a lot of great writers. Just like the contestants on Idol....they are all great. But what makes them stand out? What makes them connect with the crowd? What makes them able to have people clapping at the end of the performance?

It's what they bring to each song. As writers we have our own personality and experiences we can bring to each book. No other author has our exact emotions to each situation. We have to bring ourselves to our work and dig deep to grab that connection with editors and agents to make them believe in what we are doing.

Which Idol's do you think connect with the audience most?

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Really. We do. We love having fun. But sometimes there's no time for fun. Sometimes we have too many things going on. Even when we have "fun" things planned, pushing together too many of them results in trying to fit everything in. Then the fun seems to disappear into the pressures of everything else.
Drat!
I think God has been speaking to me lately regarding certain things. I have two engagments I was planning on doing that I have decided to say "no" to. I think it's time to slow down. After all, I do have a wedding to plan this year. I want to enjoy every minute of that process. The wedding and reception are going to be at the same place which simplifies things greatly. My daughter and her fiance just firmed up their honeymoon plans and they are simplifying also.
We have also just started the Lenten season and I know I need to rely on and listen to what God is telling me. I haven't had time to write and that is a big hole in my life right now. I do believe God wants me to write.

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God;

Confession Time

Okay. I didn't exercise Saturday. I woke up at 6:30 am with a headache. I mean the headache woke me up. I was kind of out of it all day. Ended up sleeping on the couch by 3:00. Maybe the thought of exercising gave me the headache. Not sure. But Sunday morning was busy with feeding the birds then getting to church by ten.
Monday morning I had to work.
So hence my dilema for the new year. I want to do three things before I go to work each day.
Devotion time in the a.m.
Exercise in the a.m.
Write in the a.m.
I found I write much faster and cleaner and can think way better in the morning. I could do the devotional at night, but what better way to start the day than with a word from God? And my dh and I have tried walking at night, but when I do physical activity at night like walking and exercising it seems to give me energy which would be great for the morning, but keeps me awake at night, hence I would sleep late the next day and that would result in not doing any of the things I want to do in the morning.
So I'm praying for wisdom in trying to get a morning routine established. I am fortunate that I don't have to be at work at some unseemingly hour like seven, but I really do need to leave my house between 8 and 8:30. That's what I should be doing.
I am going to try the exercising this morning. I will let you know how that goes.
I have read my devotional for today.
And I can write some this morning.
But hey, I don't have to go to work today, so this is an easy day.
I really think if I can get a routine in place, with God, exercise and writing I will have a much better handle on life.
What about you? Do you have routines in place that you know help to keep you in tune, organized? If so, I'd love to hear about them.

She Said What?

My husband, son and I went to my husband's brothers for Thanksgiving. We had a great time with the family, and of course we had good food. There were a few missing from having to be elsewhere or they were sick. We hope all are well now.

We played a game called Catch-Phrase. There's this round thing-and it has a timer and a display screen. When you start you have to get your team to say the word, then you pass it on to the next team and they have to get their team to say the new word, and this goes on until that timer runs out. You don't want to be holding the thing when the timer goes off.

So, it was fun and we were having a good time. The thing gets passed to one of my team mates. She starts saying things like...when two people break up this happens to one of them....think of an organ...the one person is really this when a break up occurs...

Okay, so when she says the first line I say--"They stalk you." Well, his family started laughing. Then the organ thing and another of our teammates says something about the heart. Then when she gave the third clue I said "They try to kill themselves."
So everyone got a laugh at my responses and they commented on them for a moment, but really this is a game where you can figure some stuff out about people. Wow, what type of relationships have I had? Stalkers and people wanting to kill themselves? Yes, looking back I have had those experiences when breakups occured, but that has been years ago. I have been with my husband fifteen years now. I good, steady, safe, loving relationship.
Hmmmmmmmm.

Guess the old stuff still lingers huh?

By the way, the Catch Phrase we were looking for was "heartbreaker".

As writers we draw on experiences and reactions for our characters. No, I don't write suspense, but I do write humor. In some situations, there is nothing to do but laugh.

Do you have any experiences to draw from as a writer? Do you have any over all themes that keep popping up in your books? Readers, do you like a particular type of book for a reason?