Sunday Psalm

Psalm 63:1-2

O God, You are my God
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

NKJV Nelson Study Bible


We must always seek God---He is the water for our thirsts.

The Story

Yes, I've updated the blog a little on the side-bar. I've actually got a synopsis of my current wip--Dreaming of You.

Here it is:

Kyla Stewart revists her hometown to find the truth about her very unconventional mother. Ryan Maverick might be able to provide some answers, but he's determined to prove her accusations against his father are false.
Seeing her grandmother and Ryan hold steadfast to their faith gives Kyla an insight to God she's never seen before.
Nevermind that Kyla has been dreaming of Ryan for the past six months. Coming face to face with her dream threatens her resolve to live in reality.
Can Ryan change Kyla's heart? Make her see that sometimes God has dreams for us we don't know about?
Or will Kyla run when she finds the truth and miss out on what God has in store for her life.


This story has been so much fun to write. I really like the characters and the feelings and emotions that are being revealed as I write them.

Fun Stuff About Love!

I LOVE watching the Bachelor and Bachelorette shows. Because I love love and love romance and love watching people interact and gettng to know each other, the show holds my interests.
Rarely do the matches that result from the show come to anything more than a few months of dating, but lately there's been a shake-up in the reality Bachelor and Bachelorette world.
It looks like both couples from last year are engaged.


Here is last year's Bachlorette, Jillian and her guy Ed. Jillian moved to Chicago where Ed lives.



And here are Jason and Molly. I won't go into their story. You can read all about it on the internet, but it was crazy. They are now engaged. Yeah!!

I know two engagements doesn't mean there will even be one wedding, but I have a feeling there will be. We'll just have to wait and see!

Happy Love!

This picture describes my revision process speed.
Slow.
Crazy slow.
But I think it's making the book better. At least I hope so. I hope I'm not taking all this time with the same results. I don't know.
I've been reading my how-to books as I go through this process, trying to utilize all the tools I have at my disposal to create a novel that people will enjoy reading and want to finish.
I want to create characters that people care about.
I hope I'm not trying too hard.
The thing is I think I can tell if something's working. I'm pretty good at that. I'm just not so good at being able to fix it quickly. It takes me time. Time to process and analyze. Maybe the more I do it the quicker I'll get.
Let's hope.

Sunday Psalm

Today's Psalm.....


Psalm 17:7-8

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.



This is an amazing, uplifting Psalm...One I need to keep in mind.
We need to set the Lord before us always.
The Lord never fails, He is faithful and true.

Happy Sunday!!

Chapters 1-6 Pages 1-72

This blog was originally titled Belinda's Writing Journal. And for the next little while that is going to be the way of this blog. I doubt anyone is reading anyway. That's all right, too. I just need somewhere to track my progress, vent my frustrations and be albe to say "Hey--it's working out!"

I've basically spent this week on chapters 4-6. Yes, all week. I only write in the morning before I go to work. But, I do believe all the hard work paid off. I really like the chapters and I think there is a much better flow, a lot less useless conversation, a lot more tension, a lot less mumble jumble. So for this it was worth it. I'm going to continue on today with what ever I can get done starting now with chapter 7, which I think used to be chapter 9.

Tomorrow I'm taking the day off writing and after church we (Lenny and I) are going to spend the afternoon with our grandchildren at their house. We are really looking forward to that.

Then of course, Monday a.m. back at it. I will have to speed it up, though. At revising three chapters a week I'll be doing this a lot longer than I need to be doing this. I need to enter the Golden Heart. Good thing the entry is ready, now I just need to make sure the rest of the manuscript is a-okay.

Losing Words :(

Yes, they are flying off the page but into another file. Hopefully I can use these scenes later. So while I've dropped about 3,000 words, yes, that's a lot of words, I think the story is benefiting from the loss.
But my mind is reeling, somewhat. I really worked hard on those scenes. Put every word down with a purpose. So I'm redirecting the purpose to later in the book.
This morning I've take a scene, changed it's POV and combined it with another scene. Again cutting the words to better the novel.
Remember the old saying "this is harder on me than it is on you?"
I'm picturing my manuscript saying that to me as I highlight and hit those little pair of scissors that come up.
But then I go to another file and paste the scene there.
For now.
Have a great Saturday.

Making Real Progress

Yes, this morning I am making real progress. The new scene I wrote yesterday fits into the novel like I wanted it to. I'm still rearranging---still trying to get the manuscaript to be as tight as it can be.
Succinct.
So the reader doesn't have time to put the book down. Doesn't lose interest in the relationship forming between Kyla and Ryan.
Because after all, this is a romance.
So the reader wants to feel the connection between these two and wonder why the two don't see it!!
Or maybe the reader sees that Ryan and Kyla get the connection forming but of course they (Ryan and Kyla) aren't acting on it.
The reader keeps reading hoping Ryan and Kyla come to their senses.
It's all about creating emotion. Emotion within the story and that emotional connection to the reader.
With the rough draft I had a sense of story direction. I feel like I had a complete story, a complete puzzle with the pieces scattered across the dining room table waiting for someone to come along and piece it together.



That's what I'm doing. Piecing it all together.
Thank you to anyone who's been praying. I'm praying for you, too.

Revising Revisions

I'm printing pages 61-67 a totally new scene I've written for Dreaming Of You. (further referred to in all posts as DOY.) That's what it feels like sometimes a
DOY!!

Writing brand-new scenes wasn't in my projected revision process. So now, in reviewing the new scene(s) written during the revision process I'm revising the revisions.
Wow.
I guess I can do that. I mean I'm trying.
I'm really praying to God also to keep the desire alive in me. I was so excited about this book.
I started DOY on May 18th. Was about half-way through when I found out the first 25 pages were a finalist in the Maggie Contest. Well that bit of encouragement fueled me on to finish the book. I was extremely excited about revising and the added bonus of getting a request from an agent at the Moonlight and Magnolia's Conference put on by the Georgia Romance Writers fueld me even more. But the more work it's turning out to be the more the fuel is burning out.
If you're inclined to pray, please pray for the excitement to rear it's head again.

Jake the Bachelor and More

Jake is going to be the next bachelor! Yeah! I hope he finds that special woman. I really wanted it to be Reid, but I have my own story for Reid. I've matched him up with a girl named Mandy and my next book is titled, Marry Me Mandy. Still working out all the plot points, but it's going to be a fun book, with six year old twin girls, Reid, Mandy and a dance studio. Fun stuff!!

Well, it will be fun stuff if I ever finished revising Dreaming of You. I'm afraid if anyone is reading this blog you're going to have to journey with me through this revision.
Sorry!!!

Added part of a new scene this morning. Now off to the day job.

Realization

Things I've realized.

I haven't posted in a long time.
Revising my book is A LOT of work.

I supposed that's because I am learning as I go. I learn more and more about my characters as I write, then when I go back I need to infuse some of that in the beginning.
Also, scenes. Wow. I'm combining and deleting. It's a bit overwhelming for me this morning. Mornings are really the only time I have to work on the book. I've been getting up early and today it didn't seem like I accomplished anything.

Although I'm sure I did. The revising is going way slower than I thought it would. But I want the book to be the best I can make it. There are places I could it just like it is, but I know I can make it better. And whatever it is inside of me won't let me just leave it.

The funny thing is this. I promised myself when I finished I'd go out at buy myself the book Revising and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell. You know, to help with my revisions. but as I'm revising I'm still focusing on his Plot and Structure book. Oh well, life is funny.

F.A.I.T.H. Girl Blogs--Check them out today

We're discussing plotting wishes over at F.A.I.T.H. today. Come over and visit.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 138: 1-3

1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods Iwill sing praises to You
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day whne I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.



God will answer if we but call on Him.

Have a great Sunday!

Dreaming of You

If you look to the sidebar to the right you'll see the word count has gone up dramatically. That's one of the reasons for the absence of posts this summeer. I started this book May 18th and am 5 chapters away from being done. I've spent all my free time working on this story.
I'm still liking it and hope to finish by next weekend.

Cuz, I hope you're ready to read a book. I need feedback.

F.A.I.T.H. Blog today

Hi. We're talking about 'The Story Within Us' today over at theF.A.I.T.H. blog today. Come and visit and share a story or two.

F.A.I.T.H. blog today

We're talking about agents and editors over at the F.A.I.T.H. blog today. Come over and check it out!!

Coming Up

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I know I did.

Come back and visit this week. I have some pics from yesterday (Pedicures and The Revelation) and I have a book review of my critique partner's June release His Forever Love.

Hope you'll come back and check them out.

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. Take the time to remember and pray for those who have fought and are currently fighting for the sake of our freedom. Thier families and the nation need so much prayer, also.

We have a cloudy day here in Georgia. It's been rainy, cloudy all weekend, but that's my fav kind of weather. I know a lot of people have plans with their family or friends. Have a fun day, but keep in our hearts the men and women who have dedicated thier lives for our freedoms.

Sunday Psalm

Sunday May 24th

Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord,
He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.
NKJV


We are almost done with our series 40 at church. We read this Psalm the Sunday after Easter and are celebrating the 40 days Jesus walked the earth after the resurrection.
We are also singing a song by U2---titled 40. It's based on this Psalm. Check it out on You Tube if you have a minute.

Jess and other stuff

I know it's been a while since I've posted. For all those praying for Jess, she got through surgery great, spent almost 30 days in the hospital, but is now out, doing well, back to work and enjoying life. Jess's passion is food---she creates these very cool dishes and takes photos of them. Maybe I'll get her to post something here one day. Her food is fabulous!!

Everything else has been moving along. Still busy at the job, still writing in spare time, taking the summer off of bowling.

I've got two more manuscripts started. Very different books, but each with an important message from God.

I'm reading the Bible chronologically with a lady at church. Donnah and I meet every Sunday morning at 9:30 to go over what we have read the week before. It's been such a blessing and really, even if you've read the stories before there is always something to learn.

Today I was reading a Psalm that was reflecting back on the Israelites and how God had led them out of Egypt, had provided for them, and still, they turned from Him.
They whined and whined for food and he sent manna. Manna literally means what is it?

They soon grew weary and tired of their manna and complained.

It made me think on my life. I'm asking myself the hard question---what is my manna and am I complaining?
Reading God's word always gets me thinking!!! What about you?