Opening the bedroom windows at night, walks in Hampden, longer days, happy cats sitting in the open windows, dinners on our back porch, Waverly Farmer’s Market, my husband and baby niece’s birthdays and the list goes on…Does the first glimpse of Spring feel this good every year?
My WordPress blog is still acting funky behind the scenes, so I’ll keep this short. I haven’t been on top of blogging lately, but I have been on top of my latest novel-in-progress. I didn’t think it would be possible to love this book as much as SHIFT (working title), but I’ve fallen for it and it’s so exciting to be back in the rough draft stage. This book is more of a mystery, so I’ve spent a lot of time outlining the plot. If I don’t plan a few scenes ahead, I’m paralyzed. I have at least five scenes ahead of me, so I better get to it! Happy reading, writing and Spring!
Today started off quite well. A nice stroll through Hampden, lunch, shopping for a gift, lots of sunshine, and reading in bed. Then I decided to experiment with my website…
I should not be allowed to tinker with my WordPress blog. I stumbled upon this “BuddyPress” plugin and thought it would be a cool tool to experiment with. Instead, I managed to totally mess up the “behind the scenes” part of my blog. Anyone know a WordPress expert? Help!
Anyway, if you’ve noticed some social networking tools popping up, that’s the culprit. Since I don’t really have a need to create a social network, it seems a bit silly to have this function available. I should have read the fine print. Anyway, happy Saturday everyone. Rather than trying to uninstall this pesky plug-in, I’m going to write. Super brainstorming session with Steve this morning over coffee. I am so stoked to write the scenes we discussed. I’m not going to let a little web-related trouble get me down!
I decided to get creative last night and turn my website/blog from dismal to delightful. I’m quite pleased with the result! Photo collage is one of my favorite things in the world, so I smile every time I see my new header, which is filled with things I love. I also adore the colored lights at Golden West Cafe, which were twinkling overhead when Steve and I visited last week to celebrate a day filled with good news. There may have been garlic fries and wine involved…
I’ve continued to note things that I am grateful for with my iPhone Happytapper.com app this week. It’s amazing how uplifting it is to pause, observe and give thanks, and then continue with your day. You can’t help but smile a little more. A trend that I’ve found in my handy journal of thanks is lots and lots of books and bookstores. Baltimore is packed with bookstores:) Recently, I’ve visited Normal’s, Ukazoo, Atomic, breathe (don’t miss their $6.99 per pound book sale!), and Barnes & Noble. I can’t help but peek at the shelves in each store and see where my book will (hopefully!) sit one day…
I just joined Laini Taylor’s mini-NaNo group for March. I’ve been moving along quite well with my second novel, but this added inspiration can’t hurt! How do you stay motivated while working on a long-term project? Although twitter and blogs can be distracting, I am often inspired by reading about the triumphs, challenges and lessons learned by fellow bloggers and tweeters:)
One of the biggest challenges of being a writer (for me) is patience. Sometimes impatience can be poisonous to my creativity and excitement because I’m focused on the little things rather than the big picture. Here is a list of some tools and strategies I use to stay positive and keep the muse happy…
1. I just found two iPhone Apps that I adore! Check out Happytapper’s Vision Board and Gratitude Journal. They’ve already helped me focus more on my major goals and remember the simple and daily parts of life that bring me joy.
2. Every few months, I visit breathe books for a 1/2 hour session with Aurora. Aurora is a psychic. Some people may not be open to doing this, but it always puts my mind at ease and fills me with enthusiasm for the future. I’ve been fascinated by psychics since I was very young. My friends and I used to spend nights huddled around a Ouija board. We would seek out psychics, learn about Tarot cards, and try to perform Past Life Regressions. These experiences have found their way into my writing and I still believe that there is more to life that what our five senses tell us.
3. This American Life is packed with characters just waiting to be brought to the page (check out the iPhone App!). As I listen more to this program, I realize the power of radio. I’ve listened to episode #199: “House on Loon Lake” twice (once with the hubs). The story is creepy, poignant, and mysterious- all things that I work to bring to my novels.
The great thing about this world is that these resources are endless if you want to find them. What’s inspiring you right now?
Valentine’s Day was a hit! We debated whether to see The Wolfman or Crazy Heart. After reading a few reviews, Crazy Heart won. Steve and I couldn’t stop talking about the unique qualities of the acting, storytelling and soundtrack afterward at dinner. I started downloading the soundtrack on my iPhone as soon as we got into the car. The film reminds me a little of Walk The Line, which I’m also a big fan of. It’s the kind of movie that inspires you to reach further in your own creative life. I’m in awe of the character development. I feel like I know Bad Blake, played by Jeff Bridges who can SING his heart out by the way (and so can Colin Farrell)! I hope that the trailer inspires you to check out the film.
ps- In writing news, I’m working on my second novel and it’s coming along quite well. This book is more of a mystery, so I had a lot of planning to do before I could dive into writing the first draft. Now that the skeleton of the plot is set, I can hardly wait to start working on it each night:)
