Summer Solstice

I have three calendars in my life. Two at home and one at work, and each one announces the beginning of summer differently.

The one hanging over my desk with an adorable kitten meowing at me announces summer on June 21, 2008 with the words: Summer Begins.

My calendar of Light Houses hanging in my bedroom says on June 20th: First Day of Summer.

The one at work from the World Wildlife Fund claims June 20th to be the first day of summer with a simple: Summer.

In New England the start of summer is celebrated with balmy breezes, cookouts, trips to the beach and bug spray.
In Florida summer is tolerated with adjustments to the air conditioner to kick it into overdrive, and a concerned eye on the tropics.

I completely get the whole snowbird concept -- live in the north in the summer, the south in the winter. :)

For me, it's always been a time of enjoying the longer days and warm nights. Whether I'm on the west coast of Florida watching the pelicans and dolphins, or strolling the sandy beaches of Cape Cod, I love the summer solstice.

Enjoy!

Smell the Roses

Don't forget to Stop and Smell the Roses! Okay, that is certainly the classic cliche, but no less true.

A few days ago I overslept by an hour -- something I rarely ever do. I jumped out of bed, squeaked something rather unladylike, and raced into the shower. Fortunately for me -- in more ways than one -- I live very close to my day job. So, I still had time to shower, dress, and take a moment to enjoy a cup of coffee.

I stood in the kitchen, sipping my coffee, and staring out the window. Because I was off-schedule and in the kitchen at a later time in the morning, I saw a breathtaking sight.

The sun was shimmering through the big tree in the backyard, lighting upon a massive spider web. (If I had a digital camera, I would insert photo here) :) It was sparkling in the sun, radiating white, silver and a touch of other earthy colors. I couldn't see the owner of the web, but did spot a few unlucky bugs trapped in it's clutches.

I took a deep breath and relaxed, content I was able to enjoy the quiet moment. A perfect time to slow down and put everything into perspective.

Embrace life.

Happy Father's Day!!

What's in a Name?

Plenty!

As a fiction writer, I strive to create compelling, dynamic characters to live and breathe in my stories. It is imperative that my characters are as real as possible to me and to the reader. Of course, this is one of the most difficult challenges we must face as fiction writers -- make the story believable and make the reader want to turn the page.

One aspect of character development -- and there are many -- is choosing a name that fits the character. Finding a name that depicts the time-period, setting, character background, and personality is not always easy, but for me, it's always fun.

I have three different books of first names that I use to help find that perfect fit. I also use the phone book, television and movie credits, and other books, both fiction and non-fiction to help find that unique name for a character.

Here are a few notable fictional characters:

Scarlet O'Hara
Jo March
Christopher Robin
Ebenezer Scrooge
Sonny Corleone
George Bailey
Stephanie Plum
Jessica Rabbit
Oliver Twist

Recognize any of them? :)
They may not have the most unusual name (George Bailey), or maybe they do (Ebenezer Scrooge), but their names fit their characters for their story.

Whether choosing the name for the hero of your book, or the villian, use your imagination (and any other means you can find) to bring your characters and your story to life!

May

With a peek at the calendar, I realized another month has come and gone with no blogging from yours truly. It's been a busy month with family visiting, writing, and TARA contest entries to coordinate and judge. :) Oh and of course I still need to work 40 hours or more at the day job. Fun.

For the TARA contest I am the coordinator of the Inspirational entries, a judge for one of the other genres (not at liberty to disclose that info yet), and I entered the Romantic Suspense category. It's wonderful to be involved and volunteer my time to my TARA chapter.

My brother and sister-in-law were visiting last week, and we had a really lovely, relaxing time. Sunbathing, swimming, shopping, and eating -- all the usual vacation activities. It was also a wonderful time for my brother and I to share our creative writing experiences. As fellow writers struggling to break into the world of getting published, we enjoyed talking shop. :)

I hope everyone had a great May. See you next month.

New England Sunset

There are few moments in life more tranquil and beautiful than the sun descending into the horizon. This photograph is of one of my favorite places -- the sun setting over Cape Cod Bay.

Growing up in New England I had the rare privilege of being able to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean, and set over Cape Cod Bay. Something I have come to truly appreciate more and more with the passing of the years.

Enjoy. :)

TARA Contest Deadline

May 1st is the deadline for entries in the 2008 TARA contest! If you are an unpublished writer of romance here is your chance to shine. Not only do you have an opportunity to have your first 25 pages judged and critiqued, but your work could land in front of an editor.
The categories and editors are as follows:

Series Contemporary -- Wanda Ottewell/Harlequin
Paranormal -- Amy Pierpont/Grand Central
Single Title -- Danielle Poiesz/Pocket
Women's Fiction -- Lindsay Louis/NAL
Historical -- Leah Hultenschmidt/Dorchester
Romantic Suspense -- Allison Brandau/Berkley
Inspirational -- Natalie Hanemann/Thomas Nelson

Check out the TARA website for all the information and guidelines!

tararwa.com

Writer's Block

What is writer's block and does it actually exist?

For me -- absolutely! So often my writing comes from my emotional state of mind. How do I feel today? Am I happy? Sad? Is my kitty not feeling well? Am I going through a heart wrenching divorce? Has a friend or a relative recently been sick or passed away? How difficult is my day job?

At this point in my writing career I have the choice of sitting down to write -- or not. If I don't feel the inspiration flowing through me, I'll pick up a book and read, or click on the television (probably not the best idea), or worse, surfing the net. However, the many professional, published writers I know, they don't have that luxury. They have deadlines! They have publishers who choose when their books are to be finished. They have editors who need the rewrites and revisions -- now!

Someday soon I hope to up my game and find an agent and editor interested in my work. At that point I need to be 100% prepared to do the work; get the job done and produce the words and pages that need to be finished. :)

I write as often as I can, but for the past few weeks I've been in a major slowdown. Writer's slump? Writer's dawdling? Writer's procrastination? Hmm...
Well, no more. It's time to write and push through to finish my second book.

Writer's block be gone!