tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252672702024-03-12T20:22:09.705-07:00What is a Sundial in the Shade?Novelist Josi S. Kilpack blabbers about family, life, and writing, not necessarily in that order.Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.comBlogger341125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-5517070729093333542020-08-09T15:15:00.006-07:002020-08-09T15:18:43.879-07:00Dear Reader: How to Express Negative Feedback<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q7c3_GpC8-VWvsHFN0FgeEuYLpH16h1wdiSLWRgNTfhCibmdP5dEa7khK9p1BG1iuHv1KzGawt8R-R6P9hx-lplm4IDgzHkytlViHumjVYpxUD1q_p6oJPGwHBl7g7SMNw53WQ/s2048/RakesRoses_cover.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1321" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q7c3_GpC8-VWvsHFN0FgeEuYLpH16h1wdiSLWRgNTfhCibmdP5dEa7khK9p1BG1iuHv1KzGawt8R-R6P9hx-lplm4IDgzHkytlViHumjVYpxUD1q_p6oJPGwHBl7g7SMNw53WQ/w169-h262/RakesRoses_cover.jpg" width="169" /></a></div>I recently received an email from a reader who did not like an aspect of my novel "Rakes and Roses." I've asked her permission to share the dialogue we had for two reasons. <p></p><p>1) Because of how well-spoken she was in the email she sent, I didn't feel defensive so much as truly wanted her to know where I was coming from. I think it's something we can all learn from in that the way we express complaints can have a dramatic impact on the type of response we get. </p><p>2) I don't think she's the only one who felt this way about this particular scene/plot aspect. For those who also wondered at the out of character reaction, I wanted to have the explanation available. </p><p>WARNING: Includes spoilers.</p><p>REQUEST: If you comment, please do not be negative toward the reader or her opinions. </p><p>_____________________</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Dear Josi,<br /><br />I recently finished Rakes and Roses. I do believe you handled the subject matter extraordinarily well. As with all of your novels, I was deeply interested and moved by the characters. But, the heroine in this book did not stay true to herself. She was chaste and deliberate in her attempts to assist others in repenting and finding virtue in themselves. Then in her moment of temptation, which all of us have, she grovels in some sort of self-pity that astounded me. She is saved by a man who was deliberately saving her and himself from ruin and he tells her so, and she suffers inside from rejection?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">She had to know he at least felt a passion. It is unrealistic to think otherwise. But, when morning came, she should have been thrilled to have mercifully escaped and be thrilled that for whatever reason Harry hadn’t fallen as well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">I am a grandmother and I am passionate about what I read. Our granddaughters and I share our feelings and our books. I am very concerned about what some of our teenagers are reading in regard to sexual enticements and sultry moments written in some books listed as clean and proper. Up to this point, you have set the right tone. The Gospel shines through with the choices between good and evil. I felt in Sabrina's case it was a bit vague during certain instances at the end.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">I love your work and your dedication to wholesome and real works. But, sometimes, we don't see what others see.<br /><br />Yours Sincerely,<br />####<br />___________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Dear ####,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Thank you for your feedback regarding Rakes & Roses. I see what you saw in those scenes and understand why you would be uncomfortable with it. My goal in that particular portion of the story was to show that chemistry and desire are real parts of our experience--I am glad you saw that too--but to also show that it can be more complex than simply attraction and even morality.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I wanted Harry to show his strength in that scene, something he has never had to exercise before, in order to show his growth and the way that his prior actions have not allowed him to develop the emotional connection that he feels with Sabrina and knows would be ruined if he acted on the physical draw he was feeling. I felt it was very important to show this in the story, which necessitated Sabrina acting out of character--not only did he stop her advances, but he wasn't the one to advance. He had found contentment in the relationship they were developing and could see the disaster of taking liberties should he act on them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">For Sabrina's part, she has never been loved and she has built a life that protects her from being rejected in any way--physically or otherwise. Like Harry, she has formed an emotional connection but she's also in the power position in this relationship. One aspect of this story is the reversal of gender roles. In the Regency era, the men had all the power--politically, socially, financially, and physically. In this story, it's different. Sabrina saved him, helped him find healing, and is helping him see life in a different way. There's an intoxication that comes with power, and there's a very real attraction between them. In this scene, I wanted to show Harry's vulnerability and I wanted to show how powerful she feels. It's often shown this way in the reverse in lots of novels--clean or otherwise--where the man has an advantage over the woman because of the power he holds in the relationship. We expect men to push the boundaries, and we expect women to stop them. In this story, Sabrina pushes her advantage and Harry stops her. She "is" grateful that he stopped them, but she is also incredibly lonely in her life and smarts from the rejection she feels because it pulls forward all the other rejections she's felt in her life. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Every reader takes different things from the stories they read. I've had readers write to me with something they saw in my story that I never intended but was a powerful aspect for them. In this, I can see that Sabrina's reaction didn't work for you, didn't feel authentic, or perhaps made her seem weak when she is so determined to strong. My intention was to show the humanness and help her see her own loneliness so that when she and Harry come back together she's admitted to herself that she's not happy in her life. It was a different sort of story than I have told before; I chose to write two characters with deep wounds that they help each other to heal. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I am not trying to talk you out of your feelings, I simply wanted to explain my reasoning for this scene and the reaction of both parties in hopes to clarify that I was not ignorant of Sabrina's character, rather I was trying to show a deeper level than she herself was comfortable acknowledging. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Thank you again for your thoughts, you are very articulate and well-spoken. I enjoyed having the chance to think about this topic and review my motivations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Have a good day, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Josi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">_______________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Dear Josi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Thank you so much for such an immediate response.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">It helped to know how you came to write the novel's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">ending as you did. I appreciate the time you took<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">for me. I feel better for having communicated my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">thoughts and hearing yours. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Thank you again. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-40612607010860742432020-03-25T13:53:00.001-07:002020-03-25T13:53:13.332-07:00Short Story "Drive By Reception"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
*In light of the quarantine and the effect it's having on my niece's wedding, I submit this short story I wrote several years ago but which had an odd relevance now. Happy Quarantine, everyone, and may the odds be ever in your favor.<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Drive By Reception</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Josi S. Kilpack</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Written 2003</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Thank goodness you’re home!” Sharon Harkness said as she threw open the door from the garage and
pulled her husband inside by his tie. The door slammed shut behind him. Sharon
turned toward the kitchen talking quickly as her husband rubbed his sore neck.
“Benny’s throwing a tantrum in the basement and we need to go. It’s the Johnson
girl’s wedding reception tonight.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Henry Harkness
raised his eyebrows. “What are they serving?” he asked, no longer concerned
with the pain in his neck—meaning the pulled tie, not his wife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, you’re as
bad as the children,” his wife said with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her
head. “The invitation didn’t say. Now, go get Benny dressed. He’s been naked
all day long—ugh, potty training. I’ll get the rest of the kids.” She glanced
at the clock and increased her pace down the hall. “We’ll have to hurry if
we’re going to get the car washed in time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Eighteen and a
half minutes later, the Harkness family piled into the minivan and headed east
toward Buggy Bubbles—they gave discounts if you showed your invitation. “What
time does the reception start?” fourteen-year-old Josh asked from the back
seat.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It started at six
o’clock,” Sharon said as she put the final coat of mascara on her thickly clumped
lashes, using the mirror conveniently located on the passenger side visor. She
was dressed in grey sweats and a black T-shirt—perfect for a drive-by reception,
which first and foremost was about comfort and convenience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But it’s already
6:10,” Josh whined. “Can’t we skip the carwash? At the Dodson’s reception last
year they were out of Coke by the time we got to the drink station. I had to
get Sprite zero.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon turned and
glared at her son. “What does it take to teach kids manners these days?” She
shook her bleached blonde head. “You do <i>not </i>go to a reception in a dirty
car, Joshua. Didn’t you see how soiled the bride's dress was that night? It was
absolutely disgraceful that she had to brush up against so many dirty cars all
evening.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There was a line
at Buggy Bubbles seeing as how it was prime wedding season. As they waited their
turn, Henry was wondering what drinks would be served. The last reception
they’d attended had only given out bottled water—<i>water</i>! It had been a huge disappointment
since it was mostly the booze that Henry was interested in at these things. He remembered
with fondness the open bar at the Kirkham’s wedding last fall. He’d gone home
with two beers and a mini-bottle of Jack Daniels. He hoped the Johnson’s would
be similarly accommodating. It was Friday night and the end of a very long work
week. He could use a good drink to get the weekend off on the right foot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, here it is,”
Sharon said nearly twenty minutes later, squirming with excitement as a huge pink
and teal balloon arch came into view at the entrance to the reception center.
She flipped up the mirror on the car visor again and adjusted her hair for the
upteenth time. The kids stopped fighting, or at least turned down the volume,
and Henry, realizing he was still in his tie, quickly slipped the knot out and
stashed it under the seat. He was still overdressed in his pressed white shirt
and dress pants, but after wrestling Benny into his superman pajamas, he hadn’t
had time to change. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They followed the
signs and pulled into the east entrance of the looping outdoor reception
facility, the one-way road curving through the immaculate lawns. As they were
in the city, this was a more suburban reception center, without woods or themed
stops like some places, but its convenience to the car washes proved a valuable
aspect. There were no canopies set up along the route, since the weather was so
good, but each stop had the old fashioned light post that directed the car to
stop and to go in forty-five second increments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A young man in a tuxedo approached the car at the first stop. His name read “Brandon
McCormick—Brother of the Groom.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Pink means go,
teal means stop. Here’s your program.” Brandon passed the paper through the
window and stepped back. Sharon thanked him, but he was already out of earshot.
She grabbed the paper from her husband and eagerly scanned it as the light
turned pink and Henry moved forward. It was a sad crush, but that meant there
was plenty of time to read the program.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This is odd,” Sharon
said after a moment. Henry pulled slowly forward behind a long line of cars.
“From 6:00 to 7:00 the parents of the bride will be on the driver’s side and
the parents of the groom will be on the passenger side. At 7:00 they switch
places.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t they
usually have the parents at separate stops?” Josh asked from the back, poking
his head between the two front seats of the suburban.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“They <i>always </i>have
them separate,” Sharon said with a click of her tongue. She looked at her husband.
“They really should have told us that on the invitation so that we could plan accordingly.
We’ll have to manage two different conversations from both sides of the car.
Awkward, to say the least.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Henry nodded absently
as he tried to look ahead of the other cars for a glimpse of the drink station.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A few minutes
later they reached the smiling bride and groom. The bride leaned through the
window to say hello to each of the kids, and Sharon gave Josh a triumphant
look. She’d been right about the importance of having the car washed. They
“oooed” and “ahhed” appropriately and then their forty-five seconds were up,
indicated by the station light turning pink. They said farewell and moved on.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The next station
featured the parents of the bride and groom, both couples leaning in from their
designated sides. Since the Harkness family was acquainted with the bride,
Sharon was forced to make meaningless conversation with complete strangers
until their light turned mercifully pink, and the Harkness family said goodbye.
Henry was able to talk politics with Eric Johnson—lucky!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Henry spotted the
drink station a few stops ahead. He considered asking Sharon to change places
so that he could enjoy his drinks immediately, but the program stated in big
bold letters that guests were not allowed out of their cars. He took a deep breath
and came to a stop at the guest book station. The book was passed to them by the
bride’s little sister, Julia. She was decked out in a pink version of
Cinderella’s gown and looked pleased as punch with the whole situation and her
vital role at the reception. They spent forty-five seconds at
this stop, and she was still going on and on about the ceremony when the light
turned pink. The car behind them honked and Sharon scowled into her side mirror;
the program expressly stated that no honking was allowed. “How rude,” she
muttered under her breath. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“When do we get
our food?” Clara whined from the back seat. “I’m staaaaaaarving.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The next step
confused them, there seemed to be no purpose to it—the food station, complete
with a kitchen built to look like a charming cottage—was one stop ahead. Food
always followed the guest book. A young man stepped forward, “Good evening, I’m
Clark, the best man, and I’ll be taking your order for your individual, custom refreshment bags.” He had a headset on like the ones worn at McDonalds.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What a great
idea!” Sharon said, bouncing slightly in her seat. “What are our choices?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Clark rattled off
several candy bars and brands of chips. There was also string cheese, snack
pack pudding cups, Go-gurt, and surprises for guests twelve years of age and
younger. The kids went wild, and each person in the car chose three of the
aforementioned treats—not including the surprise. Henry wondered if he’d be
able to order from a wine list as inclusive as this snack list. His mouth began
to water as the best man relayed their food orders into the headset with each
occupants name for proper distribution. He gave them a thumbs up sign at the
same time the light turned from teal to pink and waved them on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Their refreshment
bags were waiting at the food station just a few yards ahead and handed through
the window by one of two bridesmaids at this station. The kids cheered, digging
into their bags to find their surprises. The boys got miniature water guns and
the girls got plastic bracelets—all of which ended up on the floor before the
light could change. Josh was very vocal about it not being fair that he didn’t
get a prize just cause he wasn’t under the age of 12. He loved water guns. A
third bridesmaid with a headset like the best man’s stepped up to the passenger
side window. “What would you like to drink at the next stop? Soft drinks or
cranberry juice?” the bridesmaid asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What about
champagne or a beer?” Henry asked in dismay.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She cocked her
head to the side. “We decided against serving alcohol, for safety purposes.”
Henry’s face fell. They should have mentioned that on the invitation! He’d have
sent Sharon with the kids and had a half an hour at home all to himself.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The girl
continued. “Oh, and we need you to sign this disclaimer sheet stating that you
understand the wedding party is not responsible for any injury or accident
sustained during the reception.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon signed her
name on the clipboard the bridesmaid handed her while Henry continued to glower
on his side of the car. He didn’t even want his stupid Nut Roll and BBQ chips
anymore. Well, maybe the chips. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They pulled ahead
as the kids gobbled their goodies.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Remember the hot
dogs at the Dodson’s wedding?” Josh commented. Henry couldn’t help but smile at
the memory, temporarily forgetting his disappointment over the prohibition.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That was a very
unfortunate decision, even if it did fit the theme of World Series” Sharon said
with a shake of her head. “By the end of the evening all the bridesmaids were
covered in ketchup and mustard—poor planning, for sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh continued to
laugh as he unwrapped his snickers bar. At the drink station, the groomsman
began handing drinks through the driver’s side window.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why no lids?”
Henry asked as he carefully passed the plastic soda bottles to each person in
the van.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The groomsman
leaned in close, as if not wanting to be overheard. “Last summer,” he
whispered, “some wedding guests threw lids at the ushers as they exited because
they were angry about not having a bar. We decided to remove the caps rather than
sign the projectile damage and injury addendum. The wedding couple would be
liable for hefty fines and damages if the guests did not behave themselves. No
one wants to start marriage with debt.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I think that’s a
very sensible decision,” Sharon said. She’d had to lean halfway across the car
to hear the explanation. Henry wasn’t above throwing objects in his current
state of disappointment. Where were those water guns the kids had received? He
could get some speed behind one of those if he took a minute to loosen up his
shoulder.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They chatted for
a few more seconds until the station light turned green, then they moved ahead
to the gift table. Sharon handed the beautifully wrapped gift to Henry to hand
to the groomsman, but the young man put up his hand and shook his head. “Please
remove the paper, Ma’am.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“To ensure the safety
of all guests and attendees, we are unable to accept wrapped packages. Please
remove the paper.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon scowled,
but she did as she was asked, undoing her perfectly looped tulle bow and trying
to remove the paper carefully enough to save—she hoped this wasn’t
a new fad that would gain traction. Henry handed the set of Tupperware to
the groomsman who put it on the table without even looking at it. It was really nice Tupperware.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Thank you,” he
said. “Now, would you prefer a card, an email, or a faxed thank you?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, a card, for
sure,” Sharon said with a nod. “It’s the most personal.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The groomsman
nodded, pulled a card from his inside pocket, and handed it through the window.
Sharon thanked him and opened the card, inscribed with the wedding couple’s
names—Ellie and Logan—on the front.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, listen,
Henry,” Sharon said as they headed toward the exit. She paused to clear her
throat in an attempt to keep the emotion out of her reading voice. “’Friends
like you are what life is all about. Thank you for your support and
encouragement on this, the happiest day of our lives.’ And it’s printed in teal,
one of the wedding colors. Isn’t that sweet?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Very sweet,”
Henry commented as they stopped at the final group of bridesmaids and groomsmen
who hadn’t had a duty thus far. A young man with an acne problem approached the
car and handed them a jar that said “Tips” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon and Henry
stared at the jar with confusion. “Iths a tip jaw,” the groomsman said with an
unfortunate lisp. “To Covew the expentheth of the Gwoomthmen and
bwidethmaidth.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon began
scouring the car for loose change. After a frenzied search, she deposited
seventy-nine cents in the jar and smiled nervously, her face red with embarrassment.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Thank you,” the groomsman
said. He didn’t look very impressed. “Youw hewp ith much appwethiated.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon nodded as
they pulled away and then collapsed against her seat. “How humiliating,” she
muttered with a shake of her head. "I'll make sure to have more change on hand next time, or bring some cash. I had no idea."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Henry reached the
street and looked both ways. It was 6:47, the whole reception had taken them
less than thirteen minutes. At least he had time to make it to the liquor store
before they closed at seven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What did you
guys put in your refreshment bags when you got married?” Clara asked as she
finished the last of her tapioca pudding cup.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, well, we
didn’t have refreshment bags back then.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The kids went
silent. “You didn’t?” Clara asked once the shock faded.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh no. Back in
the old days the guest had to get out their cars and go inside the building.
The food was usually laid out on tables and you filled up little plastic plates
with what you wanted.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Gross!” Josh
exclaimed. “Isn’t that against health code?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Not back then,”
Sharon said with a sigh. “Receptions are much more guest oriented these days—taking
into account everyone’s busy schedules. At our reception people had to get
dressed up, stand in line, and shake hands with everyone in the wedding party.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re kidding!”
Clara said with absolute shock. “That is so weird.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sharon and Henry
shared a smile. “Well, it had a certain charm to it,” Sharon said as Henry
pulled into the liquor store drive thru. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He rolled down his
window but a sniffle from his wife stopped him. He turned to see her blinking back tears.<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What’s the matter, dear?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh,” she said
with a trembling voice as she began fishing in the glove compartment for a
stray napkin. “I just love weddings.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-81976675936642102882018-07-18T07:04:00.000-07:002018-07-18T07:04:08.537-07:00As Wide as The Sky Release and Book Launch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfN3lTAyKkiazptpdHhTfd3nOqBxUPFVOFFRZnqJuS-kT-B0P9XBFrDqugY1taBG8P9yoTGG-5GaOze_YVsIjsfxgxVdCdbNBzS8HFmrL8nzYndBFlXcfsVqQ_Sef5aB3TEuUxg/s1600/As+wide+as+the+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfN3lTAyKkiazptpdHhTfd3nOqBxUPFVOFFRZnqJuS-kT-B0P9XBFrDqugY1taBG8P9yoTGG-5GaOze_YVsIjsfxgxVdCdbNBzS8HFmrL8nzYndBFlXcfsVqQ_Sef5aB3TEuUxg/s200/As+wide+as+the+sky.jpg" width="132" /></a>I am REALLY excited about the release of my first national market women's fiction novel, <i>As Wide as the Sky</i>, which will be released on July 31st from Kensington Books. This will also be the first novel I have done under a pen name--Jessica Pack. The reason for the pen name is to differentiate this novel from my other novels, as this one has different content. While I hope many current fans of Josi S. Kilpack novels will also enjoy <i>As Wide As the Sky</i>, I'm hoping to build a new audience too :-) In light of getting the word out about Jessica Pack and <i>As Wide as the Sky,</i> I'm running a contest for five autographed copies. Multiple entries via this link: <a class="rcptr" data-raflid="3def0ac01" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3def0ac01/" id="rcwidget_ufe6ne0w" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
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Also:</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Purchase and Pre-order </b>links as well as <b>the first chapter</b> for <i>As Wide as the Sky</i> are available on my website here: <a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/as-wide-as-the-sky.html" target="_blank">As Wide As the Sky</a></li>
<li>You can follow Jessica Pack's social media networks on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapack/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/authorjesspack" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18108641.Jessica_Pack" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</li>
<li>If you are in the Salt Lake area I would LOVE for you to attend the in person launch party:</li>
</ul>
</div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Book Launch Information</b></div>
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The King's English Book Shop</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Tuesday, August 7th, 7:00 PM</div>
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1511 South 1500 East</div>
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Salt Lake City</div>
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There will be a presentation starting at 7:00 as well as refreshments, a prize drawing, and a book signing. Photos will be posted on the Facebook event page during and after the event. (you can join the event via the rafflecopter give away above--might as well, right? :-) )<br />
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Right now the two names I'm writing under are overlapping in regard to how I'm putting the word out, but I'll be separating over time. If you're interested in works like <i>As Wide as the Sky</i>, you'll want to make sure you're following Jessica Pack.<br />
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Thank you so much--Happy reading!</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05250182579627441343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-18265544102476699902018-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:002018-02-09T10:06:21.529-08:00A Night Owl "Book and Tea Party" Scavenger Hunt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Scavenger Hunts are always fun; but scavenger hunts involving BOOKS? That's <i>really </i>fun. I'm a sponsor this year for the Night Owl Romance "Books and Tea Party" Scavenger Hunt. The event runs from February 15th - March 8th and will include lots of opportunities to learn about some great new books, as well as the chance to win the grand prize: a $100 Amazon gift card.<br />
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<a href="https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blog/Articles/Tea-Party-Books-2018" target="_blank">Click below to learn more about the event, and enter to win!</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blog/Articles/Tea-Party-Books-2018" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAtF1PtWWysuZyF_Du9tkSIiK-r_Y2ib2YfSKMU50IUST8a1NztZVxLCrqUUxFu7ucvlaahzAbtYYQBa5MCwlYD8tAtOSokV7EC3SvTPF-a8LRlF4O3QyNnIoPm1e-J_WlVR9vw/s400/TeaPartyandBooks2018_220.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05250182579627441343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-56994930149772742092017-12-01T14:00:00.000-08:002017-12-01T14:00:13.346-08:0012 Days of Clean Romance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8_IsIb064F0DV34QWi6G5fK2VuI3HK3PdZd_DidG9B5LgevLIpW1umUYnOm2I0CZoaAzMSoBM2rMafz33dkztCRQaOzsjrHcY2IWea8-I3h3bonVc497ODaqtPwdKm3CqzrarA/s320/12+Days+%2524100+Giveaway.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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Know what makes great Christmas presents? BOOKS!! What's even better, free books! Kathy, from <a href="http://www.iamareader.com/100-kick-off-12-days-of-clean-romance">I Am a Reader</a> is hosting an amazing giveaway this Christmas--12 Days of Clean Romance--from a list of some pretty amazing authors.<br />
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Read below to see the list of participating Authors:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.jenniferpeel.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Peel</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 4th</span><br />
<a href="http://taylorhartbooks.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Taylor Hart</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 5th</span><br />
<a href="http://rachaelreneeanderson.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Rachael Anderson</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 6th</span><br />
<a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Josi S. Kilpack</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 7th</span><br />
<a href="https://janetterallison.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Janette Rallison</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 8th</span><br />
<a href="http://www.authorjennifergriffith.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Griffith</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 9th</span><br />
<a href="http://www.taylordeanbooks.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Taylor Dean</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 11th</span><br />
<a href="http://sheralynpratt.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Sheralyn Pratt</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 12th</span><br />
<a href="http://hbmoore.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Heather B. Moore</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 13th</span><br />
<a href="http://www.annetteklarsen.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Annette K. Larsen</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 14th</span><br />
<a href="https://lucymcconnell.wordpress.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Lucy McConnell</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 15th</span><br />
<a href="http://www.camichecketts.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: #a3b460; font-family: Lora, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Cami Checketts</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"> – December 16th</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>There's a $100 Kick-Off Giveaway happening right now! I hope you'll enter to win and learn about a new author or two, Kathy guarantees every book to be "Clean, fun, and 100% worth reading." Follow <a href="http://www.iamareader.com/100-kick-off-12-days-of-clean-romance" target="_blank">THIS LINK</a> to get details on how to answer.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Technical stuff:<br />
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<i>****Promo Ends 12/17/17
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from <a href="http://iamareader.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">I Am A Reader</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.</i><br />
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05250182579627441343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-29149692369099668192017-09-23T20:11:00.000-07:002017-09-29T14:40:18.472-07:00Books For a Cause<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>This offer closed on September 29th, 2017. If you are still interested in participating, please contact me individually. If the fundraiser is still open, I'm happy to work with you!</i></span><br />
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I am the third of nine children. When you're part of a big family, when THEY marry, your family gets even bigger and lucky for me they married really cool people. My younger sister, Crystal (Her name is--and I'm not kidding--Crystal Snow White. Is that not awesome? Sadly she stopped at four kids, I was rooting for seven just to make the most of things 😏 ) married Jairus White. They were high-school sweethearts so I have known Jairus for a loooooooong time--I knew him back when he had a full head of hair, I kid you not. I also know his siblings, including his sister Jenny. Jenny is remarkable. She has a master's degree in Social work and is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker.) For many years she worked for organizations that helped people who were chronically homeless transition from the streets to a place of their own with supports to help them maintain housing. She worked as an outreach therapist to clients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. She has also been a host home provider for adults with disabilities, both having them live in her home and providing respite care for other care providers for many years. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01QGIRKiYV1LGVO1c7rA4Eo6_830l0H_d6VrUJVjXXthwc__8K7g5gGUVjuA3wMxFXBmS_84JJaaWJHEIrTxIgwmw8aWlX6PEJ8G-KxKLUqI4GhwBoe6yZvPxH2RyLUtotiI8Tw/s1600/10551483_10152256390386046_8459851154895604764_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01QGIRKiYV1LGVO1c7rA4Eo6_830l0H_d6VrUJVjXXthwc__8K7g5gGUVjuA3wMxFXBmS_84JJaaWJHEIrTxIgwmw8aWlX6PEJ8G-KxKLUqI4GhwBoe6yZvPxH2RyLUtotiI8Tw/s320/10551483_10152256390386046_8459851154895604764_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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In 2012, Jenny met Chris, a Chinese immigrant who came to Utah after converting to the LDS faith. He was already an engineer in China, but had to start over once he got here. They were both in their 30's, and they both wanted a family. They attended months of pre-marital counseling in order to ensure they were compatible and had a shared vision of their future. I was able to follow this circumstance as it happened and it was fascinating to me. Things were different for them than for most, in that shared goals and commitment brought them together before those things developed into love. They married in 2013 and Jenny continued to work while Chris finished his civil engineering degrees. They had their first son, Henry in 2015--chubbiest cheeks I've ever seen--just before Chris graduated with his bachelor's degree. Chris continued to finish his Master's degree the following year. Chris took a job with an engineering firm in Idaho shortly after graduation, and Jenny was able to be a full time mom, which she had wanted for a long time. </div>
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In 2016 they learned they were expecting again. At four months gestation they learned that their baby--another boy--had a serious heart defect. The defect is called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and means that the left side of his heart did not develop correctly. They have to essentially remodel his heart so that the right side does everything for his entire body. The repair requires three surgeries, the first 4-6 days after birth ( Dieter had his at 2 days because it was so severe, his aorta and valves were 1/10 the size they needed to be and were restricting worse everyday.) The second surgery will take place when he is about 4-6 months old. The third surgery will take place when he is about three years old. It's a new type of treatment and has only been in use for about 30 years. Because Chris's job is new, he had limited options for time off and took most of his time when Dieter was born and had his first surgery. They have health insurance--thank goodness--but need to keep the job secure and can't afford to take any additional leave. There is a $14,000 out of pocket maximum. Depending on the timing of his second surgery, they may need to turn around and pay this again for 2018 as well. They have a two year old. They live about 360 miles from Primary Children's Hospital. They have a lot of hope, but there are also a lot of considerations they have to deal with. </div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Dieter Shengxian Chen was born August 14th 2017</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span>at the University of Utah Hospital. He was immediately sent to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Primary Children's hospital and will be there for a long time. Jenny is staying in Provo, at a friends town home, 45 minutes from the hospital. Chris works in Nampa, Idaho <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_228977539" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> through <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_228977540" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span> then comes to Salt Lake on the weekends--good friends are covering the expenses for him to fly back and forth so that he can travel more safely and spend as much time with his family as possible. Henry is being cared for by family most of time. The family continues to see the amazing blessings they have been given through this ordeal. They continue to exercise faith, patience and hope. Deiter has good days and bad days, he's needed additional surgery to help with his breathing. He is on a feeding tube, but making progress. We hope that soon he will have more good days than bad. Jenny is at the hospital daily. She uses a breast pump so that he can receive his mother's milk through his feeding tube. Things are going well, but are still very hard. </div>
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My sister Crystal put together a You Caring account in hopes of raising money to be used toward the deductible and portion of expenses that won't be covered in other ways. The Chen's greatest desire is to one day be able to "pay it forward" as soon as they are able.</div>
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There's not much I can do, but in considering the situation I realized there was something I COULD do. I write books. When I publish a new book I get what are called author copies--copies for me to do with as I please. I give them away to my family members, people who helped me with the book, and via contests on social media. But I currently have quite a few books on hand. So, I am making them available to you guys in exchange for you to donate to Jenny, Chris, Henry, and Deiter. </div>
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Here's how it works:</div>
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Click on <a href="https://www.youcaring.com/jennychrischen-909846" target="_blank">THIS LINK</a> and make a donation. Any amount, whether it's $5 or $50 or $5,000 (insert grin.) Come back here and post that you made a donation--don't tell me how much. Please include in your donation something that can be shared with Jenny and Chris: a scripture, a quote, a personal encouragement. And then email me at <a href="mailto:kilpack@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">kilpack@gmail.com</a> with the subject line "Donation for Dieter" and tell me what books you would like. I will send you one copy of how ever many titles you would like THAT I HAVE ON HAND, which are the following:</div>
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<u>Anthology Collections in which I participated:</u></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Timeless Romance: All Regency (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Timeless Romance: Spring Vacation (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Christmas Spirit (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>A Mother's Prayer (limited copies)</strike></li>
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<u>LDS novels:</u></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Tempest Tossed</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Unsung Lullaby</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Sheep's Clothing (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Her Good Name</li>
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<u>Culinary Mysteries:</u></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>English Trifle</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Black Berry Crumble (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Pumpkin Roll</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Tres Leches Cupcake (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Rocky Road (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Fortune Cookie (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Wedding Cake</li>
</ul>
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<u>Newport Ladies Bookclub:</u></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Daisy</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Shannon's Hope (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Tying the Knot (limited copies)</strike></li>
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<u>Historical Romance:</u></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>A Heart Revealed (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Lord Fenton's Folly</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Forever And Forever (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Lady of the Lakes (limited copies)</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">The Vicar's Daughter (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>ARC of All That Makes Life Bright (limited copies)</strike></li>
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<u>Audio:</u></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Pumpkin Roll</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Banana Split</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Baked Alaska</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Rocky Road</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Fortune Cookie</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Wedding Cake</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">A Heart Revealed (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Lord Fenton's Folly (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><strike>Forever And Forever</strike></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Lady of the Lakes (limited copies)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">The Vicar's Daughter (limited copies)</li>
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These books are available on a first come, first serve basis, I will try to keep up with this list as titles are gone. I also hope you will share this opportunity with others. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pj_KFyW367hyGMJtxGoqsLo26Iggut36uzE7K4RMx_3MV9bE-yaDZTGMDzv_jF6dwIy80Llti769hrUcDkdlRXaOGKYQO8BWOVLl2-vNPeAVyTNLfpgQn78EfDAiyiz_86qreg/s1600/21078724_10213876674540113_8427165810553948710_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pj_KFyW367hyGMJtxGoqsLo26Iggut36uzE7K4RMx_3MV9bE-yaDZTGMDzv_jF6dwIy80Llti769hrUcDkdlRXaOGKYQO8BWOVLl2-vNPeAVyTNLfpgQn78EfDAiyiz_86qreg/s320/21078724_10213876674540113_8427165810553948710_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thank you so much for your support, whether through a prayer, adding their names to a temple roll or prayer list, or via this option. A lot of people doing a little can become a whole lot. </div>
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By the way, Dieter means Warrior :-) Lets help the fight!</div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-65919400906345645192017-03-28T12:42:00.002-07:002017-03-28T12:43:30.250-07:00Overdue Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been awhile and I haven't given an update on how goes the writing for a really long time. I've got some exciting things happening, which makes now a good time:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsWkk73DzuAy_5uB8X7nCUbxuHzawCPYvP9CBTH2YwNeLfRBbVjhvR0UVOYucEwOp9AljUriV0GgNiV2T6_6xbGpeW_XmDBrg7D0ssg27rR4Lec58_DtAWNfHUi2__BJfzg9Y/s1600/VicarsDaughter_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsWkk73DzuAy_5uB8X7nCUbxuHzawCPYvP9CBTH2YwNeLfRBbVjhvR0UVOYucEwOp9AljUriV0GgNiV2T6_6xbGpeW_XmDBrg7D0ssg27rR4Lec58_DtAWNfHUi2__BJfzg9Y/s200/VicarsDaughter_cover.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
My third Regency Romance--<i><a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/the-vicars-daughter.html" target="_blank">The Vicar's Daughter</a></i>--has just been released, people who pre-ordered have started receiving their copies. You can read the opening chapter on my website. It's a country regency, meaning it isn't dealing with London and titles and whatnot, and I really enjoyed writing this book. I'm finishing up a sequel to it right now and hope that it will be out this time next year--cross your fingers for me.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RkO3LrOj4TFhsptfJ2wrNBKeM_rtG-fj2F4XdWYRVl-Io4CChkOt85cglY3BZ9Dnt-W3Vy3bD9IdB-4NFVlkldu0wjcP4vPpWM-_q7I1ESQkF5QorTZRHzj11txjC882XBwx/s1600/AllBright_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RkO3LrOj4TFhsptfJ2wrNBKeM_rtG-fj2F4XdWYRVl-Io4CChkOt85cglY3BZ9Dnt-W3Vy3bD9IdB-4NFVlkldu0wjcP4vPpWM-_q7I1ESQkF5QorTZRHzj11txjC882XBwx/s200/AllBright_cover.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
My third Historical Romance--<i><a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/all-that-makes-life-bright.html" target="_blank">All that Makes Life Bright</a></i>--will be coming out in Fall 2017. This book is about Harriet Beecher Stowe and her husband Calvin. There's a women's fiction feel to this story, as they are married throughout, but it's still a romance in that they come together and figure one another out. This book really spoke to me on a personal level and I hope readers find it as powerful for them.<br />
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AND FINALLY, my big news that I am so excited to share!! Back in 2015 I signed with my wonderful agent, Land Heymont (<a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-i-got-my-agent-lane-heymont-of.html" target="_blank">Here's how he and I got together.</a>) At that time he was with The Seymour Agency and helped me with my current publishing relationship with Shadow Mountain. He's helped me with several contracts since then while also shopping some work to national publishers, in 2016 he established his own agency, <a href="http://www.thetobiasagency.com/" target="_blank">The Tobias Agency</a>. Publishing is competitive, it takes quality work, time, and industry savvy to get a national contract. Lane helps with all those aspects and I have loved working with him. He's tenacious and yet calm. Last Tuesday, while visiting my parents, I got an email from him where he'd forwarded a rejection from an editor we were really hopeful for. She had liked the story but her review team hadn't liked it quite as much. She gave us the reasons why. I asked Lane if I should work on those changes, maybe I'd missed the mark and the unusual format hadn't worked like I wanted it to. He told me not to worry about it, that there were other editors still looking and if they all passed then we would go back to the feedback and see what we thought. I appreciated the calm and pushed it out of my mind. the next day--like, the VERY next day--he called me. Alicia Condon, an editor at <a href="http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/" target="_blank">Kensington Publishing</a>, had loved the book and wanted to make an offer. Not only did they want to offer on that book, they wanted to make a 2-book deal! Kensington publishes the mass market paperback novels you see in grocery stores; a whole new format and level of distribution for me. I am so excited that they saw good stuff in my story, and so grateful for Lane's calm assurance that kept me from stressing about issues that were not necessary to stress over. The title they've chosen is <i>As Wide as the Sky</i>, which I absolutely love. It will be published under the pen name, Jessica Pack. You can read the basics about the book <a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/aka-jessica-pack.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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I've heard for years that publishing is scary, that people are intimidating, and that there's a lot of negativity in the industry. There <i>is</i> negativity and low moments and frustrations and events that make you question yourself. Absolutely. But there are good people who work hard and want quality work and are willing to take chances. I've been publishing for 18 years now, but I didn't really have a career until 9 years ago when Shadow Mountain took a chance on my first culinary mystery, and I haven't had this kind of national reach until now, thanks to Lane and Kensington. A career in writing is about building blocks, and sometimes it's slow and sometimes that's because you have stuff you need to learn until you're ready to have both feet in this pool. Keep at it, remain prayerful of the direction that's right for you, look for writing opportunities of every kind, set goals you know you can reach in order to build up your confidence, and never forget that editors and agents are just people, doing their best just like you. The magic happens, and then you find yourself at a new level with another level calling out for you. Keep climbing. Keep learning. Stay humble, and learn from your mistakes rather than marinate in them.<br />
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Thanks for sharing this happy news with me! :-) </div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-44280833904178768102016-02-17T08:30:00.000-08:002016-02-17T13:16:15.142-08:00Desk Job Health Tips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's surprising how little you hear from writers about how to keep fit. Maybe that's cause we are busy brainstorming and writing and promoting and all that jazz, but it's something maybe we ought to talk about more. Cause writing requires a lot of sitting and a lot of sitting often ends up in bigger pant sizes and a myriad of potential healthy problems. For me, personally, fitness is a battle. I don't love exercise, I don't look forward to it, and I love food--mostly high calorie bad-for-me food. I don't have a weight problem, but I truly believe that's because I work at it even though I don't want to. And I'm 15 pounds heavier than I want to be--than I think I should be so I'm not someone who can not consider the implications of good choices. Last week, I was challenged by <a href="https://nuts.com/" target="_blank">Nuts. com</a> to blog about what I do to keep healthy during the work-week. They would provide a graphic and tweet out my post. After I opened the email I laughed and snapped this picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tkqSRfsNcFpqRG8uiEbyCNELXc0tRJk-PgcX1JA6Y-vIotoohOK3WrWPk_34Bx-UAEBWCW4P_sr58CKOquqbMGDb6GDxaNpSEIFQB7Ke2N37tiOAr4I-DK7lAeKmsssJl49XJQ/s1600/IMG_1592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tkqSRfsNcFpqRG8uiEbyCNELXc0tRJk-PgcX1JA6Y-vIotoohOK3WrWPk_34Bx-UAEBWCW4P_sr58CKOquqbMGDb6GDxaNpSEIFQB7Ke2N37tiOAr4I-DK7lAeKmsssJl49XJQ/s200/IMG_1592.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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Not only was I at my office that day, but I had thought ahead and brought healthy snacks too. So, basically, her timing was perfect :-) I offered three of my favorite <i>stay-healthy-during-the-work-week-tips</i> and incorporated it into the following graphic with some of their tips. Here's what they put together for me:<br />
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<a href="https://nuts.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWF45Wces2hypYv_ScBAJvZxXxyPzMP-o7ydhyphenhyphenryIe8HhH8KROiXHER6G0zkGfcoj0bE-spUUzk3Xmk5RoPcRldhx3UOtV6cfEHUNfGlfACoczJ_mxJF7Z1Z5ICCrzaviS1rZpaA/s640/Josi+S+Kilpack+Workplace+Hacks.png" width="418" /></a></div>
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I've printed this out to keep as a reminder, not because I'm going to forget my own suggestions, but because making good choices are easier when it's at the forefront of my mind. I do the same thing with favorite quotes and family pictures to remind myself what fuels me and what matters.</div>
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I'd like to expand on a couple of these tips:</div>
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<b>Keep healthy snacks on hand, no junk food! </b>~ If I bring M & M's to my desk, I will eat M & M's. If I bring wheat thins, I'll eat the whole box before the day is out. If I bring almonds, I'll eat those instead--<i>and</i> almonds tend to fill me up. I love the black pepper flavored Harvest Snaps Snappea Crisps. They are a yummy, healthier version of a potato chip. I not a big fresh fruit person, but I like bananas and I like clementines. I also like string cheese and I love nuts--you can find some great work-snack options at <a href="https://nuts.com/healthy-snacks/for-work" target="_blank">nuts.com</a> as well as some really yummy recipes for things you can make-and-take. It doesn't do a lot of good to bring healthy food you don't like, so find those healthy things you <i>do</i> like, bring them along, and don't keep junk food around. Chances are, you'll eat what you have on hand. Rocket science, I know. :-) Do I always do this? No. But I am always glad when I do.</div>
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<b>Eat a protein-packed salad for lunch! </b>~ You can get a salad anywhere these days. Fast food, sit-down restaurant, bring it from home. I don't like low fat dressings--too much chemical stuff--but I truly believe a full fat dressing on a good veggie and protein loaded salad is going to be better than a cheesburger. Wild Coyote ranch is my favorite dressing, as is Good Seasonings Italian that you mix up yourself. Make sure your salad's got some chicken, shrimp, salmon (my favorite) or hard boiled eggs. I love nuts on my salads. One of my quick-grab salads is the <a href="http://cafezupas.com/menu/salads/california-protein-cobb/" target="_blank">California Protien Cobb from Zupas </a>with their fresh herb vinaigrette. I don't like chicken, so I ask for extra hard boiled eggs instead. My favorite home salad is baby spinach, fresh blueberries, walnuts, feta cheese and Italian dressing. By making a "rule" that I'll always eat a salad for lunch, I guarantee I'll have some veggies that day--veggies are not something I gravitate to naturally. I end up feeling full but not heavy and can pat myself on the back for a making a good choice. Do I always do this? No. but I am always glad when I do.</div>
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<b>Stay hydrated!</b> ~I drink water all day long. I have a favorite water bottle--insulated so the ice stays all day--and I drink one in the morning, 2-3 during the day and another in the evening. I get between 80-100 oz of water a day. There is no limit to the good that plain old water can have for you. If you don't like water--consider adding some lemon, cucumbers, strawberries, or raspberries. A few dried craisins can make it yummy without adding a bunch of artificial colors and flavors or calories. If you currently drink soda, start with subbing one soda for water and then in a few weeks sub another one. Try room temperature water, try it with ice. Find a cute water bottle that fits in your car cup holder and is easy to transport. Do I always do this? Yes. I always drink water all day. I bring my water bottle with me everywhere and fill it up anywhere with a soda fountain or drinking fountain. Easiest good choice I make in a day. </div>
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<b>Exercise! </b>~ I take a <a href="http://highergroundhotyoga.com/schedule/ogden-location-schedule/#!" target="_blank">hot yoga</a> class about once a week. It has remedied some aches and pains, especially in my hands and wrists, and I truly believe it is a super-packed-vitamin for me. It's good for my body, my brain, my emotional center, my spirituality--all of it. I don't LOVE being in class, but I do it anyway and know it's good for me. Do I go to a class every week? No. But most weeks I do and when I skip a week, I notice a difference in the way I feel when I wake up and the way I manage my thoughts and emotions. </div>
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I also have a home-work-out that includes a 7 minute warm up and a 25 minute interval work out that I do a couple of times a week. I use this <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/7-minute-workout/id650762525?mt=8" target="_blank">7 minute work out app</a> on my phone for the warm up and then do the <a href="http://bodyforlife.com/library/exercise/cardio" target="_blank">Body For Life interval</a> work out which has been my favorite quick work out for almost 15 years. If you do the math, that's 32 minutes start to finish--possible to do before I head to the office. I work up a sweat, I get a good full body work out, and can then go on with life. Do I always do this work out twice a week? No. I've only started this up again in 2016 but so far I'm liking it and most weeks I do this 2-3 times a week. I've been doing it with my kids before school and they are liking it too (when they wake up.)</div>
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<b>Take Vitamin D and B Complex!</b> ~ I recently learned that Vitamin D supports good sleep, since I've been taking it every morning I'm sleeping better at night. Vitamin B gives me energy and mental clarity. You might take other things--I do too--but I think these things are "Good for everyone" basics. Find a good brand. Do I always take them? No. I forget sometimes and I get out of habit, but I try to and I notice a difference when I do it. </div>
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<b>In conclusion: </b>I might do all these things, and come home and make brownies--but I believe home made junk food is better than store bought. I might go days between eating veggies. I might go a full week without a work out. But when I make one good choice, it is easier to make another one, and when the good choices build upon each other it gets easier and easier and I FEEL better. That's what healthy choices are really about for me, feeling better. That I feel better in my size 8 jeans counts toward that solution :-) I will make no apology for wanting to look good. I'm turning 42 years old in a few months, if I don't give my looks and my health some attention I won't have either one. </div>
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I encourage you to go to <a href="http://nuts.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">nuts.com</span></a> and take a peek at the great products they have. I've already made some upcoming gift decisions based on their fabulous gift packs and I've put in an order of some of my favorite things I know will help me toward my own goals. I appreciate quality and I love convenience--they've got both. And if you feel so included to share your OWN healthy work-place habits, that would be welcome too!</div>
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<b>What do you do? </b>I would love to hear what it is you to do keep healthy during the work week! Thanks for reading. </div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-9074391560983890682015-12-22T08:44:00.001-08:002015-12-22T08:48:39.244-08:00The Benefit of a Bad Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGgAewPNNx-TVSn0ZHSbxN4Ayxk5TeXLt6kN9uIQO32PXFduuYfdE5f1vm_1vN1b1wdkSxXt9FhBYJMlBhcIAADpZh_MrKGOA_3IhU5UhmULRHF0Vok4dXMmebqk6Mn1b_nT63g/s1600/AHeartRevealed_cover_starred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGgAewPNNx-TVSn0ZHSbxN4Ayxk5TeXLt6kN9uIQO32PXFduuYfdE5f1vm_1vN1b1wdkSxXt9FhBYJMlBhcIAADpZh_MrKGOA_3IhU5UhmULRHF0Vok4dXMmebqk6Mn1b_nT63g/s320/AHeartRevealed_cover_starred.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In February of this year, I had my first ever Publisher's Weekly Review. Not only was it a good review of "A Heart Revealed", it was a starred review--a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">week later I got a starred Kirkus review too! I blogged about these awesome reviews <a href="http://www.josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-does-starred-review-mean.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> and I was over the moon! I was writing a new genre and I so wanted the reception to be a good one. And it was. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hooray! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life is Good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have arrived!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But in the back of my mind was that niggling creature of doubt. Did I just get lucky in the reviewer who happened to get my book on their desk? Was this book the best thing I'll ever write? Will the book I'm working on be equal to it? Will it be a one hit wonder? Will the industry reviews translate the way my publisher hopes it will?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I didn't move these doubts to center stage--advice I would give to anyone--but I never forgot they were there. They gave me both encouragement to do my best work and validation that, in this book, it seems that I had. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My next regency, "Lord Fenton's Folly" came out in the fall and I eagerly/anxiously waited for the PW and Kirkus reviews. Would they also be starred reviews? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They were not. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, Kirkus said this: "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 26px;">Occasionally slow-moving, but an interesting take on respect and respectability and the choices a noble family must make when things go awry."</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXLdOZAWUzlEYJkv052ivPL5skpc9dcjqGK1b2DXjob1JicYcRJIVKpCyG8CDPQcY34XXi9PmAoJZEE6LpPecAJ3zpkszYlnarENRDbGmcRqiBPCcEfLQp84I8GeHdrXSa44sTg/s1600/LordFentonsFolly_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXLdOZAWUzlEYJkv052ivPL5skpc9dcjqGK1b2DXjob1JicYcRJIVKpCyG8CDPQcY34XXi9PmAoJZEE6LpPecAJ3zpkszYlnarENRDbGmcRqiBPCcEfLQp84I8GeHdrXSa44sTg/s320/LordFentonsFolly_cover.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 26px;">And then PW said this: "</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">There’s something tawdry about putting “I believe romances are for silly girls or homely ones” in the mouth of a romantic heroine. A book would have to be a comic gem or a profound character exploration to recover from that slap to the reader’s face, and Kilpack’s second Regency (after </span><em style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">A Heart Revealed</em><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">) is merely a solid piece of genre writing, with no particular feel for its period but some nice imaginative touches."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">And this: "</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">There’s good stuff here, but it takes 100 pages to find it."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Umm ... well ... ouch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">There were other good reviews--Foreward, for instance, said "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #110e0e;">This novel will be a joy for any lover of true romance."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">But I think most people agree with me in that the negative ones are the reviews that stick in your craw. They sap your creative energy like siphoned gas from your tank. Whatever you're working on is suddenly the enemy--it could bring this same experience again. You're embarrassed, you're discouraged, and it is very, very hard to pull yourself out of the funk that a few words throw you in to. To say nothing about those "few words" being on the internet and therefore eternal. I absolutely felt all of those things. I limped to some friends with my tail between my legs. I wallowed and felt like a loser. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">And then. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I sat very still and realized that there was a new feeling--something I hadn't noticed amid the shame I felt. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Relief. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The fact is, I know I'm not all that. I love to write and I love my stories and I am beyond grateful when professionals validate that, but I'm not The Great American Novelist. I still have learning to do, and a bad review confirms that. It proves to me that I can't rest upon my laurels. It reminds me that I grow personally as I face challenges in my craft, and I need that personal growth. It gives me new goals to set and spurs me to be more objective about my work. I need that objectivity--every writer I know needs it--and a bad review is kind of a scraped knee in the pursuit of balance and skill necessary toward improvement. Sometimes we need people to tell us we can do better.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">On the flip side of needed humility, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXLdOZAWUzlEYJkv052ivPL5skpc9dcjqGK1b2DXjob1JicYcRJIVKpCyG8CDPQcY34XXi9PmAoJZEE6LpPecAJ3zpkszYlnarENRDbGmcRqiBPCcEfLQp84I8GeHdrXSa44sTg/s1600/LordFentonsFolly_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a>I also need to love my work outside of what other people might say. That doesn't mean I'm not writing to an audience, I am, but I need to have my own separate relationship with my stories. "I" need to be their biggest fan, rather than waiting to see if other people like it before I make my own decision. In regard to the PW review where the reviewer highlighted one sentence that she felt offensive toward readers--we got the review before my publisher had sent the final edit to the printer. They gave me the option of changing that line if I wanted to. I spent hours redrafting that scene, anxious to avoid offending my readers, but some good friends encouraged me to think twice and my publisher was not asking me to change it. I again had to sit very still and look closely at that line. What was its purpose? Why did I have that particular sentence there in the first place? I was able to remember that the reason I wrote that line was to define an aspect of my character--a girl who was not false or cruel, but who makes a false and cruel comment because she wants the boy to like her. Who hasn't done that before? In the course of the story, while Alice never reflects on that line again, she comes to hide herself in similar things as a form of protecting herself. Her protection becomes much more extreme than an off hand remark--but that remark was the first of her falseness. I kept the line in the book. I owned it. And, quite frankly, I love it. I loved what that one sentence did for a story. I feel a kind of healing in the stories I write, a redemption of some small part of my own life or past that, through my characters, I get to relive and conquer. And that story healed something important for me regardless of what that reviewer thought. That doesn't mean that I can be wiley niley about the words I use, and I need to be wise, but I do not need to dispose of my love or healing simply because someone else didn't feel something the way I did.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I did not link my book to the poor reviews the way I linked "A Heart Revealed" to its starred reviews. I did not post the reviews on Facebook and I kind of held my breath when the book came out, wondering if other readers and reviewers would find the line offensive and the story weak. I was glad to have rediscovered my own love of that story, but I also need to sell books and if this book was a commercial flop I could be in trouble. However, the reviews began to come in and although not everyone loved it, most people did. A few people went out of their way to tell me is was their favorite book I had written. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What I realized is that everyone, including myself, "gets" to have a different experience. Some people will be put off by something, other people will be drawn in by something else. For some people any book will </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">be a waste of time, for other's it will </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">make for a cozy afternoon, for others it will leave them thinking on something for days afterward. Just last week a reader sent me a link to a blog post she did about part of the book. It was beautiful, and allowed me to look more deeply at something I had written. You would think I would have the greatest insight, but I didn't, she did. You can read her blog <a href="http://valerie-chandler.blogspot.com/2015/12/heres-atonement-and-agency-miracle.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">In the bible it says that God can make "Beauty for ashes" and work evil "For our good." A bad review is certainly not evil, nor is it ashes, but it did compute to embarrassment and self doubt that, once I took the time to ponder and think, became something beautiful for me. It's made me think of other negatives in my life and how, between God and I, we might make them be for good. The tragic death of my brother has helped me to value life and try to be more attentive to those who find themselves in dark corners. A toxic friend has helped me mind my own tongue better. A difficult vice has turned me to God for help and grown sympathy towards others I have judged harshly. And, because of poor reviews, I have the motivation to be objective about my work and improve my craft, they have helped me to find my own love for a thing outside of anyone else's, and to cherish and appreciate those who see what I wanted them to see. I can be better for a bad review so long as I don't allow myself to stay in the "Molasses Swamp" of regret and shame for too long. I can also be better at sharing my enjoyment of someone else's work, so that the author gets to feel the validation we all need. There are critics everywhere, and we need them, but we also need cheerleaders and I very much hope to be a cheerleader for others rather than a critical voice (unless they specifically ask me to be critical, which some people do :-) )</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">There is relief in having someone else say that there is room for improvement--I would be very disappointed to learn I'll never be better than I am right now. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">To read the full PW review, go <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-62972-066-1" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">To read the full Kirkus review, go <a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/josi-s-kilpack/lord-fentons-folly/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To read the Foreward review, which I appreciated SO much, go <a href="https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/lord-fentons-folly/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #110e0e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">To share snippets of your own poor reviews, or experiences where ashes turned to beauty, please comment!</span></span></div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-84597273035474589502015-11-09T18:13:00.000-08:002015-12-24T06:31:43.393-08:00My Report: 99 Yoga Classes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In August 2014 I decided to act upon the advice I'd received from several practitioners and try yoga, like for real. NOT using DVDs I would do until the phone rang or I got sick of it (i.e. ten minutes.) NOT taking a class every five years But really giving yoga an effort that would allow me to determine if yoga was something I would want to have a part of my life in the future. I decided 100 yoga classes in a year would be truly immersing myself into the practice.<br />
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Since today is November 8, and I'm only at 99 classes so I didn't quite hit that goal. But I am ready to sum up my results.<br />
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Most of the yoga classes I did were Bikram, which is a hot yoga. The room is heated to 105 degrees and you go through a series of 26 specific poses two times each, holding them for one minute the first time and then 30 seconds the second time with breaks in between some of them. The Bikram classes work every bone, muscle, ligament, tendon, and system of your body. It lasts 90 minutes and at the end I am drenched with sweat--like dripping-from-my-elbows-drenched-with-sweat:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>What was hard:</u></span><br />
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<li>My studio is 20 minutes from my house, add a 90 minute class and minimum 30 minutes to get showered and ready after it's done and you're looking at almost 3 hours. You can't NOT shower after a hot yoga class, and the studio I go to is the closest one to my house and furthest north studio in the state of Utah. Working 3 hour blocks of time into my weekly schedule was so hard. Every week it was hard. Never got easier. I set countless goals to do a class 5 times in a week and it never happened. The most I ever did was 4 classes and it required many other things put on hold.</li>
<li>I'm not overweight, and I didn't do this simply to try to get "hot" (no pun intended) but I expected that working this hard would drop 10 pounds in a year (maybe 25 :-)). The classes are hard sweaty work--cardio and strength training--so I expected some weight loss as a bonus. I did notice some changes in my body--which I'll put in the "what was good" portion of this post--but I did not lose even five pounds that stayed off through the year. Yes, I may have added muscle, but remember that my pants are still fitting the way they did when I started. And, no, I didn't make significant changes to my diet so that certainly was a factor, but still.</li>
<li>I think I had a semi-unconscious expectation that yoga would mellow out all my anxieties and mood spikes, that the practice in and of itself would "fix" certain feelings and emotional overloads. It did help, but it did not turn out to be a magic pill for me. Perhaps because I didn't take on all these other lifestyle aspects of yoga, but regardless the emotional change wasn't as significant as I hoped it would be. </li>
<li>The classes are stressful for me. Stressful to get to, hard for me to focus in, hard for me to enjoy. I loved the accomplishment, but I never got to the point of feeling excited that I was able to go to class. I'm saddest about this "con", because I wanted to love yoga with my whole soul.</li>
<li>I never experienced the emotional release that I hear many, many people have with hot yoga. I don't know if this means I'm too uptight or what, but I really thought by the end of my goal I would have those moments of insight and release I've heard a lot about.</li>
<li>I have been doing long distance running for about six years, but struggled off and on with back, knee, and arch issues/injuries. I started training in the summer for a fall season race and since I'd been doing yoga for about 8 months I felt pretty confident that I was in good shape and would avoid injury. But I messed up my knee, and my arch, and ended up with six weeks of weekly chiropractor visits to deal with them enough to run my race. I know that yoga isn't a fix-everything, but I was disappointed to still have the injuries when I had felt as though I was working my body in a way that would avoid exactly that. That said, I am getting older and maybe I'm just not meant to be a runner anymore. </li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>What was awesome:</u></span><br />
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<li>Yoga was absolutely good for my body. Although I didn't lose weight, I have gained flexibility I did not have before. Little aches and pains I often felt in my hips and back have disappeared. I have had a rounding of my upper spine--early kyphosis--that has been remedied to the point I can see the change in my posture and no longer get upper back pain after writing. The tightness in the left side of my neck that kept me from being able to turn my head all the way to right is gone. I've never been flexible, and to anyone else I probably still don't look flexible, but I am more agile than I have ever been in my life. The "work your whole body" aspect of yoga has been great for me and something I absolutely feel in the days after a class. </li>
<li>On the nights I had yoga, I slept better. On nights I didn't have yoga I would still struggle as I have for the last few years. When I cut out artificial sweeteners in September, sleep got even better. I have slept better the last six weeks than I have for years. A good night's sleep is priceless.</li>
<li>Prior to these classes I had some intermittent numbness in my hands, not surprising for a writer, but concerning. I would also have my hands swell up from time to time and get pain in my forearms, especially my left. One of the first improvements I noticed was that the achiness went away after just a few classes, and I honestly have not had numbness or tingling even once since starting my practice. Lotus pose works specifically on your arms, elbows, and wrists and I think it made a significant difference for the health of my hands. I hope it will help me to avoid carpal tunnel that afflicts so many other writers I know.</li>
<li>I found quickly that the poses I was best at were those that were strength-based, like chair pose. As I continued with yoga I got even stronger and the shape of my body changed. My shoulders are more defined, I can see the outline of my biceps, my waist is a bit smaller and my legs are more defined. If I had lost ten pounds and fit in my pants better I could better appreciate this :-) But I do feel and look stronger than I did in the beginning. </li>
<li>I am a naturally competitive person but yoga is competitive only with yourself. At first it was really hard not watch everyone else in the class and judge myself accordingly, but I learned that every body is different. The guy who can't get his leg up in tree might have an amazing camel. Someone might have a tight spine, but great flexibility in their joints. It was good for me to forgive myself my limitations, take confidence in my strengths, and not feel competitive with the other people in the room. I eventually didn't even feel competitive with myself; if my head-to-knee was better two weeks ago, I was okay because I knew I was doing my best that day. </li>
<li>I feel more gratitude for my body than I have in a long time, even without the weight loss. You watch yourself in the mirror throughout class, which was hard for me at first because I would be so critical. In time, however, I have gained acceptance and gratitude for this body I have and the things I can do with it. Seeing so many other body types in class was also very validating in the realization that taking care of my body isn't only about how it looks, it's how it moves and works and how it will take care of me thirty years from now. </li>
<li>While yoga didn't fix my mood swings, I am definately more emotionally centered. I feel that I better cope with stress than it did, and I learned breathing exercises which help me to physically calm myself when I need calming outside of class. Even though yoga itself is often stressful, I do feel the mental/emotional benefits stay with me long after the class is done. </li>
<li>Other than a couple of classes where I was not hydrated enough and came home trashed, I didn't have anything more than a minor cold for an entire year. I'm not someone who gets sick a lot, but a few times a year I battle strep or some respiratory thing, but I didn't this year. Yoga is said to boost your immunity and I think in my case it did that. </li>
<li>I would often use my savasana (laying on your back with arms at side, palms up) to pray. It was not so formal as most of my prayers and though I didn't have the emotional breakthroughs I had expected, I had some spiritual meditation that I had not expected and which was very sweet to me. I grew closer to my Savior through this meditation and had moments of great peace and relaxation during which I felt wonderful communion with Him.</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>My final answer:</u></span></div>
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This was a good experiment for me. I don't think I'll ever be a true "yogi" whose life centers around the practice, but I do plan to take a class every week for the good of my body, my mind, and my spirit. If anyone is interested in trying hot yoga for themselves, I recommend that you plan to take 5 classes before you decide if you want to continue. No exercise is a quick fix, but it took me about this many classes to recognize the benefits in my day to day life. Know that there are all shapes and sizes--some days I felt like the oldest fattest person there, and other days I was the youngest and trimmest, usually I was one of many middle-aged people like myself that aren't going to be on a magazine cover any time soon but are learning to love what they have more than they have. I also recommend that you read <a href="http://www.oprah.com/health/Paige-Williams-60-Day-Makeover" target="_blank">THIS</a> article from O Magazine and check out Luisa Perkins <a href="http://welshcorgidetermination.blogspot.com/2015/03/day-1-inspiration.html" target="_blank">BLOG</a> where she blogged about her 60 classes in 60 days, which is amazing!</div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-64390443113626908492015-10-28T07:17:00.002-07:002016-02-27T20:56:40.790-08:00Healthy Lung Month--Heather's Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was contacted by Heather Von St. James and agreed to post about her story as part of Healthy Lung Month. Heather isn't the person you think of when you hear about Lung Cancer, she was in her thirties, she had a 3 month old baby and the specific cancer she had Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer specifically caused by asbestos. It didn't take long to realize where her exposure had come from; Heather's father was a miner, exposed to asbestos he inadvertently brought it home on his jacket which Heather would sometimes play dress up in. The diagnosis was devastating, the treatment was debilitating, but it's now been almost ten years and Heather has found in her struggles a voice she is using to inform people abo<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ut how to keep their lungs healthy. Not just for situations like hers, but in regular day to day life. I encourage you to read her story in her own words <a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/survivor/#intro" target="_blank">HERE.</a> You can also learn the difference between Mesothelioma and typical lung cancer <a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/" target="_blank">HERE.</a> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px;">There is also a great resource for anyone looking for support with patients who have mesothelioma </span><a href="https://www.maacenter.org/community/patient-support/" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px;" target="_blank">HERE</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px;">.</span></span><br />
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-34745185653301042642015-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:002015-09-30T07:19:21.203-07:00Writing Spaces Series: Writing Rooms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Thank you for joining me for the third and final post in the Writing Spaces Series. I hope you had a chance to read about <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-spots.html" target="_blank">"Writing Spots"</a> and <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-nooks.html" target="_blank">"Writing Nooks."</a> Now we get to explore some "Writing Rooms" or home offices, or writing studios--whatever you want to call dedicated rooms set aside for writing. </i><br />
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<b><a href="http://aaronjordanauthor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Aaron Jordan:</a></b></div>
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The proverbial man cave—a spare bedroom in the basement
where I can seclude myself from the rest of the world in self-absorbed
isolation—provides an ideal writing environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small white IKEA desk against the west wall
with a roll-out tray for my ergonomic Microsoft keyboard caters to my creative
comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the north wall, five
Billy bookcases, also from IKEA, contain the tomes that make a townhouse a
townhome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one of those bookcases,
within arm’s reach, stand the dictionaries, grammar guides, and how-to books
that inform the writer’s craft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
critical importance is the swiveling Amazon Basics Mid-Back Mesh Chair that
allows me to rotate effortlessly from keyboard to reference books and back
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couch along the east wall is a
great place for quiet, cozy reading, a sine qua non of any writer’s lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only missing luxury is an above-ground
window that I could look out of to collect my thoughts or to distract myself
now and then.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The best
thing about the writer’s man cave is the feel of the place, the soul-satisfying
sensation that you are at home, in your element, doing what you were born to
do, with the hope that your words will benefit readers as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://shesgotthewritestuff.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Moore</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I write in the car at soccer practice, in the waiting room of the
fencing gym, outside on the picnic table, at my kitchen table, propped up by
pillows in bed, on a chair in my husband's study, on the couch during a
football game, my parents' cabin...pretty much anywhere. But here's where I'm
the most productive. This is the writing nook in my office. My research books
for the project I'm working on, and outlines--in case I need to look back--are
right behind me, as well as character pictures on the bulletin board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My white board has a list of tasks I need to do, but I mostly keep
cute magnets on there. and pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a beautiful antique sugar bowl on the desk to sweeten my
tea, and if you zoom, you can see a little Wonder Woman, a model cannon, Lego
Shakespeare and a Klepht soldier next to it, cheering me on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also have stool to rest my feet on, and a space heater beneath
the desk because that window gets cold in winter!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I try to get up into the office every morning by 9 and stay in
there with no interruptions until 12. But, of course life happens. I like the
morning hours. I feel like my brain is more alert. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://taramayoros.com/" target="_blank">Tara Mayoros:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnlvqACvGou-guTdE3vKRPcOSF0GIVf73iB5hW8ZS9Q2t0qM6Jt93LXWTDj81sm1Lw1QTZ1qc-Q6hvuM1qkN_fKizDYbGtDeGDWtwHnZqkeEO9Z0PKMxbV9hL0VkIiL0vJ5ZlZA/s1600/Room+Tara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnlvqACvGou-guTdE3vKRPcOSF0GIVf73iB5hW8ZS9Q2t0qM6Jt93LXWTDj81sm1Lw1QTZ1qc-Q6hvuM1qkN_fKizDYbGtDeGDWtwHnZqkeEO9Z0PKMxbV9hL0VkIiL0vJ5ZlZA/s320/Room+Tara.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So much ridiculousness goes on in this space. I
have to purge clean it at least once a week. It's always a mess. Always.</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The windows are east facing and in both sunshine
and moonlight, the mountain views inspire me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I teach guitar and paint and plant flower
gardens in this space. But above all, it is where my stories come alive. This
space has glass doors so I can close off the turpentine smell, play loud music,
write in peace, and contain the mess, while still keeping an eye on my crazy
kids.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">If I am ever stuck on any project, in any art
form, I've found that organizing my workspace will almost always rekindle the
spark. But to be honest, when this room is so messy that I can't even open the
door, you can find me typing on my laptop pretty much anywhere, especially in
the mountains.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://marlenebateman.info/" target="_blank">Marlene Bateman:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6_iJMed0-MYMUZtlWHr4wQCWc50k-DcQmCIUb3T-nt89JX4LaSxpYLy9yCZdu9c5-ENOmxNrgaDJB_XsiioMYg1_x3tSSyGb3EwLPJH2DwXpmUpOKP7uoB7ozkHTRAzHyC4z6g/s1600/Room+Marlene.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6_iJMed0-MYMUZtlWHr4wQCWc50k-DcQmCIUb3T-nt89JX4LaSxpYLy9yCZdu9c5-ENOmxNrgaDJB_XsiioMYg1_x3tSSyGb3EwLPJH2DwXpmUpOKP7uoB7ozkHTRAzHyC4z6g/s320/Room+Marlene.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a;">My husband and I remodeled our house six years ago and
now I have a wonderful little office, which was previously our formal dining
room. I have a nice L-shaped desk, so everything is nearby. My son talked me
into getting two monitors and now, I couldn’t live without them. I’m near a
window so I can look outside to my backyard.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6zAXVTAL1U_MJ3d4aZxXy1w_duUUdwIlVJkJ6XXaN9T6Um6TXsEUCOGti-fw2PD3L8_ClA_cbnT4G8Vr5L2rmiWTHzgiBzwu0cbPNCx5nZmxahzRIWZGaBpAdtoG7dxenWwZBQ/s1600/Room+Marlene+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6zAXVTAL1U_MJ3d4aZxXy1w_duUUdwIlVJkJ6XXaN9T6Um6TXsEUCOGti-fw2PD3L8_ClA_cbnT4G8Vr5L2rmiWTHzgiBzwu0cbPNCx5nZmxahzRIWZGaBpAdtoG7dxenWwZBQ/s320/Room+Marlene+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #222222;">I have
a second ‘office’ outside. We have a little gazebo, which is my writing oasis
in the late spring, summer, and early fall. We have a large lot,
about half an acre, with bushes, trees, a garden, and lawn, so I’m surrounded
by greenery. I love it! My husband put up blinds on two sides and I
put up a dark fabric drape to cut down on the glare while I’m working on my
laptop. I sit on a cushioned swing, with a table nearby that holds stuff such
as pencils, pens, a bottle of water, and a jar of small candy treats, (for me)
and doggie treats for my faithful companions, who come out to keep me company.
There’s Brandi (pictured) a Welsh Corgi, Snickers, a dachshund (also pictured)
and a Westie who stood off to the side when I took the picture. I also have
several cats, and they come out too, either to curl up by me on the swing, or
sprawl beside the dogs on the large pet bed I keep there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://mariahoagland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Maria Hoagland:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFX289iJV-fJtkFXLcHSQ8rrVo2HUlvSMmoZGyhmxQqNuwBsb9T1ytmZQBr9YoTblchVcPkWi0adBc9LnMgkHFdJb3dtZkOfdZOkUrGutaTzhWBDuXd0f4s2SCn5W4QQ5dQtyFQ/s1600/Room+Maria+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFX289iJV-fJtkFXLcHSQ8rrVo2HUlvSMmoZGyhmxQqNuwBsb9T1ytmZQBr9YoTblchVcPkWi0adBc9LnMgkHFdJb3dtZkOfdZOkUrGutaTzhWBDuXd0f4s2SCn5W4QQ5dQtyFQ/s320/Room+Maria+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYNnh5Fox7pMI66vRIFldPEtl_QDQCQA55BvzwQ32LLvXC1hbnDAkg6Ej4VaFxhbToIExYVqTiHwxyQdCkwceVU5PRAN6303e0rQj5U6_uK3OOWiCC8OBTnqLWo7oViV-yZVWEA/s1600/Room+Maria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYNnh5Fox7pMI66vRIFldPEtl_QDQCQA55BvzwQ32LLvXC1hbnDAkg6Ej4VaFxhbToIExYVqTiHwxyQdCkwceVU5PRAN6303e0rQj5U6_uK3OOWiCC8OBTnqLWo7oViV-yZVWEA/s320/Room+Maria.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On days I'm going to draft or revise, I like to
be pretty much anywhere but in my office. I find the internet too much of a
distraction! So I'm usually in a park if the weather is cooperating, but the
couch in this office is pretty comfy too. Still, I love my office (or my half,
because I share the room with my husband who works from home a lot of
times--talk about a distraction!). This is where I do all the business aspects
of my writing. In front of my computer, I have three boards--one for my editing
and formatting business; one for anything media related like reviews, my
website, and my two blogs; and one for writing, which usually ends up being
random things I need to add to my current WIP. On the wall to my right, you
will see what my family lovingly refers to as my "stalker wall."
These are pictures of the main characters in my WIP. It helps me keep track of
their physical characteristics, try out their names (you can see one whose name
has changed, if you look closely), and their quirks and characteristics jotted
down on sticky notes beside their photo. Around the corner is my "Save the
Cat" type outlining system. As I go along, I will move things around, see
where I have plot holes (which will then be filled in with a bright sticky note
to remind me it needs to be added). I use these sticky notes to start off my
outline in Scrivener before I start writing, but then they get shuffled around
as I revise. I love being able to see all of these things at once--it helps me
remember where I am, where I need to be, and helps keeps things fresh in my
mind! Happy writing!</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/" target="_blank">Josi S. Kilpack:</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvMvWB_PuMdEzQSuO8j0s89OgbAkxkKi4F9J7A9QRpaRGzn_wXK923kotZrX4rfHFkLCFVb2-YJLOJFN2s5UlDvEilf3oXRAfFsyAxMoYA1S0SNqnxJVEGs-CeSUZ9HdAaASPEw/s1600/Desk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvMvWB_PuMdEzQSuO8j0s89OgbAkxkKi4F9J7A9QRpaRGzn_wXK923kotZrX4rfHFkLCFVb2-YJLOJFN2s5UlDvEilf3oXRAfFsyAxMoYA1S0SNqnxJVEGs-CeSUZ9HdAaASPEw/s320/Desk.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I actually have two offices--one at home (it used to be the nursery, complete with stenciled butterflies, but kids do grow up) and one in an office suite my husband owns. For years I was the accidental bookkeeper for a business we own, and my pay was staying extra hours when the work was done to write without home-distractions. I became quite spoiled by my office away from home and still do the majority of my writing there. I have some writer friends who live nearby and we'll get together in the conference room of the office sometimes for write-days (a Saturday from 8-midnight or weekday while kids are at school) or write-nites (evenings from 5-midnight) but I usually write here in this corner by myself. Obviously it's very organized and conducive for creative tasks. :-) This would have better fit in the "Writing Nooks" post but . . . well, it's my blog so I can do what I want :-)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6QSzjBy455O0mPSAy3KbSeBBWVWJEhrZzZvfhG3rYfCwm01XoEldWP36RG2tJ3C3F-K0E4wAn5tkQJq3XRjxOmq-HSFI0U73hLDf4h5N9kpUNtmSjmYP4uPNWtGCBBd_ByuNZQ/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6QSzjBy455O0mPSAy3KbSeBBWVWJEhrZzZvfhG3rYfCwm01XoEldWP36RG2tJ3C3F-K0E4wAn5tkQJq3XRjxOmq-HSFI0U73hLDf4h5N9kpUNtmSjmYP4uPNWtGCBBd_ByuNZQ/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">At home my office has been the catch-all for the house for a long time, making it anxiety inducing to try and produce in the space crammed with too much stuff. However, with my recent redo I am trying to change that. I've put some of the business things like mailing supplies, none-writing books, stock books, archives etc into the closet of the room </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">or into a guest bedroom downstairs. The things on the shelves are things I love, or books I use. The Chaise Lounge ($200 on Sears.com) is new and, I hope, a place I can read/research/long-hand brainstorm. I'm trying very hard to keep this room "inspiring" which mostly means free of junk so that I'm not tempted to spend all my writing time reorganizing crap. You can see the edge of my IKEA desk that has my current reference books handy. As for essentials when I write, I use my laptop, always have my water bottle, and I need relative quiet. I admire people who have learned to write with their family buzzing around them, I get too snappy and irritable to do that--I hate to be interrupted. Sometimes music helps, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes internet helps, some times it doesn't. I have no writing schedule (though I usually write/work about 30 hours a week), writing goals (though I do pretty well with deadlines), special chants or charms or techniques. I mostly take my writing day by day and work through whatever might not be working that day. I love what I do and the flexibility of it that allows me to be available to my family and spend a good deal of time in my favorite place--home. I'm hoping this home office will make writing at home a better option for me. Maybe I should do a report in a year. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><i>Thank you for joining me for this blog series, I hope you gained some ideas or insight on how to make your writing spot or nook or room conducive to your craft. We are all different, we need different things and will use different processes, but there is so much to be gained from peeking in on each other's lives and seeing if there isn't something they do that can help you with what you do.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><i>Other posts in this series:</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><i><a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-spots.html" target="_blank">"Writing Spots"</a></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-nooks.html" target="_blank">"Writing Nooks"</a></i></span></span></div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-32223371316044115032015-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:002015-09-30T07:16:51.672-07:00Writing Space Series: Writing Nooks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>I hope you had the chance to check out the "<a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-spots.html" target="_blank">Writing Spots"</a> post--accounts from those writers who have found specific places amid home and family and work and life. This series is about slightly bigger spaces, the corner of a room, part of some larger area that they have carved out specifically for writing. I asked them to share what works about their spaces and if there are any specific items that assist in their overall creativity and production. I hope you get as much out of their answers as I did.</i><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://conniesokol.com/" target="_blank">Connie Sokol:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdWrGUKxTNoL_-nQQBbsF-IPwCeowbNmu20R4doQ76mQWGZpdInsOdqKoW0UNr5QQKFRFLShowyT7Oul2cDT4VdB1yaGfZ2iEbPAtJgAl7H4oxnwjLYd3pu6Btvjg6djxRvz6-A/s1600/Nook+Connie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdWrGUKxTNoL_-nQQBbsF-IPwCeowbNmu20R4doQ76mQWGZpdInsOdqKoW0UNr5QQKFRFLShowyT7Oul2cDT4VdB1yaGfZ2iEbPAtJgAl7H4oxnwjLYd3pu6Btvjg6djxRvz6-A/s320/Nook+Connie.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As a mother of seven, my writing space has
typically been some sort of bag stuffed with my ailing but prized
"mini" Acer (a loyal companion for more than five years), writing
folders, pens, mints, sticky notes, Hot Wheels and animal crackers (the latter
for the current toddler). The Writing Bag has served me well, allowing me to
capture a few vital minutes at a daughter's art class, in between carpool, or
during said toddler's preschool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Last week, I finally hit a nirvana stage when
I created a Writing Corner in our bedroom. Thank you, IKEA! My daughter and I
picked out the essentials, like a comfy chair but not TOO comfy (I'm to write,
not nap); a back pillow, cozy lamp, and of course, the cardboard box (while I
search for a side table). The Writing Bag sits like a trusted dog beside the
chair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My writing must-haves aren't many because--cue
the martyr music--they're not likely. However, they include: protein bars and a
water bottle (no sugar until AFTER I produce), a lap writing desk, a project
clipboard (with synopsis/outline/notes), and a cell phone in case one of the
seven children sustains an injury I absolutely, positively have to
resolve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://rebeccajamison.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rebecca Jamison:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbXkFn-rFVqJKcwjBisCYUEgtWXp0hUWCZCHZYBfc69MsOLKz_v7DKjbX0SRUZHfQ54BMUeid7gANXnwRyzUgbkGeSEoHJWdyV-zLsOYDPTAN8yBC5ZXn07K1xejIEKPlRDUthQ/s1600/Nook+Rebecca+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbXkFn-rFVqJKcwjBisCYUEgtWXp0hUWCZCHZYBfc69MsOLKz_v7DKjbX0SRUZHfQ54BMUeid7gANXnwRyzUgbkGeSEoHJWdyV-zLsOYDPTAN8yBC5ZXn07K1xejIEKPlRDUthQ/s320/Nook+Rebecca+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I write at a little desk in my bedroom on a
really old laptop. The most important element for me is the laptop. Because
it's so old, it doesn't have a firewall, and I'm scared to access the internet
from it. This eliminates the temptation to check my e-mail and social media
sites. Unfortunately, it also means I have to use an older version of Word.
When I'm revising, I often place the laptop on my tall dresser so I can stand
while I type. Usually, music distracts me, but for some reason, I can listen if
I stand up while I edit and do a little two-step back and forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFox_b_GZugU4E8Yuv-fE58YSF4WiPpM9eili6BG2uXCh3NAHeXpg46VIYPHYaEp1BSDR69QmGozS5eF64FRjrCmwWrEBLgemR-OspzhHIOhQq6G5jbydbRFUOYTH-rRhiC7NaA/s1600/Nook+Rebecca.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFox_b_GZugU4E8Yuv-fE58YSF4WiPpM9eili6BG2uXCh3NAHeXpg46VIYPHYaEp1BSDR69QmGozS5eF64FRjrCmwWrEBLgemR-OspzhHIOhQq6G5jbydbRFUOYTH-rRhiC7NaA/s320/Nook+Rebecca.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another great writing tool I have is a
light-up pen that one of my sons got as a souvenir from the NRA museum near
Washington, D.C. (I'd rather carry a pen than a gun anyway.) I keep it beside
my bed at night, and when I get a good idea, I just grab my light-pen and write
down a few lines. Before, I would have to turn on my lamp or a flashlight and
always ended up disturbing my husband.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A couple months ago, I asked for a Neo 2 for
my birthday and got an Alphasmart 3000 instead. Maybe it's not as good as the
Neo 2. I don't know, but I love it. It's been a great way to turn off my
internal editor. I have used it a lot for writing rough drafts and
brainstorming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.juliedaines.com/" target="_blank">Julie Daines:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe7LaCDBxpnmA8qSJ7ys7ueL_vTHHTLx3kk0hzGcaTw-qzH1KQIHInki3m9rYYb7imVaHAbaeKzVq2WGfZXO9U88NjZhxuvNo7En_cri7NogPIohsoe9naom2jD3aVxWScjgm8g/s1600/Nook+Julie+4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe7LaCDBxpnmA8qSJ7ys7ueL_vTHHTLx3kk0hzGcaTw-qzH1KQIHInki3m9rYYb7imVaHAbaeKzVq2WGfZXO9U88NjZhxuvNo7En_cri7NogPIohsoe9naom2jD3aVxWScjgm8g/s1600/Nook+Julie+4.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I love my writing room, it’s actually in a
little nook in our master bedroom. It’s away from the kids, quiet, and I’m
surrounded by books. If I need to do some writing after our kids go to bed, I’m
still in the same area with my husband without being distracted by whatever
he’s doing. We bought the desk and shelves at Ikea so it didn’t break the
budget, and I have lots of room to spread out. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHh39zEzubrEOKY2Hw2n-_IBiDl-1xtPDThZUmYrercp4NysvAY-VGCpK90cH97KdT9-GG9-9YiXAZjLK8mwzkRXRgmdXiBnLgAV3ijFRawsQdHQr-bxrPaVeJFYNpEd_aWVIVg/s1600/Nook+Julie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHh39zEzubrEOKY2Hw2n-_IBiDl-1xtPDThZUmYrercp4NysvAY-VGCpK90cH97KdT9-GG9-9YiXAZjLK8mwzkRXRgmdXiBnLgAV3ijFRawsQdHQr-bxrPaVeJFYNpEd_aWVIVg/s200/Nook+Julie.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, for me it goes beyond my space. I have a
favorite sweater that I’ve worn for probably 90% of the writing time for all my
books. It’s not too warm, super super-soft, and when it’s on, I’m automatically
in my happy place. I’ve mended it many times, and one of these days it’s going
die and a part of me will die with it. For now, it’s my writing sweater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDY2aL2q243emYAehQ-svPRrXHonN5H2Rju8f0YfjGB01Cy1OIsz8YW3OpqQu2rWPRl1pZqDM10Z_y3KV_tP0sc5KzZMxyiA7gPDFp4QO2K6d9XusvsBoMVHFssDPkU5EH3PevNA/s1600/Nook+Julie+3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDY2aL2q243emYAehQ-svPRrXHonN5H2Rju8f0YfjGB01Cy1OIsz8YW3OpqQu2rWPRl1pZqDM10Z_y3KV_tP0sc5KzZMxyiA7gPDFp4QO2K6d9XusvsBoMVHFssDPkU5EH3PevNA/s200/Nook+Julie+3.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #222222;">One thing I totally LOVE about my writing
space is my computer setup. I have a monitor that connects to my 13 inch
Macbook. I love this because when I’m at my desk, I’ve got a nice big monitor
screen to work with (plus the additional 13 inch screen of the laptop if I want
lots of screen space.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But when I go to a conference, a trip, a
retreat, or anywhere, I can just grab the laptop and go. It’s small,
lightweight, and so easily portable—and everything is already saved on it, no
transferring of data. I know this is a little more pricey than some computer
setups, but if you can fit it in to the budget, it’s so worth it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.annettelyon.com/" target="_blank">Annette Lyon:</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLY6OETAaJmZRycuY9dY9paWLOy8on8D9x9su4Dd-tJ4fmjoq-yoTjHHRRZeYBqq-kjoyNNHxuJugiA4TcixHsFBUeP89-412zOpS3wUL-1IYBSr1y3vCAoStfzPe6GaipjbGvQ/s1600/Nook+Annette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLY6OETAaJmZRycuY9dY9paWLOy8on8D9x9su4Dd-tJ4fmjoq-yoTjHHRRZeYBqq-kjoyNNHxuJugiA4TcixHsFBUeP89-412zOpS3wUL-1IYBSr1y3vCAoStfzPe6GaipjbGvQ/s320/Nook+Annette.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222;">The
older I get, the more my ADHD-I has reared its head, making it hard for me to
focus when writing. The best thing for my focus has been a new spot I concocted
after researching coping mechanisms and learning that movement can be key for
maintaining focus for those with ADHD-I. Without money to buy a new tread desk,
I invented a workaround that cost about $15. I bought a pre-made shelf at Home
Depot plus some foam pipe insulation, which I cut in half. I put them on the armrests
of the treadmill to protect them, then placed the shelf on top. I used some
clamps we already had on hand to hold it all in place, and—tada!—a tread desk
that’s easily detachable whenever someone wants to work out, and putting it
back together takes less than a minute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222;">I don’t
walk fast while writing; 1.6 to 1.8 mph is right for me, an easy pace that
keeps my hands steady on the keyboard and my mind focused. I can work on the
tread desk for 2 or 3 hours. When I start aching (hello, age), I simply move my
laptop to a table. After spending enough time moving, I can retain my focus at
a desk for another hour or two, which is fantastic. It’s been a huge help for
me.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.stanaleifletcher.com/index.html" target="_blank">Stanalei Fletcher:</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWi1eL1BP7Ugw9oOE8OXo5sr3lReGfILqLHJumeXNtM0yG5BJvYJVf40WYExuExxCI3C7F8JuZeHhlicO6WS2omEtTx4c0P5A6XGkxo1PpXh9apI6dh0sNFwJAmW1yc3jlspYZQ/s1600/IMG_1678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWi1eL1BP7Ugw9oOE8OXo5sr3lReGfILqLHJumeXNtM0yG5BJvYJVf40WYExuExxCI3C7F8JuZeHhlicO6WS2omEtTx4c0P5A6XGkxo1PpXh9apI6dh0sNFwJAmW1yc3jlspYZQ/s320/IMG_1678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I’m a left brained person in a right brained career. My
writing space is a shared space in our office. My husband has his corner and I
have mine. My space has all the tools needed to get the job done—my resource
books, as well as my favorite author’s books sit on shelves to guide and
inspire me. I have the good fortune to take my laptop anywhere and be able to
write or edit my WIP. But when I need to focus and tune out the world, I head
to my desk where everything is at my fingertips. It’s a mess sometimes, but I
can put my hand on anything I need in seconds. That appeases my left brain, so
my right brain is free to do what it needs to create.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><i>Please join me for the third and final blog in the series, <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-spaces-series-writing-rooms.html" target="_blank">"Writing Rooms."</a> Don't miss the first post in this series, <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-spots.html" target="_blank">"Writing Spots."</a></i></span></div>
</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-65251762573420028052015-09-28T06:24:00.000-07:002015-09-30T07:17:08.008-07:00Writing Space Series: Writing Spots<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Early in my writing career I would get very hung up on doing things "Right." I felt like there was a secret that would make writing easier. Was it outlining? Was it scheduled time? Was it drafting long hand? Was it writing first thing in the morning? Late at night? In a cabin in the mountains? Surely "Real" writers knew something I didn't know and if I could learn that key element, the writing would come easier, my laundry would fold itself, and I would be an instant bestseller!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I tried everything and what I learned was that different things worked for different people. This could have been refreshing, but it wasn't. It meant there was no secret; no "trick" that would take away the "hard." Instead, there were things that worked for me that wouldn't work for someone else, and things that worked for them that would never work for me. The trick I DID learn, however, was to ask other writers what worked for them so that I had new things to try. Left to my own devices, I would never have thought of half the stuff that these days is essential to my craft.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A few weeks ago I decided to redo my office and hit google images for "Writers Offices." I wasted loads of lovely time exploring other writer's spaces. I got some great ideas from other people's great ideas and began making the changes I wanted to make on my own space. Then I thought of all the writers I know and thought about asking them what works in their writing world. The result is a 3 part series of "Writing Spaces." We'll start with "Writing Spots", follow up with <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-nooks.html" target="_blank">"Writing Nooks"</a> and finish with <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-spaces-series-writing-rooms.html" target="_blank">"Writing Rooms."</a> Thank you to all the authors who participated, I loved everyone's thoughts and have a few things I'll be trying out thanks to your inspiration.</i><br />
<br />
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://juliewright.com/blog/" target="_blank">Julie Wright:</a></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYQYE_JtlyrR-ARz8UlBHaopjou4s6ftVkgv4UeiQyPt5sT36aly1540nhylEUVnZk-V100FGgZiKYEddz4VtlrG9wQsQYB7zNMXXU1su20Te-X6O_-ts890_a0ptzsx_zizAbg/s1600/Spot+Julie+Wright.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYQYE_JtlyrR-ARz8UlBHaopjou4s6ftVkgv4UeiQyPt5sT36aly1540nhylEUVnZk-V100FGgZiKYEddz4VtlrG9wQsQYB7zNMXXU1su20Te-X6O_-ts890_a0ptzsx_zizAbg/s400/Spot+Julie+Wright.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.jaclynweist.com/" target="_blank">Jaclyn Weist</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HmW1YQaUW-ev8LR50W1rpdk8Sy7bLep4VMTOFAgkTch7ZYVoe1_jNn3DooYiHIQ4KYkXGeXESzEChQ94sIAcpByMbmhc5ih-aO1KiAX1WAmqoYSb3s6pzuMUpZkn92Yf3AdplA/s1600/Spot+Jaclyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HmW1YQaUW-ev8LR50W1rpdk8Sy7bLep4VMTOFAgkTch7ZYVoe1_jNn3DooYiHIQ4KYkXGeXESzEChQ94sIAcpByMbmhc5ih-aO1KiAX1WAmqoYSb3s6pzuMUpZkn92Yf3AdplA/s320/Spot+Jaclyn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
have learned in the past that my best writing is done when I'm in a relaxing
environment (As evidenced by the occasional flashes of brilliant story ideas in
the middle of church). I've tried writing at desks, or in silence, or at my old
bookstore counter, but they just didn't help the words flow. I have learned that
for me, sitting on my couch with snacks and music (Most often the Piano Guys
station on Pandora) surrounded by my children is the best place for me to
write.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As
they've grown older—and louder—I've changed to writing at night, but I still
love my couch. It helps to relax my mind and move the story forward in ways I
could never do anywhere else.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://www.rondahinrichsen.com/" target="_blank">Ronda Hinrichsen</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazDfCSeJkgoXEMnczDCAkUFAe8KH7Hoq9vvk54j-_sR2IwUpcWVY3NzoQtDcJOlWOv5aUVC35iTmDP1P0sxf_5gRtbrdSZ3CrUEkdJfgLtGxxuUqMZxgD9i3t0KPW3yXGaAh6Lw/s1600/Spot+Ronda+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazDfCSeJkgoXEMnczDCAkUFAe8KH7Hoq9vvk54j-_sR2IwUpcWVY3NzoQtDcJOlWOv5aUVC35iTmDP1P0sxf_5gRtbrdSZ3CrUEkdJfgLtGxxuUqMZxgD9i3t0KPW3yXGaAh6Lw/s200/Spot+Ronda+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmAY3Tat2VDuiGJ1FyelRmzIxMYD1MeH9YO839nZo9UNzg3Dh_EIYbPcBwTireuwM74Fc0MStJO5Dobej9sJMDVm35-o0pzY6xhQF44Wb73Zpmtot394QefyVOkvmwAwOoeyrAQ/s1600/Spot+Ronda+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmAY3Tat2VDuiGJ1FyelRmzIxMYD1MeH9YO839nZo9UNzg3Dh_EIYbPcBwTireuwM74Fc0MStJO5Dobej9sJMDVm35-o0pzY6xhQF44Wb73Zpmtot394QefyVOkvmwAwOoeyrAQ/s200/Spot+Ronda+2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #222222;">I have
always felt like I’ve had to fight for every moment of writing time I can get,
so I’ve learned to write wherever I can and whenever I know I’ll have waiting
time. Dentist offices, doctor’s appointments—they’re all game. I even have
specific memories of when my children were young and attending t-ball or soccer
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZsYrjZIf3GkSnuAJ94fm0MDLhqzhdkkyNmfn76K8incYBLQRqBc_Gx35vK7JAEAvoMJadEL61RD3CEw4Z3n37fwun48Sj3u2XXH6_q7u-O6mkN8oqZyWJQVV-8YjyQVu0EBMvg/s1600/Spot+Ronda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZsYrjZIf3GkSnuAJ94fm0MDLhqzhdkkyNmfn76K8incYBLQRqBc_Gx35vK7JAEAvoMJadEL61RD3CEw4Z3n37fwun48Sj3u2XXH6_q7u-O6mkN8oqZyWJQVV-8YjyQVu0EBMvg/s200/Spot+Ronda.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
practices. I would sit in my van with my laptop squeezed between me and the
steering wheel and work on my current work-in-progress.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222;">Now, my
children are grown, and I have a little more control over when and where I
write. Yes, I’ll still try to take advantage of miscellaneous waiting
opportunities, but my most productive writing times are when I’m fully alert,
when the house is empty of people, and when nothing else is around to distract
me, not even an open window. With those principles in mind, I generally write
at my desk or in my recliner, and if I’m plotting a new novel, I tend to
handwrite it at the kitchen table. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://www.melaniejacobson.net/" target="_blank">Melanie Jacobson</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRtZ3hRB02CGNtQauwzfWi8vr5anpfdcoyl_L0OcmuFL25xUOrwqof0QAJ4Tfd97vwZx03oJjPBRpk8FKbsdxEOwMccBHjIPTYNT1h-XMWUVF0VAhuzxRy19tPpA7SHTo6wggsQ/s1600/Spot+Melanie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRtZ3hRB02CGNtQauwzfWi8vr5anpfdcoyl_L0OcmuFL25xUOrwqof0QAJ4Tfd97vwZx03oJjPBRpk8FKbsdxEOwMccBHjIPTYNT1h-XMWUVF0VAhuzxRy19tPpA7SHTo6wggsQ/s320/Spot+Melanie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My writing space is one cushion on our living
room love seat, and an end table. It's very glamorous. I was going to clean it
up, but this is just reality. So I write amidst my son's schoolwork, my
daughter's craft projects, hair brushes, and a sweater i forgot to put away.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://www.abelkeogh.com/" target="_blank">Abel Keogh</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazZ9ket0yX4ctLdHIyhPjj_jnYnQaClubELRDOa_H6GS5vDdsF-VkICmSvS1d6VJS9-sH_vdRrwVcGuSJ__L7HBp8uewlNcAkPyFYac9qqx5xcjRqOGhy3Pktdn41_0GWNwMw_A/s1600/Spot+Abel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazZ9ket0yX4ctLdHIyhPjj_jnYnQaClubELRDOa_H6GS5vDdsF-VkICmSvS1d6VJS9-sH_vdRrwVcGuSJ__L7HBp8uewlNcAkPyFYac9qqx5xcjRqOGhy3Pktdn41_0GWNwMw_A/s320/Spot+Abel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As a father of six with a full time job, it’s
hard to find time or a quiet moment to write. So I’ve learned to write just
about anywhere: parks during soccer practice, my front porch while the kids
play outside with friends, or on the floor of the hall while they settle down
to sleep. During the workweek, I write in the company break room. During my
lunch hour I sit in the same booth with my laptop and squeeze in as many words
as I can. Most of the time the room is full of people talking. Sometimes
there’s a TV on in the background. I’ve learned to tune out the distractions
and focus on my stories. It’s my favorite and most productive place to write.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><i> Join me tomorrow for <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-space-series-writing-nooks.html" target="_blank">"Writing Nooks."</a> to be followed with <a href="http://josikilpack.blogspot.com/2015/09/writing-spaces-series-writing-rooms.html" target="_blank">"Writing Rooms."</a></i><br />
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-33482584125707659772015-08-31T15:45:00.002-07:002015-09-02T12:09:58.022-07:00How I got my Agent ~ Lane Heymont of The Seymour Agency<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been publishing for 16 years and over those years my readership has grown, but not moved far beyond the LDS market where I began. I have published 25 books with three publishers, negotiated my own contracts, and improved my writing. In a word, I have been successful at this writing stuff.<br />
<br />
I have never had an agent.<br />
<br />
The short answer to the question of "Why" is that the LDS market doesn't typically utilize agents. Writers in the LDS market work directly with publishers and relationships between the two parts are usually pretty amicable, though contracts tend to favor the publishers. I've been very fortunate to publish 18 books with Shadow Mountain, we have a good relationship and have worked well together for several years--they have certainly helped me take my career to the next level. With the last book I published, <a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/" target="_blank">A Heart Revealed</a>, we launched into the national market. We hadn't done that before, even though my culinary mystery series was mainstream and not faith based. It's been exciting and taken things to a new level for me but also made me aware of the benefit of an agent. Agents help negotiate contracts for the author, they oversee financial statements, extend marketing opportunities, facilitate relationships with national publishing houses and give overall advocacy for authors. They handle the "business" (i.e. busy-ness) of an author's career and I was kept plenty busy with that part (which, BTW, I hate and am not particularly skilled at.)<br />
<br />
I have felt as I entered the national arena that an agent would be an asset for me. I've attended classes on querying and "How I got my Agent" panels for years. I know the basics of how to find an agent based on having a book they choose to represent toward getting a publishing relationship. But having a <i>book </i>represented wasn't what I was looking for, not really. I wanted someone to help me with contracts and opportunities, but I already had a publisher. I talked with one agent in the spring of 2014. She gave me some good advice and read my manuscript but in the end didn't resonate with the story enough to take it on (it went on to get two starred reviews, but that's neither here nor there :-)) To try and fail with this agent was insecurity-inducing enough that I backed off save for following some agents on Twitter and trying to keep abreast of the agent world. Yes, I know that's wimpy compared to the work that other writers put into getting an agent. But I didn't know the right way to try and get an agent for my situation, and maybe it was just too weird.<br />
<br />
In July I attended Romance Writers of America's National Conference in New York. I had only been a member of RWA for a few months and never been to a local conference, let alone a national one. I didn't know anyone who was attending this one. The closer it got the more I second-guessed this decision. My family was coming along which was great, but made it crazy expensive. Some marketing things I had expected to accompany my trip didn't come together, therefore not adding justification to this investment of time and money. I was going to spend a ton of money, my family would enjoy New York without me, and I had no idea what to expect from the conference. I was anxious. Very anxious. And unsure how to make this worthwhile.<br />
<br />
A few days before the conference I posted about my attendance on Facebook; two people I knew turned out to be going. <a href="http://www.annalisa-hall.com/" target="_blank">Annalissa Hall</a> and <a href="http://www.stacyhenrie.com/" target="_blank">Stacy Henrie</a>. I had met them both in writerly circles, but we'd never actually conversed. They gave me their contact numbers and we determined to meet up when we were all in New York.<br />
<br />
I met up with Annalissa first and she was fabulous. She had been to a national conference before and was great at taking me under her wing and helping me understand the ins and outs of RWA. Stacy told me about a meet-and-greet for other Utah authors and that's where I saw her for the first time. I got to meet some other authors from Utah there as well, which was great, and we all gave updates on ourselves and our books. I had just that morning picked up an agent appointment, which was 10 minutes to talk with an agent later that afternoon. I followed the agent on Twitter and figured I could get some advice from him about my situation--but he was not looking to represent my genre. I left the meet and greet and about fifteen minutes later, one of the Utah authors I had just met--<a href="http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Beckstrand</a>--found me (which in and of itself was a mini-miracle with, I think, 5,000 attendees and 5 floors worth of meeting space.) She'd felt like I should meet with someone from her agency. She writes for the Christian Market and felt her agency--<a href="http://www.theseymouragency.com/" target="_blank">The Seymour Agency</a>--would be a comfortable place for me since I write sweet romance. She helped me find an open spot with an agent and even though he didn't represent my genre, maybe he would have a referral to someone in his office. So, now I had two meetings with two different agents. Awesome (and intimidating.)<br />
<br />
I met with <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-literary-agent-alert-lane-heymont-of-the-seymour-agency" target="_blank">Lane Heymont</a> from Seymour first. I explained my situation and he gave me some advice, agreeing that an agent would be helpful for me at this point in my career, but confirming that he wasn't really looking for new historical romance. After that I had my second meeting with the other agent and he said essentially the same things Lane had said. I wasn't terribly disappointed that I didn't seem to be a good fit for either of them because I felt I benefitted from their feedback and their helping me better understand how to "pitch" myself to agents as an established author. All in all, I was glad for having met with them both and more encouraged toward finding an agent.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SP9n2GH-HPJdUi0PM_9RcouwkqJk4Gg9MLZAolBOzmnoERbC2JGKU71ItEVZMnu6ywbmw8KiLCzveRovQ1XdANg2YaWo-g2L6PMA_KQ4Qis6Keai6dSJlBxZTcIVYbCOBKCkTg/s1600/%252709+w%253Alee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SP9n2GH-HPJdUi0PM_9RcouwkqJk4Gg9MLZAolBOzmnoERbC2JGKU71ItEVZMnu6ywbmw8KiLCzveRovQ1XdANg2YaWo-g2L6PMA_KQ4Qis6Keai6dSJlBxZTcIVYbCOBKCkTg/s200/%252709+w%253Alee.JPG" width="132" /></a>I was on the town with my family that night, got in late, and then woke up early to get uptown to the conference on Saturday. I was in the opening general session when I decided to check my email. There was an email from Lane. He'd been intrigued enough to get my book once he returned to his hotel room the afternoon before and liked it. A lot. He wanted to meet with me that afternoon about possible representation. I was stunned. And thrilled. And terribly anxious. So I texted my husband, Lee, (do you see him in the background of this picture :-) )and close friends <a href="http://ncallen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nancy Allen</a> and <a href="http://shesgotthewritestuff.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Moore</a>, and got oodles of support and encouragement from all three of them. I went to lunch with Annalissa, Stacy, and Jennifer, who gave me even more support and encouragement. And then I met with Lane that afternoon and it went great. He was very validating, helped clarify a few points I needed clarification on, and was willing to step into an unusual situation. I was in current negotiations with a contract for a book he had never read, but he was willing to help me with it as a starting point for us. He was supportive of my maintaining a relationship with Shadow Mountain while still helping me move forward with other opportunities.<br />
<br />
I returned home a few days later, reviewed his contract--which was blessedly straight forward and easy to understand--and talked with my husband, prayed, thought it through, and talked with another Utah author <a href="http://www.chantelesedgwick.com/about.html" target="_blank">Chantele Sedgwick</a> who was also represented by The Seymour Agency. After all the due diligence, I felt like this was the right step for me. I signed with Lane on July 28th and he took over the current contract negotiations I was in the middle of. That quickly I was freed up to write. Just write (or, well, mostly write.) What a relief that has been.<br />
<br />
Now, a month later, were finishing that contract, I'm finishing up a new book, and I'm looking at an exciting future with help from someone who can help me make the best decisions possible for me, my career, and my family. I am so excited!! <br />
<br />
I'm so very grateful for all the people who have shared their stories and situations over the years so that I knew where to start and the friends, and my sweetie, who have always encouraged me to keep moving forward. I'm grateful for Annalissa and Stacy for helping me navigate the conference and Jennifer for following the impression she had that day in New York. I'm grateful to RWA for creating these kinds of opportunities and I'm so grateful for Lane taking the time to read my book that night, for believing in my future and taking on such a unique situation.<br />
<br />
I am not someone who always knew she would be a writer. The joy of storytelling took me by surprise some 17 years ago and though it has not been a straight shot, <br />
as my journey has continued the Lord has laid things out for me one step at a time rather than with some picture I have navigated towards. I'm not complaining, it has worked well for me, and I am so grateful for the career I have had. Having had so many good "steps" behind me, I'm excited about this newest step and where it will lead me now.</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-24752270610215744062015-07-27T19:52:00.000-07:002015-07-27T19:59:41.274-07:00A First Timer's Guide to Visiting New York City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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*Though this is certainly not an exhaustive list, these are some of the things I would have liked to know before going to NYC. Some is advice I heard from others and followed, some we learned for ourselves.</div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Get an app for the subway on your phone.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7C5dJRS84bCcIrak1JXfsCkVpBsBxDCMoValq_vROIeomH9C-NaIhD-1G5sq1Cuz6Me1LHdrox_OQvaEkbQl8F4_BcsjzthlA4m5ucydUCL44UrNu-ER-In3bRCgS1jQgPrrFQ/s1600/11051741_10152990225407647_1708350311773711841_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7C5dJRS84bCcIrak1JXfsCkVpBsBxDCMoValq_vROIeomH9C-NaIhD-1G5sq1Cuz6Me1LHdrox_OQvaEkbQl8F4_BcsjzthlA4m5ucydUCL44UrNu-ER-In3bRCgS1jQgPrrFQ/s200/11051741_10152990225407647_1708350311773711841_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Get a paper/plastic map for the subway for when your IN the subway and the app doesn't work.</li>
<li>Read the signs!</li>
<li>People are nice and willing to help, just ask.</li>
<li>The 1 line was our favorite subway route for going from lower Manhattan (Staten Island Ferry) to Times Square, it eventually goes to Central Park.</li>
<li>Buses sometimes require a separate "ticket" even if you're transferring from the metro.</li>
<li>Read the signs!</li>
<li>Buy a one week unlimited metro card at the airport.</li>
<li>It's not Florida, but it is humid.</li>
<li>North of Central Park felt kinda sketchy.</li>
<li>Lower Manhattan was a great place to stay.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCh-7PTlHicV9q-UwjwRyoPmLJQD1Qz1rjEZx3XHgQHO33vgwpY957L0TAv9E56SSRhuxLguE4bC7eSKCAEcKeJNem-zJntfZM2iMZsZL51_8MeaH4XCw61bCGep4rsUr-BnaGQ/s1600/11222112_10204575316802564_1085398353483744519_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCh-7PTlHicV9q-UwjwRyoPmLJQD1Qz1rjEZx3XHgQHO33vgwpY957L0TAv9E56SSRhuxLguE4bC7eSKCAEcKeJNem-zJntfZM2iMZsZL51_8MeaH4XCw61bCGep4rsUr-BnaGQ/s200/11222112_10204575316802564_1085398353483744519_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Right now (2015) the museum at Ellis Island is lame because they moved stuff out after/before Sandy and haven't finished fixing things yet. </li>
<li>The 911 museum at ground zero is a MUST. Stay for 4 hours at least. Worth the $$.</li>
<li>Go to the Empire State building after 11:00 pm (last elevator up at 1:00 am) the city is prettier at night and there aren't so many people. Cost is $32/person inside the building (people sell passes outside, we didn't compare.) Some of us felt it was worth the $$, others didn't. They sell great city/subway maps in the gift shop.</li>
<li>Read the signs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzuH8WFH_ZHNRRkOJ-gZ4R_ZSMB6XIMXo7E3306qqsMWBT-nFXIWFCj3XvogamNCHLijRzQZp9_28Q-lThWs-5RCw1xANn1wQVgjehOccFAx64TYno7O4N48p_nSRKUjY2pOreQ/s1600/11745698_10153094023726985_5071450630666545904_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzuH8WFH_ZHNRRkOJ-gZ4R_ZSMB6XIMXo7E3306qqsMWBT-nFXIWFCj3XvogamNCHLijRzQZp9_28Q-lThWs-5RCw1xANn1wQVgjehOccFAx64TYno7O4N48p_nSRKUjY2pOreQ/s200/11745698_10153094023726985_5071450630666545904_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Eat at the Halal food stands. Amazing food. Cheap.</li>
<li>Midtown smells like sewage. </li>
<li>There are SO MANY PEOPLE!</li>
<li>Central park is incredible. Spend a whole day there.</li>
<li>Ellen's Starlight cafe has really great energy and entertainment, the food is so-so.</li>
<li>The Olive Garden in Times Square is a great place to grab a quick soup and salad lunch--lots of tables and you're in and out in about 40 minutes.</li>
<li>Eat at <a href="http://www.themeatballshop.com/" target="_blank">The Meatball Shop</a> at least once. This was one of our favorite meals. (Multiple locations.)</li>
<li>Pack light. You'll likely be dragging luggage on Metros and busses and wishing for a smaller bag.</li>
<li>Eat out! The restaurants in NY are the realization of the owner's dreams and the food is incredible. </li>
<li>Read the signs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq9_B1oi7VG8WM_oxUPZeuV0Fn8qFehkd-O-s3-Rgonf2IYJ4op9zihMi8JqA9b7uR1prQYzWZ93wSTHxKW4zHjXQ3oGFbkG7bMaV2BBVbXZDRiOJlol0JgZe2QbgHJCcDkvMXg/s1600/11752539_10204575329122872_6735483994444475771_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq9_B1oi7VG8WM_oxUPZeuV0Fn8qFehkd-O-s3-Rgonf2IYJ4op9zihMi8JqA9b7uR1prQYzWZ93wSTHxKW4zHjXQ3oGFbkG7bMaV2BBVbXZDRiOJlol0JgZe2QbgHJCcDkvMXg/s200/11752539_10204575329122872_6735483994444475771_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Matilda is an amazing show to take the family to. All of us loved it. </li>
<li>Fish in the Dark is billed as family friendly, but was more vulgar than we expected, though it was hilarious. We left at Intermission. A $600 disappointment.</li>
<li>There is no metro line at Leguardia airport. Q70 is a direct bus from Leguardia to the 7 in Queens, 7 will take you to Grand Central Station in Manhattan. M60 is a bus that will take you to to 125th street (sketchy area) you can then take the 4, 5, or 6 to Grand Central. Time is similar between both options.</li>
<li>People don't look "at" you. Very little eye contact, but few people are trouble makers.</li>
<li>Between Grand Central and Times Square, take the S shuttle. Straight shot.</li>
<li>Leguardia is a hectic and confusing airport. </li>
<li>The girls in Times Square who look like they are wearing nothing but body paint, are truly wearing nothing but body paint (and a thong.) And there are dozens of them. They came out around 9:00 pm.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9LKrNZKm2SOart_Zo3XeTojGrf5unBILaSzjiTkumrNbHqC-wOGIWkEP1lza1lYA0KQ5XLgTqjhjRmzQtAuuvH4FmtIwPkof1a3AP9XItdRYE623zJuNB8NY-446UzleUDzlVw/s1600/11753285_10204575340043145_5055173672285287408_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9LKrNZKm2SOart_Zo3XeTojGrf5unBILaSzjiTkumrNbHqC-wOGIWkEP1lza1lYA0KQ5XLgTqjhjRmzQtAuuvH4FmtIwPkof1a3AP9XItdRYE623zJuNB8NY-446UzleUDzlVw/s200/11753285_10204575340043145_5055173672285287408_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Don't even think of bringing your own car.</li>
<li>Read the signs!</li>
<li>The cannolis at Carlo's bakery are 1/4 the size of those at Mike's Pastry in Boston. Just sayin'.</li>
<li>Get comfortable waiting. For subways. For restaurants. For everything.</li>
<li>Give yourself lots of time to get places, just in case there are delays and traffic and what not.</li>
<li>If you run your Metro card through the scanner, you can't use it again for a certain amount of time to prevent people from using the same card. This can be problematic if you go in the wrong entrance, come out, and then try to go in the right one. Most metro stations have an internal way to get to the right train.</li>
<li>Read the signs!</li>
<li>Late at night, some subway lines will only use the first few cars--the rest of the cars will remain in the tunnel when the train comes to stops. It might seem cool when you are alone in a car--but it might mean you missed some information and as the trains aren't running as often it might take you an hour to undo your mistake and get home. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjozP44YiEQ1Wlfk7TabhuDtb8A6kliqB28ITEVD8gquODOC5JUOatvPsopYoIjHYJ4YVPFFHf0vpSTGbuQqC6G4Mx5QwFcjuuKWaKj9Pn8WdiCtvoKYuwh7b8_Flq3xltJBIlg/s1600/11796325_10204575322962718_8804757664436781790_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjozP44YiEQ1Wlfk7TabhuDtb8A6kliqB28ITEVD8gquODOC5JUOatvPsopYoIjHYJ4YVPFFHf0vpSTGbuQqC6G4Mx5QwFcjuuKWaKj9Pn8WdiCtvoKYuwh7b8_Flq3xltJBIlg/s200/11796325_10204575322962718_8804757664436781790_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Don't lose your Metro card.</li>
<li>Read the signs!</li>
<li>Don't buy a Metro card from a person selling theirs, use the kiosks.</li>
<li>If you miss your train, another one will be coming soon.</li>
<li>Gratuities are usually added automatically into your meal, even if it's for one person. Not all receipts are clear about this so be attentive so you don't double tip.</li>
<li>Don't look too closely at the garbage on the streets. You don't really want to know what it is.</li>
<li>Be prepared to walk miles and miles every day if you're doing the tourist stuff. Good shoes are a good idea.</li>
<li>Don't expect to see everything in one trip.</li>
<li>If there's a preacher on the subway, just close your eyes and enjoy it.</li>
<li>Read the signs!</li>
</ul>
</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-21975109308069907712015-04-14T07:25:00.001-07:002015-04-14T07:25:31.904-07:00What is "Listen To Your Mother?"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://listentoyourmothershow.com/charleston/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2014/03/LTYM-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://listentoyourmothershow.com/charleston/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2014/03/LTYM-logo.jpg" height="175" width="200" /></a></div>
I had not heard of this event until a friend suggested I audition. I followed the link and read up on it, then watched some of last year's presentations, all of which are on youtube. I was impressed with the concept and began to work on an audition piece, but I still didn't feel like I fully "got it." A couple of weeks ago we had a rehearsal, where several of the 12 of us who were chosen for this year's show read our pieces to the rest of the presenters. Holy moly! When it came my turn I had to pass in order to get myself together; I was so touched by what I'd heard. I also asked more questions of the woman who heads up the Northern Utah Show in hopes that I could better explain this to people I know. This is what I learned:<br />
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A few years ago, Heather Johnson--the founder of the Northern Utah show--was up late with a baby and stumbled upon the youtube videos of Listen To Your Mother, a live show in New York where women and men and even some teens gave a 3-5 minute talk about some aspect of motherhood. Some were from the perspective of the mother herself, some from the perspective of child, or spouse, or even general observations. All of the pieces had been auditioned and chosen for both the message they had, but how well they went with the other presentations. Each person then read their piece before an audience and a camera at a performance the week of Mother's day. The presentations were then put on youtube to benefit anyone who would find them--and Heather Johnson was one of those women. She was so touched by the show she tracked down the founder and asked her if they had ever considered doing the show in other cities, that she would love to help put one together in Utah. At that time, expansion wasn't a priority, but Heather asked that she be remembered so that if LTYM decided to move into other cities, they would come back to her. She was absolutely certain this would happen, but she didn't know when. Just a year or two later the founder called Heather back and Heather began putting together a show for Utah. 2015 is the third year that LTYM has taken place in Northern Utah, and yet most people still have never heard of it. When they do, like me, they don't really understand what it is. So, this is what it is: Twelve presenters celebrating the hardships and beauty of motherhood.<br />
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At the rehearsal a couple of weeks ago I was instantly humbled by the experiences of the other women there. I laughed, I cried--and cried--but left that experience with a connection to these women and a sense of validation and purpose in both my involvement with this group but also my role in the lives of my children. The things shared were truly beautiful, but not in the way where I felt diminished or "Not enough" as so easily befalls us mom's who are so critical of ourselves. I didn't feel like it was overly "praising" or overly "Angst driven." It was just . . . truth. And it was beautiful. <br />
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When I got home my husband asked me how it was and I fumbled and bumbled in my attempt at explaining it. I didn't make a lot of sense, but I ended with "I want the whole family to go." I have had a lot of opportunities to present things in the past, to teach or talk about personal growth or goal setting or any number of topics. I have never wished my kids were there like I did that night. So, for my mother's day gift this year I will have my children in the audience. Not just to hear what I have to say, but to hear what this collective group of women have to say about moms. The good. The hard. The crushing. The beautiful.<br />
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I hope that you will look into this program and see if it isn't something that might speak to your heart. I hope that you will consider attending. <a href="http://listentoyourmothershow.com/northernutah/" target="_blank">Watch past videos, read up on the mission and goals. </a><br />
<br />
Hopefully, you'll mark your calendar so that on Thursday, May 7, 2015, you will be at Thanksgiving Point to share in the experience. <a href="http://listentoyourmothershow.com/northernutah/" target="_blank">Tickets are on sale and only $9.99 each.</a> It is suitable for all ages so bring your mom, your friends, your kids. You won't regret it.</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-23643244595772946972015-03-10T19:29:00.000-07:002015-03-10T19:45:49.678-07:00What Does a Starred Review Mean?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ0LxycFkahJ99aNUU-glRNgkeYkz0SATd7VYuyma6JB9WWV-oQ_jue-9FPBxrj762O4BiLdM8xpYj1IdSI_qYTvfq7NjLOnmk9BSCLu9M-ocpvIS1h2ZgKCj8YJqhuoblC_2hQ/s1600/Proper-Romance_LJ_FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ0LxycFkahJ99aNUU-glRNgkeYkz0SATd7VYuyma6JB9WWV-oQ_jue-9FPBxrj762O4BiLdM8xpYj1IdSI_qYTvfq7NjLOnmk9BSCLu9M-ocpvIS1h2ZgKCj8YJqhuoblC_2hQ/s1600/Proper-Romance_LJ_FINAL.jpg" height="400" width="245" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not new to writing or traditional publishing, but with my newest
book -<i>A Heart Revealed </i>- I am stepping into the national market for the first
time. I've never had a book reviewed by the industry trade journals so I was
anxious and eager and freaked-out and excited about how <i>A Heart Revealed </i>would
be received by national critics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not every book submitted to publishing trade journals gets reviewed.
The journals can be picky and, then, the reviews aren't guaranteed to be positive. In
regard to Publishers Weekly (PW), there's concern that they tend to lean away from
conservative fiction, which is what I write. The next biggest player with
the trade journals is Kirkus, who is known for not being as nice as PW. After
PW and Kirkus is Booklist, Library Journal, and a handful of more regional
journals whose reviews matter in regard to national exposure for good or bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two months ago I learned that my book had been sent to all of
these journals and my publisher expected reviews to start coming in mid-February. I
asked my publicist to read any reviews before sending them to me because a bad
review can set me back for weeks. I would have expected that poor reviews would
get easier as time marched forward in my writing career, but that has not been
the case for me. I’ve published more than twenty novels over the last fifteen
years, but rather innocuous comments like "Kilpack's writing has improved
since the first book in this series" or "This isn't the kind of book
you'll skip dinner for" on Goodreads can create a pit in my stomach that
is as illogical as it is real, no matter how many good reviews I read to remedy my reaction to the negative. So I avoid reading reviews. Unless someone sends
me the link with an indication that it's positive, I will rarely dare to read
them. My ego has become fragile, go figure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where was I . . . oh yeah. . . two weeks ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Tuesday, February 17<sup>th</sup>, my publicist sent me the
link to the recently published PW review, not only a review but a starred
review! Because she promised the review would not send me into a downward
spiral, I was able to read it and WOW, it was so complimentary. My whole body
tingled in response to the few sentences of praise that followed the basic retelling of the storyline (standard practice.) I could not have been more thrilled and immediately went
online to learn the difference between a starred review and a regular review.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PW does about 10,000 reviews a year. Of those, about 500 will get
starred reviews which means "A book of outstanding quality." Another percentage will get a "Blue Title" which
means that the book didn't get a star, but it does have unusual commercial
appeal. A starred review influences sales—especially by retailers and
libraries—and by way of validation, it was HUGE!
To-the-moon-my-cheeks-hurt-from-smiling HUGE! You can read the full review
<a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-60907-990-1" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That was Tuesday. On Wednesday, I received another email from my
publicist with her encouragement to read the review for <i>A Heart Revealed </i>from
Kirkus. Two national trade journals in two days? Not only that, Kirkus gave <i>A
Heart Revealed</i> a starred review as well. Kirkus does 8,000 to 10,000 reviews a year,
and approximately 10% of those reviews are starred. A Kirkus star is "awarded to books of exceptional merit." Additionally, recipients of a Kirkus star are automatically eligible for the Kirkus Prize, a $50,000 prize awarded to the winning books published and starred in the given year. I'm not holding my breath for a Kirkus Prize, but I won't give up hope either :-) You can read the Kirkus review
<a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/josi-s-kilpack/heart-revealed/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so, what does
this mean for me and my book? It means more industry people will buy it. It
means more libraries will stock it and more readers will read it because it will be available. It means that I’m entering the national
market with a couple of important reccomendations next to my book title. It doesn’t mean the book
will be bestseller. It doesn’t mean that readers will enjoy it as much as the
reviewers did, and it doesn’t mean that books without starred reviews aren’t
excellent, but, dang, it’s a really great start for this new phase of my
career. I'm so grateful to my publisher, Shadow Mountain, for having enough confidence in this story to send it off with the hopes that we would get <i>this</i> kind of feedback. I am so blessed to be part of such an exceptional team.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To wrap this up - I'm in a great place right now and I am trying hard to maximize it to the height of it's potential. Publishing is full of hills and valleys, the key is to soak up the sun when you reach the peaks. I plan to! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A Heart Revealed</i> is available for pre-order through <a href="https://deseretbook.com/p/heart-revealed-josi-s-kilpack-95213" target="_blank">deseretbook.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Revealed-Proper-Romance/dp/1609079906/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426040592&sr=1-1&keywords=a+heart+revealed" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-heart-revealed-josi-kilpack/1120177574?ean=9781609079901" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-17008465876768462232015-03-04T10:54:00.003-08:002015-03-04T10:54:16.802-08:00Happy Grammar Day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.grammarly.com/blog/2015/celebrate-grammar-day-with-this-fun-quiz/?quiz&utm_source=Outreach_org&utm_medium=Embed_code_link&utm_campaign=Grammar_Day_2015"><img alt="Grammarly Grammar Nerd Quiz Feature Image" src="http://www.grammarly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Quiz_outreach_sample_image_-600x-516x410.png" height="477" width="600" /></a></div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-75070492900636949592015-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:002015-01-04T17:53:30.842-08:00"Wedding Cake" Giveaway!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/uploads/1/2/7/4/12747552/2338194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.josiskilpack.com/uploads/1/2/7/4/12747552/2338194.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.josiskilpack.com/uploads/1/2/7/4/12747552/_7622181_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.josiskilpack.com/uploads/1/2/7/4/12747552/_7622181_orig.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><br />
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Wedding Cake, book 12 in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary
Mystery Series, and<o:p></o:p></div>
Sadie's Little Black Recipe Book are online and on shelves! It has been such an amazing journey,
going from one stand-alone story to a 12 book series and a cookbook and turned
my writing into a career. It has also been the introduction to so many people
and places and yummy recipes—I can not express what a powerful experience this
series has been in my life. To celebrate the completion, Shadow Mountain and I
are hosting a giveaway—winners get their choice of any one copy of my books,
including an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of A Heart Revealed, a regency romance
coming out in April. You can enter in the following ways:<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Go
to my Facebook post about the contest (Author Josi S. Kilpack) and follow the instructions. (no
need to come back to the blog, the Facebook portion of the contest is self
contained)</span> </li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Leave
a review for any book I have written on goodreads, deseretbook.com, Amazon.com,
and/or Barnesandnoble.com. You can leave as many reviews on as many sites as
you like, then come back here and leave a comment that includes the total
number of reviews you left. You will get an entry for every review (this does not
count for past reviews, only those done between January 4 and January 10)</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Post
a status update on Facebook or Twitter regarding this contest and include the
link to this blog post. Comment below to tell me where you posted; one entry
per social network.</span></li>
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Thank you for the years of support and enthusiasm!
Winners will be posted here and on Facebook on Monday, January 12. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-82407832372099672942014-09-14T17:12:00.000-07:002014-09-15T14:24:39.374-07:00Update and Blog Hop!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is crazy to me to reflect on how important blogging was for me a few years ago. I spent hours reading blogs and writing my own every week. Now, I never get here. In a sense it's unfortunate, it was a great way to get into the thoughts of people who took the time to write about their lives. On the other hand, life ebbs and flows and things are always changing.<br />
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BUT, now and then a situation comes up that is worth blogging about. My readers have been due for an update and I've been quiet about what I'm doing after Sadie because it was new and different and I 1) Didn't want to take away from the excitement of my final Culinary Mystery 2) Didn't have a contract on my new project. But I have the contract now, signed and filed. And so this was a perfect opportunity for me to kill a few birds with one stone.<br />
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As stated in the title, this post is brought to you from a blog hop. Anna Elliott tagged me in her blog and I really enjoyed hearing about her projects and routines. Take a minute to check it out at <a href="http://www.annaelliotbooks.com/">www.annaelliotbooks.com</a>. And thanks for tagging me Anna.<br />
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<b>What are you working on?</b><br />
I am getting my ducks in a row to have the final book in my Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery novel released this December. The series has been several years worth of work and as it came to an end I was ready to do something new. I had an idea for another clean mystery series, but when I tried to write it my main character sounded too much like Sadie. I decided, instead, to cleanse my palette and write something totally new. I submitted a few ideas to my publisher and the one they liked the most was a Regency Romance. If you go back in time with me to the very first story I ever wrote back in 1995, it was a Regency. It's terrible. But it was the first story I laid out on paper. I have long loved the genre and been really thrilled to see it revive these last couple of years. It was so fun to write something fresh, but in a genre and timeperiod I was already in love with. The title is "A Heart Revealed" and it will come out in May of 2015. I'm also working on a Regency Novella for one of the <a href="http://timelessromanceanthologies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Timeless Romance Anthologies</a>, as well as making progress on another full length Regency romance that will follow this first one through Shadow Mountain.<br />
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<b>How does your work differ from others' work in the same genre?</b><br />
In regard to my culinary mysteries, I think the biggest difference is the age of my protagonist--late 50's--and my focus on home cookin'. I'm not a gourmet, but I love having the "best" corn bread and the "tried and true" cookie recipe. I think both elements created a broader readership for the books and more relatability to kitchen-cooks like myself.<br />
In regard to my Regency, I think my novel is different in that it is issue driven. Prior to my mysteries, my books were women's fiction or romance, but they were always driven by a modern issue. I guess when you're an author with lots of issues, you naturally put other issues into your stories. I can't give away the issue without giving away the book, but it's set in early 19th century London and Yorkshire and was so so so much fun to write. It is still first and foremost a romance, that's our main story, but I'm hoping that the women's fiction type of spin will be something my readers will both recognize and enjoy.<br />
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<b>Why do you write what you do?</b><br />
There are a bunch of answers to that, so I'm going to put them all down. I write what I write because: I love it (always important :-), the story builds as I think on it (many ideas fizzle out before I get to paper), I think readers will like it (both my mysteries and romances are clean), I think it will make money (I have a mortgage), it "feels" right, it appealed to me as a reader, and I think I can do it. Some days one of those reasons is bigger than the others--some days I'm writing for a check, other days I'm writing because it's fun, other days I'm writing because the story is getting so big in my head I have to let out some pressure.<br />
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<b>How does your writing process work?</b><br />
I am a work in progress when it comes to what kind of process works for me. Until recent years, I never outlined, but the last few mysteries required I make a plan to say on track with the series. I started the regency with just a synopsis, and then was able to stick to it pretty well--I've never done a synopsis before writing the book. I wish I knew what would work for me every time, but maybe that's what works for me--trying new processes and going back on old processes that work. My current process is a very basic outlining before I start and brainstorming sessions before each writing session. I'm writing about 3 days a week for 5-6 hours at a time. It sounds a lot more organized that it really is, but it's working so I'm going with it.<br />
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As for the author I'm choosing to tag, I hope you will hop over to the blog of my dear friend Nancy Campbell Allen. She is best known for her civil war stories and historical fiction series written under the name N.C. Allen, but is a multi-talented writer with some exciting things on tap. Please check her out at <a href="http://www.ncallen.blogspot.com/">www.ncallen.blogspot.com</a></div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-5165653313514086782014-05-30T08:06:00.001-07:002014-05-30T08:07:09.719-07:00How Do You Overcome Lack of Confidence?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I received this question via Facebook and as I started to answer I realized it was a little more than a Facebook message, so I decided to blow the dust off my blog and post it here.<br />
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The actual question was "How did you get over (if you ever had it) the lack of confidence as you were writing?<br />
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First, LACK OF CONFIDENCE DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T DO THIS.<br />
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I have lacked confidence throughout all fifteen of the years I've been writing. Over and over and over again I struggle to believe I can do what I've set out to be. I doubt my writing ability, I doubt my ability to find time, I doubt that people will be happy with the result. I read reviews that paralyze me, I face discouragements that make me wish I'd never started, I continually fear that my best ideas are already used up and whatever I do next will be lousy. Every writer I know faces it, so, yes, I have certainly faced with lack of confidence--I am right now battling a fear of being able to do something new and getting over a rather stinging rejection that took me away from my computer for weeks.<br />
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Second, THE ONLY WAY TO OVERCOME LACK OF CONFIDENCE IS TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS.<br />
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Start with very small goals you know without a doubt you can accomplish that is not tied to anyone else's efforts but your own. Some examples of the easiest goals would be "Write for 15 minutes" or "Read a chapter in that how-to-write book"or "Look up submission guidelines for one agent." It will feel silly, because you know that you can do it, but that's the point. Most of us (especially women) live in a world of not only "I'm not enough" but "I shouldn't be enough." We compare and criticize ourselves to ridiculous levels about most things in our life. In the process, we train our brain to feel successful only when we are failing. It's neurotic, but we do it. Someone compliments our dinner and we point out that we didn't put enough carrots in the soup. Someone tells us we look nice and we point out that our pants are too tight. My best guess as to why we do this is that we are afraid of appearing arrogant and so we put ourselves down and create an atmosphere where we are more comfortable with our missing pieces than our wholeness. When we then take on something big, like writing, our brain is stuck in old patterns. We've trained our brain to be more attentive to our shortcomings and that's going to be a problem because we need to do well at this if we're to reach our goal. If you stay in that place of comfortable regret, you will never make this writing thing work. You have to allow yourself to be successful, it is the only way to build confidence and without that inner confidence, the outer pressure will crush this dream before it gets off the ground. This applies to much more than writing--in every part of our life it's through the accomplishment of objectives that we grow in our belief that we can do well at things. Set yourself up for success by setting small attainable goals.<br />
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Third, CELEBRATE ACCOMPLISHMENT.<br />
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When we accomplish those small and attainable goals, we need to celebrate them. In this case it's not a party (though it could be cake) it's simply being conscious that you did what you said you would do. You can say it out loud "I just wrote for 15 minutes!" you can write it down, you can tell a friend. Don't simply set another goal, take a moment to celebrate the one you just accomplished. This conscious practice of celebrating success floods your brain with happy chemicals that help teach your brain what to derive pleasure from. It is pleasurable to succeed at things, but since we're used to "I shouldn't be enough" it takes some training to get your brain on board with this. Find people who will celebrate with you--not everyone will--and share your success with them while inviting them to share their success with you. Many times we surround ourselves with people who are far more comfortable with our whining than our winning. Find people who will allow you to share your excitement and let them celebrate with you.<br />
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Four, TAKE FAILURE IN STRIDE.<br />
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Failure is both powerful and inevitable. You will face it and it will hurt. There will be some people who will try to spin it into "That wasn't fair" or "They don't know what they're talking about" and while it's nice to have that kind of support, if we don't "listen" to our failures and find out what they can teach us, we won't be better for them. On the other hand, if we let our failures stop us, we are giving them too much power. For me, I have tried to find a balance of feeling the hurt and embarrassment and disappointment for a period of time, and then forcing myself to be objective about it. Look for the truth in the failures and rejections, but don't live there. Remind yourself over and over again that this is a journey. You are not taking it only to accomplish something, you are here to learn. It's been said that you can learn more from your failures than your successes, I think this is true but it's up to you whether or not you approach them that way.<br />
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Best of luck. Happy Writing.</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-20553526688852079992014-04-21T08:23:00.000-07:002014-04-21T08:23:04.105-07:00Altered Perceptions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have often said one of the best parts of my writing career has been the people I've met through my writing. One of the people I've met is <a href="http://www.robisonwells.com/" target="_blank">Robison Wells</a>. I knew him before he began publishing nationally, before he moved to my neck of the woods, and before he was diagnosed with his first mental illness (Panic Disorder), which led to--or revealed--some others (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Self Harm and some others.) In the years since his diagnosis his life has changed dramatically. Unable to use his education (MBA) because he is unable to function in the workplace, he has turned his efforts to full-time writing. It's gone well for him, he's been able to create schedules and networks that have made it work within the limitations of his circumstances, but writing doesn't give the same kind of security as a day-job that comes with. We are subcontractors, not employees, so we can't get health insurance or 401Ks or have our taxes paid through our publishers. The pay is sporadic and dependent on making the right connections with publishers and readers. Our contracts are for limited projects or timelines and the success of our books are dependent on a lot of people other than ourselves. Adding mental illness to the balance of things and it becomes tricky to the extreme.<br />
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In hopes of helping Rob support his family and pay off rising medical debts related to the struggles he's had, several of his writer friends have come together on an anthology project kind of like the "Bonus Features" you find on DVDs. Here are some examples of the contributions: <a href="http://allycondie.com/" target="_blank">Ally Condie</a> is writing the forward, <a href="http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/" target="_blank">Dan Wells</a> wrote the Introduction. <a href="http://brandonsanderson.com/" target="_blank">Brandon Sanderson</a> is different 5 "altered" chapters from Way of Kings and <a href="http://www.jessicadaygeorge.com/" target="_blank">Jessica Day George</a> is offering a deleted scene from Princess of Glass. There are well over a dozen other contributions, each of them unique and never been seen before.<br />
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For my part, I submitted the original opening chapters of Tres Leches Cupcake (Book 8 in my culinary mystery series). I wrote the chapters a few years ago and loved the intensity until i realized that nothing else in the book matched it; it was like writing the climax for the opening, which is never a good idea. But now those chapters, which have been patiently waiting on my hard drive, get life and, in the process, get to help someone else's real life.<br />
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This project is called <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/altered-perceptions#home" target="_blank">"Altered Perception" and it was launched on Kickstarter</a> today (April 21) There are ebook and hardback versions of the anthology available for pre-order as well as "Perks" donated by the authors for additional fundraising. There is some impressive stuff being made available and it's for a great cause; helping Rob and helping raise awareness for people struggling like he is.<br />
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You can read more about the project here as well as buy copies and perks. I hope you'll take a minute to check it out, share it on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and whatever other networks you belong to. We've all seen people come together and make a small contribution to a huge undertaking. This is the chance to do exactly that. I hope you will.</div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-71224062682314865522013-10-28T10:39:00.000-07:002013-10-28T14:01:40.361-07:00Last Five Books I've Read<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Per a blog topic request I did a bit ago, one suggestion was my five favorite books this year. I'm not sure I've read enough books to choose my top five, so instead I'll put the last seven books I've read:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/24/ReadingLolitainTehran.jpg/220px-ReadingLolitainTehran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/24/ReadingLolitainTehran.jpg/220px-ReadingLolitainTehran.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Lolita-Tehran-Memoir-Books/dp/0812979303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382977150&sr=8-1&keywords=reading+lolita+in+tehran" target="_blank"><i>Reading Lolita in Tehran</i> by Azar Nafisi</a><br />
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I'm not quite finished with this one yet, and I don't even know how to evaluate it exactly because of that fact. It is more literary than I usually read, and it's discussing books I've never read, but I am rather captured by it. I'm listening to the audio, which has a great reader, and I probably have another week or so before I finish. I have determined that I will never read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lolita-Anniversary-Edition-Vladimir-Nabokov/dp/0679723161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382977293&sr=8-1&keywords=Lolita" target="_blank">Lolita</a></i>, and I've learned some very intellectual evaluations of some other classics, and I am more grateful than ever to be an American. <i>Reading Lolita in Tehran</i> is a memoir from a former English Literature professor in Tehran before/during the revolution that turned a relatively progressive country into the Islamic Republic of Iran. Fascinating look at a culture different than my own, but also very interesting in light of different groups I see in our own country trying to control the actions of everyone else. I have heard that the end is intense, and I have a feeling I know what happens so we'll see how I feel when I finish it. Right now I would rate it a PG 13 but that might change by the end.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Tracked-Whitney-Gaskell/dp/0553589695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382977381&sr=8-1&keywords=Mommy+tracked" target="_blank"><i>Mommy Tracked</i> by Whitney Gaskell</a><br />
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This is a book about four different moms--different types of moms--and the struggles each of them are facing within their roles. The chapters switch between the four characters and I liked the way it showed such differing women and different problems. I liked that it wasn't a 'man hater' book nor was it a 'super mom' book. It was more like 4 women's fiction novels put into one, showing each woman and what she was up against. The stories were good, though most of these women live a more cosmopolitan life than I do and so there were some portions that I did not relate to well. And, at the end of the book I found that while I liked each woman a bit better than I had in the beginning, there wasn't a single one that I felt I really related to; that I felt approached the role like I did. Not that I do it right or they do it wrong, but I think because my lifestyle is different and my motivations are different, I didn't 'fit' within the relationships of this story. The writing was good although the author had a tendency to use adverbs in dialogue tags like "she said sarcastically" "He said loquaciously" "she said energetically" "He said darkly" "she said humorously" "He said charmingly" and I did tire of all those adverbs. This was a rate R book.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn3.deseretbook.com/images/product-images/66/89366/cometozion_vol1and2_detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://cdn3.deseretbook.com/images/product-images/66/89366/cometozion_vol1and2_detail.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Come-Zion-Wind-Waves-Volume-ebook/dp/B00852YZ4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382977869&sr=8-1&keywords=Wind+and+the+waves" target="_blank"><i>Come to Zion Volume 1 & 2</i> by Dean Hughes</a><br />
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This is a story about English converts to the Mormon church at the time of mass immigration to Nauvoo. The first book follows the individual characters through their processes of converstion and then their crossing of the ocean to come to Zion. The second volume shows the life in Nauvoo as the church is still trying to figure itself out and then loses its first prophet. I love Dean Hughs and I have the other LDS fiction series he's written and have enjoyed this one just as much. One of the things I love about Hughs is how much I learn through the stories he writes. He does a fabulous job of showing the details of times and places. I feel that I better learn the facts through seeing people live through these times. One of the things I loved, loved, loved about this story is the imperfections he allows us to see in the early saints. We so often put early saints on pedestals and believe that they were these amazingly perfect people of faith and character. I have never believed this was the norm. Yes, they had great faith. Yes, they made great sacrifice. Yes, they paved the way for so many of their posterity to benefit from both of those things. But they could not have been perfect. They had to have had doubts. And they had to have been taking their journeys for their own growth--not ours. That meant it was hard for them, it means they struggled, it means that some of them were jerks. I like that Hugh shows this. I'm a bit nervous about the next book because it will involve polygamy which is still a difficult thing for me to deal with, but I trust Hughs and am therefore willing to take this journey with him. These books are rated PG.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/SchoolsAndPrograms/High%20Schools/HazelwoodCentralHighSchool/HCHS_LibraryMediaCenter/PublishingImages/three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/SchoolsAndPrograms/High%20Schools/HazelwoodCentralHighSchool/HCHS_LibraryMediaCenter/PublishingImages/three.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Three-Little-Words-A-Memoir/dp/1416948074/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382978311&sr=8-2&keywords=Three+little+words" target="_blank"><i>Three Little Words</i> by Ashley Rhodes-Courter</a><br />
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This is a memoir about a girl who got lost in the Florida foster care system in (I believe) the late 80's--before many reforms were implements. The book covers her story from being a toddler taken from her dysfunction mother, to a child living in a variety of homes that were not equipped to truly care for her, to young woman finally in an adoptive family. It did not sugar coat anything but neither did it feel gratuitous. It was shocking to see how many times the system failed her, frustrating to see how ungracious she was when she got an adoptive family, and humbling to see those people who gave Ashley a chance to really change her course. My husband and I have recently become Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and this book was required reading in our training. Since then, our appointments have become official and we are working together with a child whose family is involved in a DCFS case. It is our job to report to the Guardian ad Litem about how they are doing, what's working and what's not. I've reflected on Ashley's story many times, looking toward those things that made a difference for her story. I listened to the audio version which was read by Ashley herself. For me, this was a paradigm shifting book and I highly recommend it. I would rate this PG 13.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enders-Game-The-Ender-Quintet/dp/0812550706/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382979837&sr=8-2&keywords=enders+game" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enders-Game-The-Ender-Quintet/dp/0812550706/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382979837&sr=8-2&keywords=enders+game" target="_blank"><i>Ender's Game</i> by Orson Scott Card</a><br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/Ender%27s_game_cover_ISBN_0312932081.jpg/160px-Ender%27s_game_cover_ISBN_0312932081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/Ender's_game_cover_ISBN_0312932081.jpg/160px-Ender's_game_cover_ISBN_0312932081.jpg" width="133" /></a>I am not a Sci-fi reader, and I'm not a big YA reader. But the movie is coming out, I have heard about this book for years, and I decided to listen to it during a long road trip. I was reminded why I don't like science fiction, and yet I do agree that this book is more than that and it crosses that genre line. It's a story about a boy being trained to be a military commander in an intergalactic war. There were parts that were hard to listen to because of the fact that it was a little boy in the story, there were also parts that I would have liked more clarification on, but all in all I liked the story. My favorite part was toward the end, after the climax and many changes have taken place. Ender reflects on the fact that in order to know people well enough to beat them with his military tactics, he has to know them so well that he loves them. Which then leaves him torn between the feelings of empathy for his enemies and loyalty to his side of the war. I found that absolutely fascinating and for me it made the story both complete and important. The writing is fabulous, the story was easy to follow, and I am glad I read it. I listened to this on audio and liked that as well. If I were sitting and reading I'm not sure I could have stayed with it simply due to the genre not being one that I like. I listened to the first chapter of the next book, Speaker for the Dead, and determined that I will likely not read any other books in this series. Not that it's bad, but it's just not my thing. I would rate this book PG 13. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_0_6?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=fahrenheit%20451&sprefix=Farien%2Caps%2C216&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Afahrenheit%20451&ajr=2" target="_blank"><i>Farenhieit 451</i> by Ray Bradbury</a><br />
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I read this book many moons ago in high school and remembered liking it. I have talked about and heard about it many times since then. Recently, after mentioning a part of it in a presentation, I realized that I had heard about that part I quoted from someone else--I didn't remember it on my own. I decided to read the book again and I am so glad I did. I've heard people say that Bradbury is overrated--I disagree. I love his use of words. I loved the depth of this story, the reflections it made to our time right now, and the connection it gave me to the time when I had read this book the first time. I listened to it on audio and the reader was excellent but I want to get a new copy of the book and highlight some of the ways Bradbury used words. For me this is a beautiful story and made me want to seek out more Bradbury in the future. It also reminded me that while there are only so many words out there, the way they are put together can make them feel brand new. Included at the end of this audio were some thoughts from Bradbury about the book and some very interesting cases of censorship that had taken place with this book in the preceding decades. What irony. I loved hearing Bradbury's comments and learning how this story came together for him. I would rate this book a soft PG 13, more from ability to understand content than from anything of a sexual or violent nature.<br />
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As you can see, I am moving more and more toward audio books as the time to sit and read seems to be a more and more fleeting experience for me. It has allowed me, also, to 'read' books I likely would never have read if I had to sit down to do it. Sitting to read, for me, is an experience of intimacy and visualization--I will continue to reserve it for those books who are best enjoyed in that situation. </div>
Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25267270.post-78952682900811253142013-10-01T10:24:00.000-07:002013-10-01T10:24:40.330-07:00Questions From Dina, Answers From Josi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I put out a request on Facebook a couple of weeks ago regarding blog topics. I've just finished a book and that gets my fingers itching to blog, but sometimes I don't know what to talk about. I had several fun responses and I'll be covering them for the next little bit. Today, I'm going to answer several questions that Dina asked--I fully expect everyone to be wowed by my answers! :-)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>How to keep three teen boys fed and full on a tight budget?</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ2q9A3PN8HJ5XECWisb7o3qZ68-KUYvO8M_JqFPar4S7JkJE_0shVUIGWG_Z2sMr_QBBnQMEl2PnEqAPCFHw-4D7KI_GQxU9D3hrtfEtxIbfUwygPygL41VpmDKObqZtE5SFTg/s1600/the+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ2q9A3PN8HJ5XECWisb7o3qZ68-KUYvO8M_JqFPar4S7JkJE_0shVUIGWG_Z2sMr_QBBnQMEl2PnEqAPCFHw-4D7KI_GQxU9D3hrtfEtxIbfUwygPygL41VpmDKObqZtE5SFTg/s200/the+boys.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I do not have three teen boys--but I do have one and just keeping him fed and full can be a challenge. I had four brothers growing up (Those are my brothers in the photo) and I was amazed at how much food they could pack away. AND, I am one of nine kids raised on a school teachers salary--so home economy is in my nature and my nurture. So here are my suggestions and though I like to sound like an expert, I may very well have this wrong but I'm trying :-)</div>
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-Growing up my mom always made a lot of food for dinner so that we could have leftovers. She then somehow trained us to like leftovers for snacks. This kept her from having to prepare food over and over again and there was always something yummy in the fridge. It was usually something more healthy than traditional snack food, too.</div>
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-Years ago I bought this book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Tightwad-Gazette-Dacyczyn/dp/0375752250/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380646193&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tightwad+gazette" target="_blank">The Tightwad Gazette, </a>which was published by a woman who was on Oprah as the biggest tightwad on the planet. I am amazed at the penny-pinching methods she used, but more than that I was really impressed with how dang happy she and her family were. They had made it into a family goal and they had fun with it. I haven't employed all of the tips, but several of them have worked their way into my lifestyle and the toffee recipe she makes at Christmas, is awesome! (and cheap)</div>
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-Fat and protein make people feel fuller longer. Not the kind of fat in a twinkie, but the kind of fat in meats, dairy, fish, coconut oil and olive oil. Try buying meats in bulk and freezing it, teach kids how to make a hamburger on their own, keep lots of canned tunna and chicken around which can easily be made into a casserole, sandwich, salad, or wrap. One chicken salad sandwich can do the job of six pieces of toast with jam. I've been working on helping my son recognize the need for protein with every meal--string cheese, hard boiled eggs, meat of some kind or another. He's gotten a lot better at it and admits that he is fuller longer--for instance I used to do Oatmeal for breakfast but he gets to 10:00 and is "starving his face off" so now I make sure I make some eggs too. Luckily, I really like cooking breakfast. When he starts with good protein, he doesn't seem to be hungry all day long. I also buy protein shakes and bars in bulk at Costco so there are quick grab things for him to take.</div>
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There you go--that is the gammut of my expertise on feeding teen boys :-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3SFpw_mcHU5ys4w4p8KxD6SYM9zOvr_6wazZXxi5aP3B_Y0Ajg1ulBwp-XnRBufv40aq-oGTNS1vjkOTPIKfne5yPp50odVp4WOdmWZqwhj-D9lylIQwd5JY4NtEz6B8dUrMzw/s1600/DSCN1850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3SFpw_mcHU5ys4w4p8KxD6SYM9zOvr_6wazZXxi5aP3B_Y0Ajg1ulBwp-XnRBufv40aq-oGTNS1vjkOTPIKfne5yPp50odVp4WOdmWZqwhj-D9lylIQwd5JY4NtEz6B8dUrMzw/s200/DSCN1850.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>Things to do with exchange students for free?</i></span></div>
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We had an exchange student last year (pictured left), it was a lot of fun. I realized that while I had assumed he'd want to go to movies and bowling and that type of thing, he was as interested in just our 'community' as he was anything else. So, my suggestions would be go to different playgrounds--teenage boys always seem to be able to enterain themselves at those. How about Frisbee golf courses, hikes, and national monuments in your area. Going to state capitols, historic buildings, museums, and churchs can be interesting. Often we are so used to the things in our area that we forget how interesting they can be to someone else. I would never plan long trips because it might be 1) boring for them 2) overwhelming for them.</div>
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From the comments you made it sounds like you're already doing a lot of expos and things--those are awesome. You could also look into car shows, community theater, and local libraries that have events. Do you have friends that would give you guys a tour of where they work? Maybe call the news stations, sports arenas, and animal shelters for tours there too. And the more excited you are about something, the more excited they will be. And take lots of pictures!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Do you have Grandchildren? If so, what do you like and what don't you like about it? If not, what do you think about that time in your life?</i></span></div>
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I kind of have grandchildren (pictured left.) My husband and I raised his niece for several years and she has two boys. They are our grandchildren in the way that my husband and I are parent figures in my niece's life, but I don't think it's like a real grandchildren relationship in other ways because several family members helped to raise our niece and when she and her family married, his parents took that central role as grandparents for the boys and are quite close to them. She and her husband have divorced and he has primary custody now. She lives several hours away, so we don't get to see them very often. I have loved watching them grow up and it's always a treat to see them, but because of circumstances we aren't in their lives very often. </div>
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I anticipate that things will be different with actual grandchildren, that I'll be more involved with their parent's lives and therefore more involved in theirs. I don't want to be the grandma who is constantly babysitting--I don't' know how I ever did it with my own now that they are past that point--but I'm looking forward to that time and plan to enjoy them very much. I'm getting closer to that point of life every year so it is something I ought to ponder on a bit more. :-)</div>
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<a href="http://www.ledr.com/colours/black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://www.ledr.com/colours/black.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What's your favorite color? Has it always been your favorite color? if not, what other colors have been your favorites and why?</i></span></div>
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My favorite color is black. It has been my favorite color since junior high. It's probably my favorite because I look good when I'm wearing it and it matches everything. I am a bit color-disabled. I'm not good at visual arts, which makes clothing and home design not a natural fit for me. For many years 90% of my wardrobe was black or white, then I added some gray (I know, craaaaaazy) and then some red. In the last few years I've gotten all colorful and have one item of almost every color, but I still love black best of all. I go back to it over and over. If I were to boil it down, it would be because black is an easy color. I have plenty of other things about me that are complicated, so it's nice that this one thing is not. I do remember being in elementary school and my favorite color changing all the time--usually because I wanted a favorite color that no one else had. Black might have served that purpose too.</div>
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Thanks Dina, I hope the answers were satisfying :-)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"></span>
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Josihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.com1