How to Clean a Basement, Write a Book, or Change the World by Rochelle Melander

Posted on June 18, 2013 by writenowcoach

file0001434072812When asked, “How do you write?” I invariably answer, “one word at a time.” —Stephen King

I’ve been meaning to clean the basement for some time. Every week, I dutifully scribble, “clean the basement” on my to-do list. And every week, I look at that entry, and my stomach sinks. Before I pick up a single box, I’m overwhelmed.

Of course, that’s not the only thing on my to-do list that sends my stomach into back flips. Every week for some time now, I’ve also written: “Revise the novel” and “Write new book” on my to-do list.

You can guess how much progress I’ve made on both the basement and the books: zero. Here’s why: my brain cannot cope with huge tasks like, “clean the basement.” I might as well have added to my to-do list, “Tackle global warming.”

Humans do not do well with giant steps or drastic changes. Why do you think so many of us fail at these lifestyle-changing diets? The fear part of our brain freaks out. Instead of cleaning the basement, revising the novel, or writing that book, we will do just about anything to avoid that big, scary goal.

Think about your own writing life and tackling that big project you’ve wanted to take on for years. Or consider cleaning out one of the places you’ve packed to the gills with stuff (the attic, garage, car trunk). Did your stomach just sink a bit? Maybe you had a sudden urge to eat chocolate or get a root canal, anything to avoid “the big task.”

Don’t worry. Take a deep breath. I have a solution for you: take a small step. According to Robert Maurer, author of One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, we avoid that sinking feeling by taking absurdly small steps toward our goals. Instead of filling our to-do list with big chunks like, “Write book” or “Clean house,” we list tiny actions like “write a paragraph about taking small steps.”

Try it: Write down a small step you can take toward finishing your big project. If your stomach still flips or sinks, then you need an even smaller step. So, “write a paragraph about taking small steps” becomes “write a sentence about taking small steps” or “list small steps I have taken.”

Pro tip: I’ve found it helpful to list a bunch of small steps toward my big goal at one time. That way, I have some choices about which small step I’d like to tackle.

You may be wondering, “How will I ever finish my book this way?” Yeah, when you have a big goal like writing a book, taking baby steps does sound a bit counterintuitive. Think about it this way. If you wrote just 200 words a day—that’s less than a double-spaced page—you’d have a 73, 000-word book at the end of the year. Wow.

Bottom line, writers: Keep in mind the old joke: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That’s how you write a book, clean the basement, or change the world: one teenie-weenie step at a time.

Your turn: How have small steps helped you tackle big goals? Share your story below!

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Writers Read: The Happy Writer—An Oxymoron? By Sylvie Kurtz

Posted on June 14, 2013 by writenowcoach

I’m delighted to welcome Sylvie Kurtz to the blog today. We met on Twitter (of course!), where she tweets great writing tips and tools. I recently learned that we share a passion for positive psychology. In today’s Writers Read post, Kurtz shares her favorite positive psychology reads for writers. At the end of the post, learn how you can enter to win a copy of her book, Honor of a Hunter.

sylviekurtzWriters Read: The Happy Writer—An Oxymoron? By Sylvie Kurtz

There’s an image of a writer that’s been floating around forever. He’s a tortured soul who writes alone in a garret, yet from that darkness flows brilliant prose that stirs the reader’s soul. Only after he’s dead, of course. No one appreciates him while he’s alive. To write well, a lot of people think, you need to have had a bad childhood or gone through some dark night of the soul.

I can tell you that dark night experiences don’t lead to being productive. In my case, it led to not writing for six years.

Research shows that happy people are more productive. And in this world where producing might mean being able to pay bills, the question begs, how does one become a happy writer?

Here are five science-based books that can help you get you to a happier state of being. The goal isn’t to be happy 100% of the time—that’s not realistic. We are humans having a human experience and that means feeling ups and downs. The goal is to reset the normal to a higher level and feel happier overall.

The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky goes through research on how those who are happy get happy. She found that 50% of your happiness set point comes from your genetic makeup and 10% from your circumstances. The remaining 40% is within your power to change. She offers strategies and activities that will help raise your happiness set point. Most are easy and take little time. She even has a quiz that will let you know which activity will be most valuable for you.

Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a classic that I read when I first started writing a long time ago. If you’ve ever had the experience of writing in flow, you know it’s an amazing place. Csikszentmihalyi explains what flow is and how to get to that state more often. I don’t think I’m giving away a spoiler if I reveal that when you’re happy, it’s easier to find flow.

Mindset by Carol S. Dweck is a book I wished I’d come across when my kids were still young. Her research on mindset offers a fascinating insight on how our mind works to set us up for success or failure. A fixed mindset keeps you stuck, but a growth mindset makes you open and flexible. By training your mind to bend toward the growth mindset, you can change your internal editor’s talk from negative to supportive. When I don’t have that internal editor sitting on my shoulder, I can write faster and truer.

The next two books are what I call Kaizen books. They offer one small bite that’s easy to digest and apply to your life, allowing change to happen without pain.

Choose the Life You Want by Tal Ben-Shahar offers 101 ways to create your own road to happiness. The chapters are about two pages long, which makes them perfect to read right before going to bed or while waiting in the carpool lane or at the doctor’s office. There’s an explanation of a principle, a call to action, and a story that illustrates the principle. That makes it easy to take small steps that can lead to great change in the long run.

Just One Thing by Rick Hanson has 52 principles—one for each week of a year. Each chapter is short, with mindfulness principles to ponder and practice over a whole week. This book also works on the law of small things. “If a practice is a hassle, most people (including me) are not going to do it,” Hanson writes. “It’s the law of little things: because of slowly accumulating changes in neural structure due to mental activity, lots of little things can wear down your well-being—and lots of little things can get you to a better place.”

With awareness, you can resculpt the neural pathways in your mind, deepening the more positive lanes and letting the negative ruts grow thick with weeds from disuse. That doesn’t mean you can’t access those darker emotions you need to create a rollercoaster experience for your reader. It means that you choose not to stay there after your writing session is over.

You can make a conscious choice to be happier. And a happier writer is more balanced, more productive and more creative. Now that’s a scientifically supported picture I want to live with!

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About the author: Sylvie Kurtz writes adventures that explore the complexity of the human mind and the thrill of suspense. She likes dark chocolate, soft wool and sappy movies. For more information, visit www.sylviekurtz.com. Follow her on Twitter @sylviekurtz

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Rock Your Secret Superpowers by Rochelle Melander

Posted on June 11, 2013 by writenowcoach

Note From Rochelle

Dear Writers,

Happy June! I was delighted to be named Artist of the Month by the Southeastern Wisconsin Arts Guild (S.W.A.G.). S.W.A.G offers artists and writers an opportunity to learn about and connect with each other. The blog regularly promotes members’ events. And if that wasn’t enough, members receive discounted ticket prices on many major art events in the city! If you’re an artist in southeastern Wisconsin, go check out S.W.A.G.’s great site!

I’m not quite sure what the artist of the month does, but I plan to use my powers for good. Today’s task: encouraging you! Read on to learn how you can discover and use your secret super powers!

Happy writing, Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach 

file000476724149Rock Your Secret Superpowers by Rochelle Melander

Did you know, you were born as the first, and the last and the best and the only one of your kind, and that eccentricity is the first sign of giftedness? These are two of the crone truths I have to offer you. —Clarissa Pinkola Estes, The Dangerous Old Woman: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

I recently had a conversation with a three-year-old boy wearing a cape. He told me about his secret super powers (I’m not allowed to share them with you). I don’t know about you, but on most days a few super powers (not to mention the cape) would come in mighty handy for writing.

Author and Jungian psychoanalyst Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes says that we can find our giftedness (e.g., our secret super powers) inside our eccentricities. Often people criticize us for the very thing that makes us unique and exceptional. She encourages people to list everything they’ve been ridiculed or criticized for—and then look for the gift hiding under the criticisms.

When I did the exercise, I remembered something a colleague said to me in grad school, “It’s not that you lack intelligence. It’s just that you’re not serious enough.” At the time, I felt criticized and hurt. I ranted in my head: “What did she mean by not serious enough. I’ll show her. I can be just as serious as the rest of them.” But I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, I could not hide or lose my sense of humor.

Perhaps that classmate was offering constructive criticism, but now I hear it as a sign: You are playful. You are funny. Keep that at the heart of your work. When I’m stuck with writing, I can always write forward by using my secret super power: my sense of humor.

Writers, take a second look at the criticisms you have received. Make a list of those eccentricities that your friends and family complain about. Then dig a bit deeper to find your genius—or secret super power—lurking inside those eccentricities. Once you know your secret super powers, you can use them to overcome writer’s block and finish that writing project!

Your turn: How have you found your secret super powers?

 

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Writers Read: Five Favorite Freelancing Books by Kelly James-Enger

Posted on June 7, 2013 by writenowcoach

I’m thrilled to welcome Kelly James-Enger to the blog to talk about her five favorite freelancing books. Earlier this year, I began doing more freelancing again and needed help. I turned to Kelly James-Enger’s new book and my new favorite resource: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. Today, Kelly shares with us five of her favorite freelancing books:

KellyJamesEnger2Writers Read: Five Favorite Freelancing Books by Kelly James-Enger

I’m the first to admit that I knew nothing when I launched my fulltime freelance career in January, 1997. That was back before the Internet had thousands of websites, blogs, and online communities I could turn to as I attempted to find my way. I’d never taken a journalism class and only had two clips to my name when I quit my job as an attorney to become self-employed.

What saved me? Books. Books on freelancing, books on self-employment, and books on marketing. I read everything I could find that was somehow related to my new career, and incorporated my knowledge into my business. Even today, as an author myself, I’m always on the prowl for books that may help me work more efficiently, make more money, and improve my craft as a writer. Some of my favorite books on writing include:

The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner (Riverhead, 2001). This book was recommended by a friend of mine, and I devoured it in one sitting. Lerner’s description of the writer’s inner dialogue (“I am great. I am shit. I am great. I am shit. I am great. I am shit.”) has always stayed with me, and the book is fascinating, funny, and full of anecdotes about the real world of book publishing.

How to Write a Book Proposal, fourth edition by Michael Larsen (Writer’s Digest Books, 1997; fourth edition, 2011). When I wanted to make the transition from magazine freelancer to published author, I relied on an earlier edition of this practical, info-packed book. It’s a how-to guide for any writer who wants to sell his nonfiction book to a traditional publisher.

The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less by Peter Bowerman (Fanove Publishing, 2000). If you want to write for corporations, businesses, and nonprofits, you can’t do better than Bowerman. His book is loaded with lots of practical suggestions and samples for writers who want to crack this lucrative market. (If you’re interested in self-publishing, his more recent book, The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is an invaluable guide to the process and will help you avoid common pitfalls.)

The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing by Timothy Harper, editor (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2003). While this book is ten years old, it still provides an excellent overview of issues facing fulltime and part-time freelancers. Each chapter is written by a different ASJA member, and covers topics ranging from queries to reslanting to taxes and networking.

Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, second edition, by Kelly James-Enger (Improvise Press, 2013). I wrote the first edition of this book with only a few years’ of fulltime freelance experience, and heard from hundreds of writers after it was first published in 2003. I revised and updated it this year, and it includes two dozen templates, marketing and social media advice, techniques to work more efficiently and tips from more than 20 successful six-figure freelancers. I believe it’s the best book I’ve written on freelancing, and I hope you’ll find it as helpful as other readers have!

Your turn: What’s your favorite freelancing book?

About the author. Kelly James-Enger is the author of books including Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, second edition and Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. Both books are available through any brick-and-mortar or online bookstore. You can also order copies directly through Improvise Press; use the discount code “IMPROVISEPRESS” (all caps/no breaks) when you order for 20 percent off of each book.

 

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The Writing Habit by Rochelle Melander

Posted on June 4, 2013 by writenowcoach

IMG_1630One hasn’t become a writer until one has distilled writing into a habit, and that habit has been forced into an obsession. Writing has to be an obsession. It has to be something as organic, physiological and psychological as speaking or sleeping or eating. —Niyi Osundare

In the book The Power of Habit, author Charles Duhigg suggests that our habits have three distinct steps: cue, practice, reward. This habit loop might be as simple as brushing our teeth:

Cue: It’s bedtime.

Practice: Brush Teeth

Reward: Ohhh! My mouth feels fresh and clean.

 

Writers can increase their writing productivity by making writing a habit.

+When J. K. Rowling was writing Harry Potter, the minute her daughter fell asleep (cue), she’d take off for the café and write (habit).

+Flannery O’Connor also believed in the habit of writing, saying: “I’m a full-time believer in writing habits…You may be able to do without them if you have genius but most of us only have talent and this is simply something that has to be assisted all the time by physical and mental habits or it dries up and blows away…Of course you have to make your habits in this conform to what you can do. I write only about two hours every day because that’s all the energy I have, but I don’t let anything interfere with those two hours, at the same time and the same place.” (From The Habits of Being, quoted at Lena Sledge’s Blog)

+I’ve nurtured my writing habit by creating a morning ritual. Before I check Facebook or email, I take a look at my writing task of the day—left on an index card next to my computer—and write. Once I’ve put in my writing time, I reward myself with a trip to Facebook or a walk around the block.

Try this: Find a cue that will remind you to write. Create a ritual around it. Enjoy the reward of getting more work done!

Your turn: Share your tips on how to make writing a habit!

 

 

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The Antidote by Rochelle Melander

Posted on May 28, 2013 by writenowcoach

file0001860537293I mean, I have the feeling that something in my mind is poisoning everything else.            —Vladimir Nabokov

Scientists who study venomous animals know that understanding how an animal’s venom affects its victim will provide the key to creating the antidote. Writers are regularly attacked and often blocked by venomous thoughts or practices. But once we know our poison, we can develop effective antidotes.

One of my clients has the tendency to get lost on creative side trips. She’ll be making good progress on her novel when a thought strikes her: “Oh! Oh! Maybe I could write better if I rearranged my office!” And she’s off: sketching new layouts, searching online for organizing tools, even moving the furniture. She’s since learned the antidote to these amazing ideas: jot them down and address them AFTER she’s put in her writing time.

Consider the last five times you’ve been derailed by negative thoughts, distracting practices, or external distractions. What happened? How have you overcome destructive thoughts or unproductive practices in the past? Create an antidote to help you keep writing—and use it.

Your turn: What are your favorite antidotes to negative thinking, writer’s block or external distractions? Share your thoughts below.

 

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Writers Read: The Stories that Don’t Make Sense by Jocelyn Koehler

Posted on May 24, 2013 by writenowcoach

Our Friday Writers Read posts give authors an opportunity to write about the books that inspire their work. Today, Jocelyn Koehler writes about the enigmatic and engaging world of fairy tales—contemplating how we make sense of the stories that don’t make sense. Jocelyn will also be one of the guests at our June Write Now! Mastermind class. She’ll bring her experience as an author, editor, and publisher to talk about: From Premise to Published: How to get your book from first draft to first sale. If you’re not already a member of the Write Now! Mastermind class, you can sign up here. And don’t forget to enter the contest to win an electronic copy of Jocelyn Koehler’s new book End to End.

EtE copyWriters Read: The Stories that Don’t Make Sense by Jocelyn Koehler

When I was young, I devoured fairy tales. I started with the easy ones (in which Mickey Mouse often played the role of the hero), but soon moved onto the more nuanced tales of the Grimms, Andersen, and Perrault. I’d also pick up folktale anthologies whenever I saw them.

So I had a lot of stories in my stack. Some, like Cinderella, had a simple and undeniable appeal: good girl, fancy party, happy ending. Easy! Other tales were not so digestible. One of the trickiest tales for me was the Scottish legend Tam Lin, whether as a poem or prose. It was so clearly a love story, yet I hated the suggestion of rape that so many versions contained:

He took her by the milk-white hand,

And by the grass green sleeve,

And laid her low down on the flowers,

At her he asked no leave.

As an impressionable young reader, that detail jumped out at me, and rendered the rest of the story difficult. If Tam Lin seduced Janet, why would she be willing to risk her life for him? Clearly, something was missing. In the centuries since the first telling and the last, someone had made a big mistake.

Things like this were one reason fairy tales became a bit of an obsession for me. I packed my shelves with books that offered new versions or ways to explain the psychology at work in such stories. Here are a few of them:

Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm by Philip Pullman

Pullman gathered fifty of the original 200+ tales and carefully honed them into tidier shapes. In other words, he acts as editor as much as a writer here. Anyone who has read the originals will recognize these versions. His sometimes tart commentary shows up in the notes following each tale. A writer could study these tales to understand how the structure and wording can be worked to be tight and flat as well, a fairy tale. And the book can certainly be used as an introduction and jumping off point for those who really want to dig into folktales and mythologies.

Changing Woman and Her Sisters: Stories of Goddesses from Around the World by Trina Schart Hyman & Katrin Hyman Tchana

This is a lavish picture book featuring stories of goddesses in ten different cultures. In addition to the lovely, haunting illustrations, the stories show just how much common ground folktales share, no matter where they come from. Brave daughters, young lovers, vengeful spirits, and divine inspiration can be found anywhere.

My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales edited by Kate Bernheimer.

In this anthology, some big name modern writers offer their own versions of fairy tales, which are almost always darker and often more frightening than the originals. It’s in collections like this one that readers realize how close to horror a lot of folktales can be. But at the same time, the new interpretations can often illuminate a meaning perfectly, in a way that makes you say, “Oh, of course that’s what that means! Why didn’t I see it before?”

After reading many of these types of books, I got a better sense of how I could read the difficult tales like Tam Lin, shedding the historical skin of the story to get at the heart of the narrative. In an effort to explain to myself how the story might work, I rewrote it entirely, changing the setting to a fairytale world rather like Japan. I gave Tam Lin a better reason for his elusiveness, and gave my protagonist a new name (Pearl) as well as a more inward-facing quest. I don’t know if my version will work for all readers, but it certainly helped me reconcile some of my issues with the familiar legend.

Your turn: If you’re a writer, do you read or write your way out of problems? And as a reader, do you keep looking for the “right” story? And how do you know when you’ve found it?

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JK headshotAbout the author. Jocelyn Koehler writes science fiction and fantasy. Some of her creative fiction has appeared in places like Crossed Genres, Actionman Magazine, and BURST. Her longer fiction is published by Hammer & Birch. Her latest book is End to End, published in May 2013.

Find Jocelyn Koehler online here:

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Overcome Overwhelm by Rochelle Melander

Posted on May 21, 2013 by writenowcoach
Muffin helping me edit.

Muffin helping me edit.

I’ve been discouraged lately. My novel needs to be revised, and I’m not quite sure how I want to approach it. With all of the changes going on in the publishing world, I worry about the future of books and publishing. And I’m tired of tuning into social media and being barraged by constant self-promotion.

I’m not alone. In the past few weeks, I’ve spoken to quite a few writers who are overwhelmed by juggling writing, sorting out publishing options, and mastering social media. It’s hard to figure out what to do. And this constant wonder and worry creates stress. So, I’ve been seeking comfort and inspiration in the usual places—books, movies, art, and nature. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share with you the tips and tools I find to overcome overwhelm. Today’s tip—rest.

When I feel overwhelmed by either life or writing, I tend to dig in and try harder. Maybe you can relate: Can’t figure out what happens next in the novel? Stare at it until a plot emerges. Wondering how to boost business? Spend hours surfing freelance writing websites until dizzy. Not sure how to focus social media efforts? Look at everyone’s shiny, happy photos on Facebook until you’re truly depressed.

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown recommends that when we feel exhausted and overwhelmed, we can get relief by being deliberate about our thoughts, getting inspired to make new choices, and taking action.

So instead of working harder, we might take this advice:

The road to enlightenment is long and difficult, and you should try not to forget snacks and magazines. —Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies

I love that! So here’s the plan, writers. Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, ask yourself: what do I really need? If a twenty-minute mini vacation would help, try this:

Muffin exploring my writing rest stop.

Muffin exploring my writing rest stop.

Create a writing rest stop in your house. Stock it with fun magazines and tasty snacks. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a twenty-minute break and visit the rest stop. Sip a cool drink and read about how to organize your spice drawer or what to do in Cancun, Mexico. When you feel less frantic and more focused, return to writing.

Your turn: What’s your favorite magazine to relax with? Leave your titles in the comments below.

P. S. If you still feel overwhelmed and confused, send me an email. I offer complimentary consultations and have helped many writers figure out the complicated questions on the road to publishing success!

 

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Writers Read: Romantic Suspense by Sandra Peut

Posted on May 17, 2013 by writenowcoach

Welcome to our summer Writers Read series (even though I know it is technically spring and some of you are still looking out at lakes covered in ice). Today, I am delighted to welcome Sandra Peut to the blog to talk about romantic suspense. And, she has kindly offered to raffle off her romantic suspense book, Blue Freedom. Read, comment, and enjoy! —Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach

SandraPeutWriters Read: Romantic Suspense by Sandra Peut

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Add in a dash of romance (as WS Gilbert said, ‘It’s love that makes the world go around’), and you have the perfect recipe for a fast-paced plot that will keep you reading into the night.

Growing up my head was constantly buried within the pages of a book, especially a good mystery – think Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five or Secret Seven series, Trixie Belden, or the Hardy Boys.

Now as an adult, I like my suspense storylines sweetened with a romantic sub-plot – nothing too racy (no Fifty Shades of Grey here!), but something to provide a perfect balance to the spicy robustness of the more crime- or thriller-based plot elements.

Here are some of my recommendations in the romantic suspense genre (all of them in the inspirational/Christian category, as these are the books I’ve read the most):

The Healer by Dee Henderson

Dee Henderson has written scores of novels in this genre, many of them winning writing awards. I’ve chosen The Healer as the main characters are a psychologist for the Red Cross (and I work in healthcare) and a fireman (everyone loves a fireman hero!).

Brief description: When a flood surges through their community, it swallows up a crime scene, with the murder weapon falling into the hands of a child. Unless trauma psychologist Rachel O’Malley and fire captain Cole Parker can solve a murder still hidden by the floodwaters, another tragedy may soon follow – with Rachel caught in the crossfire.

Double Minds by Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock is another prolific, best-selling author in the romantic suspense genre, with a well-deserved spot on my list. I’ve enjoyed many of her books (including the CapeRefuge, Newpointe 911, and Sun Coast Chronicles series), and have recently read her ‘Double Minds’ novel.

Brief description: When struggling singer/songwriter Parker James uncovers high-level corruption in the music industry, on top of being terrorized by a menacing stalker, she really needs a friend – and musician Daniel fits the bill nicely. As the danger escalates, Parker begins to question her dreams, her future, and even her faith.

Cora Villa by Meredith Resce

Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate this romance that examines duty, deceit and desire in 19th century Victoria, from Australian author Meredith Resce. This is the first of Meredith’s novels that I’ve read, prompting me to seek out more of her numerous titles.

Brief description: As a young girl in 19th century Australia, Cora was betrothed to a former neighbour’s son. Now she is grown, Cora is forced to choose between the love of her father and the love of a mysterious stranger – one who is all too secretive about his past…

Solemn Oath by Hannah Alexander

Husband and wife writing duo Cheryl and Mel Hodde have collaborated under the pen name ‘Hannah Alexander’ to write the ‘Sacred Trust’ series of medical romantic suspense novels. ‘Solemn Oath’ is the second book in the series, (the only one I’ve read so far – was able to follow the plot without reading the first book), and I liked its blend of small-town characters, mystery, and romance.

Brief description: ER physician Lukas Bower had escaped city life to settle in a small community in the Ozarks, but a local arsonist is keeping the ER busy. With the increased responsibilities, Lukas finds himself working more and more with Dr. Mercy Richmand. When his feelings for her turn into more than he expected, Lukas faces the most difficult decision of his life.

Best Forgotten by Paula Vince

I really enjoyed this latest award-winning novel from Australian author Paula Vince. She does an excellent job of creating characters the reader cares about, combined with a well-crafted suspense plot.

Brief description: A young man is hit by a car and wakes up in the hospital with no memory of who he is. Once he’s identified and police return him to his family, Courtney discovers he no longer identifies with his past life in a gothic heavy metal band, he has a seriously dysfunctional family, and his supposed girlfriend is strangely distant. Even worse, he can’t shake the feeling that he’s in serious danger…

Book giveaway

Do you like to read romantic suspense novels? Reply in the comments section with your favourite title for a chance to win a copy of my own romantic suspense book, Blue Freedom.

Brief description: Running from a tragic past, Bella accepts a work assignment travelling through the South Pacific and Thailand. But instead of offering an escape, she finds herself and her hunky photographer colleague Jay being trailed by a hit-man – and entangled in the underhanded schemes of their desperate boss. Will Jay survive the attempts on his life, and will Bella find the peace she is searching for?

About the author. Sandra Peut is writer, dietitian, and lover of dark chocolate and good coffee. She manages to fit sporadic writing and blogging sessions around work, a crazy home life (four young children), and strolling along the nearby beach with her better-half. Her first novel, Blue Freedom, received third place in the 2009 Rose & Crown New Novels competition, and was subsequently published by Sunpenny Publishing in 2010. It was also shortlisted for the 2011 Caleb Awards. She has just completed her second manuscript, a Young Adult supernatural romance titled ‘The Guardian’. You can find her online here.

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Stop This Hamster Wheel; I Want to Get Off (Writing with Purpose, Peace and Presence) by Donna Gephart

Posted on May 16, 2013 by writenowcoach

Today, I’m delighted to welcome award-winning middle grade author Donna Gephart to the blog. Donna will be my guest at the May Write Now! Mastermind class on Wednesday, May 22 at 12:00 PM. If you’re interested in attending and are not already a member of the Write Now! Mastermind class, stop by the Mastermind page and sign up.

Donna has also offered to raffle off a signed copy of her book, Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen! Check out the entry requirements below the blog post to learn how you can enter!

DonnaGephartStop This Hamster Wheel; I Want to Get Off

(Writing with Purpose, Peace and Presence) by Donna Gephart

In my twenties, I worked full-time, part-time and freelanced in my “spare” time. Then came marriage. Kids. More work. More freelancing, etc. Basically, I got an A+ in being a Type A personality through my thirties and into my forties. I assumed the never-ending hamster wheel of life occurred outside myself, and I had to keep up.

It took 46 years, a restorative yoga class, and listening to Eckhart Tolle’s The New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose to understand the hamster wheel was spinning furiously, but it was inside my own mind. Ceaseless chatter filled my mind from waking till sleep. (If I slept.) Eckhart Tolle calls that voice “ego” and says it’s not who we are. It’s outside of our true essence.

Some left brain chatter is necessary, of course. It’s the left brain that helps us make deadlines and arrive on time for meetings. But that same noisy left brain tells us we’ll never be as good as J.K. Rowling so why bother trying, and dust bunnies are spawning under our furniture because we’ve neglected cleaning to finish writing that last chapter and, um, let’s check our Amazon ranking one more time. Too much left brain chatter all day, every day leaves us exhausted. It drains energy we could use to create art and literature.

I have three words for my loquacious left brain:  SHUT UP ALREADY!

Jill Bolte Taylor, in her book My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey, wrote about the morning a stroke affected her brain’s left hemisphere. She was in a brilliant state of bliss with her left brain nearly incapacitated. It took her hours to activate her left brain enough to call for help. She survived and wrote about the nirvana of accessing the right side of our brains.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, once in a while, we could access right brain bliss and creativity while quieting left brain chatter? If we could approach our work with focused purpose, peace and presence?

WHAT IS YOUR INTENTION or PURPOSE?

My yoga teacher often asks during class, “What is your intention? In this class?  For your life? For our planet?”

What is your intention? What are you uniquely qualified to do? To what effort will you give unbridled enthusiasm?

Thinking deeply about your intention and purpose will guide you away from actions that don’t support your purpose (i.e., scrubbing toilets) and toward actions that do support it (i.e., penning a novel that will illuminate the world for your reader).

SITTING IN STILLNESS

I recently discovered that sitting in stillness for a few minutes leaves me alert and aware, peace-filled and quietly energized. Want to try?

Sit quietly. Palms up. Eyes closed. Focus on your breath. Feel it fill your body and release. If a thought flies into your mind, be aware that it doesn’t need to be acted upon and let it fly out again. Back to the breath.

BREATHE

Being aware of your breath makes you unaware of your thoughts and draws you to the present moment. According to Eckhart Tolle, it’s really all we have. In the present moment, we’re not thinking of the speech we’ll give next month nor the mistake found in a book we’d written. We’re not recalling the sting of a recent rejection nor the deadline we might miss because of a family emergency. In the present moment, all memory and future thinking falls away. In this space, we can practice our writing and illustrating with clarity, purpose and focus.

Yoko Ono once gave John Lennon a card that read simply: “Breathe.”

So, every once in a while, hop off the hamster wheel in your mind.

Consider your intention/purpose. Sit in stillness. Breathe.

Then create with great purpose, peace and presence.

Namaste!

About the author. Donna Gephart writes award-winning, funny fiction for tweens from her home in South Florida.  Her new middle grade novel, Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen (Delacorte Press), received a starred Kirkus review and is about a girl who will do anything to get on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! For resources for writers, visit Donna here.

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