Poetry Anyone?

I got this notification in one of my email newsletters. While I am not a poet, I thought since there is no fee to enter, some of you out there may be interested in this one. Cash Prize!

WERGLE FLOMP HUMOR POETRY CONTEST - NO FEE

10th annual free contest. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $3,600.
Top prize $1,500. Submit one humor poem by April 1 deadline.
No entry fee. Winning entries published online. Final judge:
Jendi Reiter. Sponsored by Winning Writers, proud to be one
of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest, 2005- 2010).
Guidelines and online submission at www.winningwriters.com/wergle

What are Shelby Glasses?

A few days ago, a writer friend of mine (Joce Adams *shout out* - Great Writer - check her stuff out. There's a link to her blog in my sidebar somewhere) recently asked me to critique one of her stories with an eye toward the 9 year old voice.

As some of you may know, I have two daughters. The youngest of which is my ten year old, Shelby. I told Joce I'd put on my "Shelby Glasses" and see what I could find to pick at.

Just this evening, I found some of her schoolwork on the counter, a common occurrence. One of the pages had some paragraphs of writing on it, and I thought it might be a story of some kind, or a book report.

It turned out to be some kind of journal page. There are two sections. Friday and Saturday. What I read for Saturday explains Shelby Glasses perfectly. You will have to let me know if you agree.

The following is not edited in any way. It is VERBATIM what is on the page and what made me laugh today.

Saturday

On Saturday I went to my friends and slept over. Once we went on youtube we looked up Etrade baby grounded. After that we did a complete minute to win it night. I won and I got (dramatic pause) 1                 Penny!! It wasn't worth dropping an egg on your head. I had to take 2 showers to wash it out. surprisingly it makes your skin nice and soft.

(NOTE: I wasn't able to make the !! properly after Penny --the way shelby wrote it- because it is a smiley face using the periods as the eyes)

I was particularly impressed with the addition of the stage direction for dramatic pause and the importance it warranted to add it for her teacher to get the full affect of the story.

Shelby glasses ROCK.

The Sharp Angle: Conquering the Logline

I decided to cross post this, as recently I had learned about the existence of this thing called a logline. Not to mention, many of you I know check in are in the query letter and synopsis stages, so I thought this might be an appropriate cross post. Thanks to Lydia Sharp for allowing me to share it with you all.


The Sharp Angle: Conquering the Logline: "A blog reader recently asked if we could discuss how to craft a logline, to which I said, 'Of course!' I lurrrrrve this topic. First, pleas..."

The Next Big Goal? Keeping an Eye on the Prize.

I had two big dreams growing up. The first big dream was to be an Olympic Beach Volleyball player. The other, less tangible goal (imagine that) I had was to be a published writer.

Obviously, I am not living the beach dream. I have but to look out my office window at the 8 inches of unmelted snow to realize that. My tan is long faded, and my body has managed to survive the birth of three children via C-section. I'm lucky I can survive my Women's 18+ summer softball season, let alone compete on a level I was far from reaching back in the prime of my late teens and early twenties.   

However, I am about to be a published writer, thanks to Wicked East Press and their Pirate anthology. Dream realized -- or will be very soon.

A dream attained.  How many people can say that?  I count myself blessed to be among them.  But, I also find myself wondering what the new goal is. Do I want to make another small attainable goal, or go for the big guns and lay it all out there?

Welp, I have decided. I want the big fat dream now. I want to make a living doing what I love to do -- writing. 

Now, I realize I can't just quit my job and pursue the dream. I have a life, kids, responsibilities, a mortgage. I've proven I can write an interesting story, now it's time to prove I can make a living doing so.

I don't know what the future holds, but it should be one hell of a ride. Maybe even something to write about.

Finding Time for Yourself

As a working, single parent, the idea of finding "me time" can be a bit daunting-- as anyone in a similiar situation can attest. In my world, me time = writing time. It is what I want to be doing when there is nothing pressing me in another direction.

My biggest issue however, seems to be guilt. Guilt over not giving the kids enough attention when I get home. Guilt over spending the evening with my nose in a laptop knowing my retired boyfriend has been home alone all day with nothing to do BUT wait for me to get home so he can chat with someone other than the dog. Some days my fingers itch to write, but I can't force myself to pick up the laptop because I know the look that will inevitably follow. I guess that would be self-imposed guilt?

This little dilemma got me thinking. There are a lot of you out there also carrying a workload, and a life outside writing, so I am turning the question to you all.

How do you find time to write?  Do you have a specific routine? Certain hours of the day set aside for writing? Do you feel guilty when you are shutting everything out while you pound through a new chapter?

How do you manage to juggle all the little balls without dropping any?

What the Heck Happened to the Thermostat?

I realize, being born and raised here in Upstate NY that a certain amount of snow and cold weather are bound to be part of my life. Especially between the chilly winter months of December and March.

However, I did not -- I repeat for any of those that may be hard of hearing -- NOT sign up for, get in line to order, or even THINK about ordering, a negative 27 degree morning yesterday.  (And that ain't wind chill, folks that is just plain temperature)

No - I don't live in Alaska, Fargo, ND, or Canada.... so what the heck?  Who turned off the heat? Can ya turn it back on please?

Even local school buses wouldn't start in the arctic chill of yesterday.  So I say, here and now -- Enough stinking winter already!

*steps off her soap box and hunts for her Snuggie*

That is all :)

The Value of Contests and Writing Prompts

When I first began to take my writing seriously enough to consider the possibility of publication, I really had no idea what I was getting into. I joined a few groups and crit circles. My favorites of which, if anyone out there is in search of that sort of thing are Scribophile and the Writer's Digest Forums. I have also had some moderate luck using Critique Circle.

The first two of these sites, Scrib and Writer's Digest, offer occassional member contests. Each will give writers a set of guidelines and some kind of prompt. Always with the idea of spurring creativity in their member groups.

I had always considered them a "neat idea" and tried one or two of them. Some, like Scribophile, offer prize money for the winners, others just acknowledgement.

I've never placed in the top, but I have written three or four stories I would not have written were it not for the contests. The last of which, "Lost Hope", written for a combination of two separate prompts and a call for submissions, is to be published in the coming months (see previous blog posts for details). For me, that the the culmination of a dream, so in essence, aside from any results from the contests, I've already won.

My point is this, and maybe most of you know it already: Any excuse to write, any reason to put pen to paper in search for that crazy, fickle guy, Inspiration, is something you should grab onto with both hands. Genre be damned! Get out there, write something. Toss a lasso on some creative juices.

Who knows, maybe there is a dream on the end of that rope.

Success! My First Acceptance

I got the email today, and after a good thirty minutes of "Oh my God" and "Woohoo", I am still on cloud nine. My short story, Lost Hope was accepted for publication in a pirate anthology called, Cutlass and Musket: Tales of Piratical Skullduggery being put out by Wicked East Press.  The projected publication date is February 2011.

No monetary payment, but I do get a contributor's copy of the anthology when it is printed, and for a first acceptance, that is just fine by me. :)

Just can't wipe the smile off my face.

Here is a copy of the book's cover art:

Happy Holidays Everyone! - Santa brought me a Nook!

I just wanted to take a quick moment and wish you all Happy Holidays and the best for each of you in 2011. I have been so busy with the family events and Christmas prep that I have not posted in a few weeks, but I promise it shall pick up now that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

On a side note, I got a NOOK for Christmas.  Does anyone else have one?  Like it?  Hate it?  Have any tips or tricks?

I'm the World's Worst Mother

So it turns out, I am the worst mom on the planet.  Or at least, that seems to be what my daughters want the otuside world to believe.  Kinda like this lady.  Remember her?

Today is my prime example.  I get up at 6:45am and as usual, my girls are getting ready for school.  Now anyone with children knows what a hectic time this can be.  Making sure papers are signed, lunches are made, everyone is dressed, teeth brushed, etc. 
Innocently enough, I ask my daughter Shelby (10 yrs) where her coat is. 

"I forgot it at school."

How this is even possible when it is 20 degrees outside is beyond me.  When you walk outside in that temperature, you automatically ebgin to shiver, rub your arms to stay warm.  You'd think you would notice the missing layer at that point. But, Shelby can be a bit scattered, so this is not a huge shock.

"Ok, where is your backup coat? The one from last year," I ask.

"I lost it last week."

"You mean to tell me you have no coat at all???"

"No, but I got my sweatshirt." She holds up a red sweatshirt with a zip front."

"If you don't bring your coat home tonight, you are grounded.  You can't go around without a coat, Shel, it's winter!"

After some pre-teen grumbling, she says, "I'll bring it home, I promise."

Then teenage daughter, Caey comes upstairs ready to roll out the door.  Her coat, you ask?  The thin windbreaker she got for volleyball.

"Where the heck is your coat.  You can't go out like that?"

"I can't find it. Haven't seen it since last winter."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. I looked downstairs. It isnt there."

"Just great."

Now they are both standing at the bus stop with either no coat or a windbreaker waiting for the bus in the howling winter winds. I can hear the teachers and bus driver now.

"Doesn't your mother know you don't have a coat?  Are you that poor?  Does she know it's 20 degrees?"

Yup, worst mother ever.... that's me.

So ask me what I did at lunch today?  Yup, that's right.  Mom went to Target and bought two new winter coats, a pair of snowpants for the lil one, and some hats and mittens. 

The irony here?  I would be willing to bet at this time next week, I will be having the same morning conversation and watching my unorganized, half-dressed daughters standing at the bus stop in little but their clothing and wondering how I became sush a sorry excuse for a parent.

*Sigh* Happy Winter everyone!