10 Minute Writer

1. How About Them Pats?

We are an NFL family. Don’t get me started on how much I hate dislike the Jets, the Giants, the Bills and the Cowboys. Tim Tebow has become my boys’ new hero (which is fine with me.) And we’ve all mourned the miserable Colts’ season (We miss you, Peyton!) So, when that bumbling kicker for the Ravens missed that field goal, I was the first of my family off the couch to yell, “WE’RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!” We, as in the New England Patriots, not me personally. (You’re going DOWN, ELI!)

2. Rickrolled

For about three days last week, I had one song in my head. I have no idea how it got there, nor why it kept coming back. I complained about it on Facebook and realized that my brain had become a victim of an internet meme. So this proves my theory: computers have taken over the world!

3. Bossypants

Over the course of three days, I read Tina Fey’s memoir. This is my kind of book. I love, love, love her voice. I love the fact that she was an entertainment outsider who came into comedy the hard way. In some ways, I wish I had taken a similar path — improv classes, Second City, then New York — and once, a long time ago, I actually considered it. But God had a different plan and while Tina Fey contemplates on how a second baby might interfere with 30 Rock, I contemplate on how a second book might interfere with my children. I’m glad I took the path that I did. And maybe I can write a novel someday that’s just as funny as this book is. I recommend it, but not for everyone.

4. My wardrobe improved because I organized a drawer.

I thought Pinterest was all about helping with crafting ideas. Oh no! Occasionally, in my feed, I see a clear demonstration of what to wear! And since I’m not too concerned that the fashion powers that be are trying to turn me into an elf, I realized that scarves are the thing! Hey! I have scarves! Last Sunday, I remembered that there were a couple of scarves wadded up in the drawer where we keep the kids’ mittens and hats. No. There were not a couple. There were six and now they are folded neatly in my closet, waiting for me to wrap around my neck in a playful fashion. Thank you, Pinterest! My life will never be the same.

5. I have another reader in the house!

Homeschooling is exhausting, demanding and stressful. But it is also so very rewarding. This week, my youngest child, six-year-old Veronica, had a major breakthrough in reading. We are all so proud. This photo shows all of the 5+ letter words that she read over the course of a week. My favorites? Japanese, turkey vulture and Patriots.

6. Running update: 15 miles last week

I’m running on my treadmill four or five times a week, and last week, I had my biggest weekly total: 15 miles. I’m really excited about this number. Last October, I was thrilled if I ran three miles a week. This spring I hope to run a 5K, with a number, other races and everything.

7. Penguin Awareness Day

On January 20, a friend wrote on wall and said, Hey, did you know today was National Penguin Awareness Day? Oh.My.Goodness. This has also changed my life forever. My 8 year old son’s obsession with penguins has permeated the entire family so we’ve already planned on extensive celebrations next year. This year we hung a poster that looked like this:

Apparently, for penguin awareness, all of them grow out lengthy mustaches.

And made penguin cookies that looked like this:

That was my week. How about yours?

A few days ago, I posted, Daily Writing Maintenance. I have to confess, I wrote this in the dim days of 2011 and my eternal optimism for the perfect 2012 was blinding me. Once the year started and my daily routines came back, I soon realized that my list was just an ideal. It really was impossible for me to keep that list and do all my work as a homeschooling mother of five who cooks, bakes, does laundry and probably sleeps too much.

I hate it when mommy bloggers write about ridiculous standards for their days. I hate it when they paint a picture of perfection. I don’t want to be guilty of doing that. Rather, I would like for you to see my life as it really is: putting family first, not career. If I didn’t choose to homeschool, I’d be able to hit that writing maintenance target without fail. But this is the life I’ve chosen and I like it. So, this is what my average week day looks like. Don’t be that impressed. It’s messy.

7:30 AM I hear a rustling noise coming from the kitchen. It is my husband and my two sons, ages 8 and 10. They are in charge of breakfast. The all-male breakfast responsibility began when I had infants in the house and my first obligation was to change and nurse them. Now we don’t have infants. In fact, my youngest, my 6 year old daughter helps them too. Ideally, this means that I have time to get up, dressed, and have a little quiet time before breakfast starts. The truth is, I pull the covers over my head until I hear the coffee pot beep, then I know I have about ten minutes. Then I put on my best zombie face and plod to the bathroom. Woe to the child that gets between me and the bathroom door.

Mmmmm! Pancakes! Cup-flavored!

7:45 Breakfast. Except for Saturday, pancake day, we eat the same thing every morning. This speeds the process along. My husband has this down to a science and keeps things running like a drill sergeant on maneuvers. I’m still not fully awake.

8:20 Clean Up. My older girls, ages 12 and 13, are responsible for cleaning the kitchen. One empties the dishwasher, puts food away and washes the table. The other fills the dishwasher and washes the counter tops and both look over my shoulder while I’m doing the all-important work of checking my email and Facebook. I am still not awake.

8:40-ish. School starts. There is no official beginning, like a bell ringing or the Pledge of Allegiance. Instead, I say, “Session One” and set the oven timer for twenty minutes. In that twenty minutes, all of my children go do something independently. 13yo  is writing, 12yo is reading, 10 yo is reading, 8 yo  is doing history and my 6yo daughter and I sit on the couch as she sounds out words in a library book. I am on the couch. I often close my eyes while she sounds out words. I am not awake. Oh no. Not at all.

9:00 The timer dings. It’s Session Two. Reset the timer for twenty more minutes. This means that my  13yo is still writing (she is a future novelist), my 12yo does her science assignment, my 10 year old (the future physicist) reads a science book of his choice, my 6 yo sits down with an addition or subtraction worksheet and I sit with my 8yo son and go over his math exercises. (For those of you who care, we’re doing Khan Academy and LOVE it!) I’m waking up. Math seems to do that for me.

9:20 The timer dings. It’s session three, reset! My 13yo does her science assignment. My 12 yo sits with me for her math exercises at the computer. My 10 yo son composes music on Garage Band. My 8 year old either writes sentences about penguins, video games or the NFL on his blog or he goes through his poetry curriculum (which do you think he prefers?) and my 6yo daughter plays reading games. (And frequently yells at me to come and see the princess! Or the flower! Or I typed my name in big pink letters!) My stern, I mean gentle, reminders to her that this is time for me to do math with the 12yo wakes me up.

9:40 The timer dings. It’s session four. We reset the timer. My 13 yo does math with me, with her favorite puppet, a lion named Spotty, on her hand. Spotty gives me all the answers to the math problems. I don’t care. If Spotty wasn’t with us in math, she’d be nervous and antsy.

The eighth member of our family, Spotty T. Lion. And his favorite beverage: root beer.

My 12yo does her history. My 10yo does history. My 8yo has probably convinced me that playing Wii for 20 minutes is educationally sound and because I’m hell bent on getting through this session without the interruptions of last session, I probably agree with him. My 6yo plays a game on the ipad that is supposed to be educational but is really about Tinkerbell.

10:00 The timer dings. Nobody turns it off. It dings for five more minutes. I’m in the middle of a great mathmatical concept with my 13yo and Spotty. We are in the ZONE! We need to finish this exercise!!  Then Daddy comes downstairs, thinks that we’ve all lost our hearing and possibly our minds and turns the timer off.

"For the last time, Mom! We do NOT live in Asia!"

10:30 We realize that nobody set it for Session Five. Oops. In that time, my 10yo (future physicist) is gloating because he has more energy points and proficient exercises in math than either of his older sisters. My 13 yo is doing history, my 12yo is doing Latin. (Proud mama alert. She asked to learn Latin. All of our resources are free, from the internet and she is teaching herself. She loves it!) My 8yo is yelling at his 6yo sister because somebody gets the iPad now and I never can remember who.

10:50 Session Six. Whew. I can feel my blood sugar drop like a rock. I make a sandwich and a cup of tea and bring my younger three children to the table. We’re going to do science, specifically biology, but they rattle off the ways that sharks are different from fish and roll their eyes at me when I ask them what it means to be cold blooded and start quoting Beakman’s World or Fetch with Ruff Ruffman so precisely that I take them to the computer to watch YouTube videos about the flying fish narrated by Oprah. (No kidding.) The older girls are continuing in their educational pursuits out of my sight. They could be making a time machine for all I know. (Oh, I kid. They’re building a bomb shelter.)

No Christians were killed in the making of this model of the Roman Colosseum. But Miranda did get a paper cut.

11:10 Individual study time is over. Now we have what I call Table Time. If you ask me, I would tell you that Table Time is when we study those concepts that can be learned together, such as history or literature or Bible. If you ask my children, they will tell you that Table Time is the time that they get to draw, make cartoons, and build obnoxious structures out of things that drop on the wood floor and make lots of noise and oh, Mom babbles through all of it. The rule is that once I begin reading, they are not to interrupt, even if the story about the Ancient Romans fighting a naval battle with sacred chickens gets you giggling, or the cartoon you just drew, in a series called Penguins in Peril makes an astute historical reference and you absolutely must share with everyone. NO INTERRUPTIONS. I read a couple of bible stories, a  few passages from our history text, Story of the World, and I read a important work of literature that often ties in with what we’re studying in history. Next week, we’re starting Ben Hur because it is the logical choice after The Lightning Thief.

12:10 I finish a chapter of the literary selection and they beg, beg, beg for one more.

12:30 Table time is over. At this point, the table is covered with papers, notebooks, textbooks, markers, crayons, scissors, lion puppets, the iPad, my empty tea cup, a plate with bread crumbs on it and a partridge and pear tree. Two children have the assignment to clear it for lunch. Two other children will clean it after lunch. This responsibility rotates between the two groups. And my 6yo, who gets neither job, gets to set the table for lunch. I am the lunch maker. If Daddy’s home, he eats too. And after I make my lunch, I go someplace, away from people who are loud, and eat it in silence.

1:00 Now my work begins. Sigh. The kitchen is a mess. I set my timer for ten minutes and I empty and load the dishwasher. When the timer dings, I start my Daily Writing Maintenance, but I don’t get stressed about finishing it. If something is pressing, like a blog post, or a great idea for my WIP I do it then, but only for 10 minutes. My 13yo, has, at this time, done two loads of laundry, so I also fold the clothes after the kitchen is clean. Then on Mondays, I bake ten loaves of bread. On Tuesdays, I try to get the grocery shopping and meal planning done. Oh good grief, I’m just tired thinking about it.

4:00 (4:00!!!!! Where did the time go?) At this point, I realize that I’m not going to get my daily writing maintenance done, nor finish folding that second load of laundry. Oh well. At 4 PM, each of the children has a list of chores to do and I have to hang out and supervise. If I’m lucky, everything gets done by 4:30 and I can go to my basement and run on the treadmill for a while. Some people call it running. I call it what my feet are doing while I watch two episodes of How I Met Your Mother on the iPad. It’s all about what we tell ourselves, isn’t it?

5:00 I’m hot, sweaty, and because I’ve made my weekly menu, I know exactly what we’re having for dinner. I also had the brilliant idea this year that on Tuesdays and Thursdays my older daughters will make dinner and I will do something creative, intellectual or selfish instead. YAY! But I can’t be so involved in me that they are not supervised. (Sadly, I learned that the hard way!)

6:00 If dinner is pretty much together, I shower. If not, my family endures my stinkiness until after supper.

6:30 Dinner. It’s lively. By this time every day, I’ve had it. HAD IT. Don’t make me talk, people. Please.

7:15 The clean up begins. I do all the kitchen clean up while Daddy rustles up the Grubbs for pre-bedtime rituals. The younger three will go to bed at 8. The older girls go to bed later.

8:00 PRIMETIME! Like every part of my day, this time has an assignment too. On Sunday nights, Daddy and I make burgers and beer and sit in front of the TV (alone, thank you) and have a moment of peace before the week begins. On Mondays, my older girls and I watch a movie. Usually it’s a RomCom that Daddy wouldn’t have the patience for. I LOVE HAVING TEEN GIRLS! On Tuesdays, I am ALONE ! (Huzzah!) And I do something crafty and watch Netflix. On Wednesdays, my husband and I go to our church community group. On Thursdays, I do crafty things and watch the whole NBC lineup. (Thank God Liz Lemon is back!) On Fridays, I make a Tex Mex feast for dinner, my husband makes margaritas and the kids go to bed early. On Saturdays, I pamper myself or craft or sit down and enjoy the silence.

10:30-ish.  BED. Self explanatory.

Can you guess which of these cuties is "Baby Cinderella"?

This is it. A game of inches. A messy life that’s full of grace. Now, my timer is dinging. I must go clean the kitchen.

I honestly didn’t think I was a crafter. Even though I made stuff like this:

This form of this fish is two feet high by three feet wide. The shape is all papier mache, but the outside is cardboard scales that I painted. It hangs in my living room.

And this:

This is a shampoo bottle covered in papier mache and yellow tissue paper. The peacock drawing is a color page from the internet. I colored it with Sharpies.

And this:

The tissue paper flowers hung from our dining room chandelier. They match the PEACE letters above the door.

I like making stuff, but I never called myself a crafter. I thought that if I bought the supplies for less than a dollar, then it wasn’t a craft. I thought if it was more artsy, like the fish, then it wasn’t a craft. I thought that if it didn’t exactly match what I saw on the Martha Stewart website, then it wasn’t a craft. I thought that if I went for a whole week, or month, or year without making anything crafty, then I wasn’t a crafter. I thought that because my supplies were disorganized, because I was intimated by magazine ideas, because I had spent way too much money on rubber stamps that never got used, because I didn’t knit, crochet or sew, because I can see my crafting fails (like the curtains on the back door) because I kept finding a million little excuses to keep myself from doing something I enjoyed, I never just allowed myself to be a crafter. My teens looked around the house and said, “What? Of course, you’re a crafter.” And then I saw the truth. I saw that my own lies and nonsense were keeping me from making more and enjoying more. I did the same thing in writing. I wasn’t a writer because I had failed at it in college. I wasn’t a writer because I hadn’t been published, been paid, had a reader. All of this was keeping me back.

The other thing about crafting is this: it stimulates my brain in a different way. I do not pretend to know all about how the brain works, but I do know that when we go from one mental activity to another, it stretches our brain and helps us in all areas. Plus, if I do have a crafting success, like the papier mache baskets I made, then my confidence grows when I sit in front of my computer and work on my wip.

So, do you craft? What do you do to build your confidence? Have you ever believed silly lies like I have? Did your failures define you, like I allowed mine to? How has crafting made you a better writer?

Russell Crowe, did you leave the hovel making sure your cape matched your boots? And are those skinny jeans?

Every time I see leggings, capes, scarves of all shapes and sizes, and boots that go from ankle height to halfway up the thigh, I ask myself this question: Is The Fashion Industry Trying To Turn Us Into Elves? I first suspected this trend back when I noticed the word “leggings”.  And then came the variations of boots that looked like something a dark rider would wear. I don’t think that any one of these trends of themselves would lean toward our inner woodsman, but put together, they remind me of Merry Men.

These three ladies have donned their capes and are fully ready to take on the Sheriff of Nottingham! (With their stylish shoes too!)

Okay, maybe not strictly elves. Maybe woodsy types. Maybe fifteenth century archers who are known for their willingness to rob the rich to give to the poor. Perhaps this is a response to the current global economic climate and the woodsy attire is meant as a fashionable statement against the man. Sigh. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it. Never mind. Let’s get back to the evidence, shall we?

First, the superfluous scarves. This very strange trend started, as do all good things, with Kevin Costner. Note this photo from the film Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. (I’m too lazy to look up when this film came out, but I know I saw it in college and once owned a VHS copy of it, so I’m guessing early ’90′s. So my Elf Fashion Conspiracy (to be further referred to as EFC) goes way, way, way back .

If you wear it, they will come. (And by "they" I mean millions of hipsters who will decide that scarves around your neck are cool, no matter what the temperature."

This image came from an online retailer that sells "Fashion Scarves" to men. I'm trying to decide if this model is wearing lipstick. And truthfully, he's not quite as manly as Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe. Maybe if he were out-of-doors? Holding a bow and arrow?

I’m going out on a limb here and saying that there aren’t a whole lotta fashion mavens who are thinking “my kicky tunic really sticks it to those big greedy corporations!” Maybe it’s that the fashion gods have decided that we all just want to be bad-ass do-gooders like my blond friend here.

Legolas! Despite the flowing blonde hair and the pointy ears, this example of leggings, cape, tunic, sporty yet utilitarian belt loses none of his masculinity but still keeps up with current fashion trends.

And really, is being an elf, the worst thing that could happen to you? You could, potentially, have a hat, vest and socks that all match?

It's not a jacket, it's a shrug! Let's think about this, people. If we dress like legendary woodspeople, would that mean that we get to spend our days living in trees, eating cookies?

This is the Keebler elf coat modeled by a girl who accidentally dropped it in the chocolate sauce but clearly hasn't eaten a cookie since Kevin Costner first wore a cape.

Here is another example:

Boots? Check! Tight fitting cardigan in a neutral color to hide in foliage? Check! Sturdy pants that look good on horseback? Check! Cute purse? YES!

Would you wear that ensemble to a hoedown at Maid Marian’s house? I know I would!

So, you’re not convinced?  But I found this lovely boutique that confirms my suspicions!

Dear reader, are you convinced? Do you think that the fashion industry has an ulterior motive? Or is Kevin Costner truly responsible?

If I’ve learned one thing as a SAH-mother of five, is that somethings need to be done every day. Like laundry. Like meals. Like asking for the millionth time to get those markers off the floor. These little things are like a habit now.  In 2012, I’ve decided to instigate a few writerly habits into my day. I’m hoping what I’m calling daily writing maintenance will produce some big fruit for me some day. Some of these things are writing, but many of these things are just social networking. I don’t want to social network for it’s own sake, I’m doing it to build relationships, make friends, discover new mentors, encourage others and grow my readership.

1. Write 500 words in morning pages. Morning pages are what Julia Cameron considers an essential in The Artists’ Way. She suggests two full pages, but that’s too much for me. I’m going to start small with 500 words a day (which, if I’m typing, I can do in about 15 minutes) and see where it goes.

2. Contribute to my writers’ group e-mail loop. I’m signed up for two or three e-mail loops and it’s really easy just to ignore them. Instead, I’m going to make an effort every day to read through the digest, respond to something (even if it is, hey, I really do think that your character should be named Esmerelda! Good thinking!) Then, I’ll get to know more writers, network, and learn a few things. This can take as little as ten minutes.

3. Comment on one blog daily. Generally speaking, I’m more comfortable as a lurker. But sadly, in the writing field, it is just as important to be seen and to get to know people. I need to make an effort here too, just to comment once a day on the blogs I read. This will only take a few minutes.

4. Retweet three writing articles. This is all about spreading the love. I want my writer friends to see what influences me and I want my favorite blogs to get more readers.

5. Blog and Schedule for future posts. (Sigh.) In a perfect world, I’d have time everyday to whip out a new post for my blog. Instead, I need to use the time that I do have to blog in advance, schedule through hootsuite and try to stay ahead of the game. My ideal frequency is blogging three or four times a week. I think with a little planning and advance scheduling, I can meet this goal.

6. Tweet Conversationally. This is different from tweeting about the blog post I read. This is a tweet like, Taking down the Christmas tree. Kinda sad. Or asking my new follower what they mean by completely devoted to margaritas. This is fun and easy for me, and it allows me to get to know people, talk about writing and spread more writerly love.

7. Put 1500 words on the new WIP: If I’m not producing material (and making it excellent) , then the social stuff won’t matter.

8. Invest in my critique partner. (Hi, Jane! I know you’re reading this!) She deserves attention. But I need to make an effort to give it to her, or sadly, she’ll be buried in the bottom of the pile.

9. Read! I need to read at least a half hour every day. A real book, not a blog. If I’m not reading, I can’t be writer. But ya’ll already know that.

If you don’t count the writing, I can do all of these things in a couple of hours a day, spread out in 10 minute increments. This is addition to homeschooling, cooking. cleaning, running and crafting. Whew! It feels good to have measurable goals. And even if I don’t see a lot of fruit in the long run, I’ll be glad I grew in discipline.

So, am I forgetting anything? Do I need to add more to my list?

Three of my five children were born in January. And, you would think, since facing this fact for the last six years, I would be better organized about cakes, gifts and parties. But oh. I am a mess. Someone recently asked me how I deal with three birthdays close together and I said, with all the profundity of my little toe: I’m completely off the cuff. I do what I can get away with. It’s sad, but true. This 7 Takes Entry is about those three birthdays.

1. Doing The Math. To answer your question (which is frankly, none of your business), we did have a nice Easter.

2. In July, I think, oh, those three birthdays will make the winter go by so, so fast. Wrong. It only make the stress of Christmas last four weeks longer.

Who wants a piece of Perry the Platypus?

3. Yes, I have wrapped leftover stocking stuffers and given them to the January 4th birthday girl and didn’t feel the least bit guilty.

4. I have a tendency to look idiotic when my mother-in-law, the shopping queen, calls me in late November and asks me what they all want for their birthdays, since she has the Christmas shopping all done. Wha? Huh? Birthdays?

5. I have a tendency to look idiotic when the pediatrician’s office receptionist asks me my children’s birthdates. To my credit, I get two right: (5-29-98 and 8-18-99). Then I take a deep breath, concentrate and talk in a very slow voice, crossing my fingers that I don’t mess up: (1-29-02, 1-14-04, and uh, uh, uh, 1-4-04 I mean, 06!) I’d like to see them get it right every time!

6. And, thanks to the NFL Playoff season, and the general tendency for the Patriots to still be playing in January, and the fact that two of the birthday kids are football-lovin’ Sooner cheerin’ boys, we have a built-in, indoor Sunday afternoon activity! Touchdown!

7. I have a built-in excuse for forgetting Valentine’s Day altogether. (Sorry, honey. Here’s a leftover cupcake.)

Have a good weekend everyone. And if you’re in the neighborhood and drop by, make sure you bring a gift!

Recently, I had the awesome pleasure of being followed by Lynda Schab on Twitter. It is way cool to have other writers follow you. I’ve seen Lynda’s name in ACFW stuff and knew I wanted to follow her back. Then we chatted, and she agreed to an interview. I love meeting new people and I think you’ll love meeting her!

 

 

KATHARINE:  First of all, on your website, I saw two things right away that I loved: That you have elements of humor, and that you’re a freelance writer. Let’s talk about the humor. Why add it in?

 

LYNDA: I can’t imagine life without humor. I love to laugh, and especially at myself! I do such stupid things sometimes which, in hindsight, can be pretty hilarious. But I’m not one of those people who is always making jokes. I love talking about serious stuff, too. And I’ll be honest: I struggle with depression. Which is all the more reason to add humor wherever I can. As the Bible says in Proverbs 17, a merry heart is good for the bones. Probably even better than calcium!

KATHARINE:What do you find funny?

LYNDA: I love romantic comedies, clean comedian acts (oh – here’s a plug for a friend and really funny guy, Timmy Boyle. He’s totally hilarious) But more than movies or television, as I mentioned, what I find most funny is the dumb things I do. My kids share my sense of humor and they make me laugh all the time. And this may sound gross, but something else that makes me laugh is farts. Let’s face it. Farts are funny.

KATHARINE:Secondly, you’re a professional writer. Now I know that you have a strong desire to present yourself in the best possible light in your fiction. How do you think your pro writing career has helped you in your fiction? What advice do you have for the new novelist who is so busy writing, they may forget the professional polish?

LYNDA: As I look back over the past several years, I see God’s hand in everything I’ve done. I’ve always wanted to write fiction, but I’ve alwaysneeded to make money, so I focused on my freelancing. Adding to my writing resume’, getting my name out there, disciplining myself to write to a deadline or a particular topic, and learning how to communicate with editors has been so helpful, and I made connections with other writing professionals that I never would have made otherwise.

Advice I would give to the new novelist who may forget the professional polish is just not to rush things. So many authors seem to be in such a hurry to get their fiction published that they get sloppy. They self-publish a poorly edited book, they submit to publishers who may not be on the up and up, just to get their book out there. Take your time. We should strive for excellence in all we do, so that God is honored. And excellence takes time. Focus on building your resume’ and your audience. Without a resume’, you may not get a contract. Without an audience, you won’t sell books. Be sure your time lines up with God’s time. Don’t try to line His timing up with yours. That never works.

KATHARINE:And congratulations on your contest awards!  How have they helped you become better?

LYNDA:  Thank you! I love entering contests. I love polishing an entry to make it the best I can, I love the anticipation as the date draws near for the announcement of the winners, and of course I love the feeling of finaling or winning! I’ll admit I’m a little competitive, but the main reason I enter is the feedback I receive on my work. I love constructive criticism, as I’m always looking for advice on how to become a better writer. The thing to remember is that contests are extremely subjective and scores can vary by dozens of points. One time, on one entry, I received two scores around 90 and one in the 60′s. The low-scoring judge advised me to read books on the craft of writing. Talk about humbling. But subjectivity (and disappointment) is something to get used to. It doesn’t change once your work gets in front of agents, editors, and publishing boards. The biggest thing I’ve learned is that not everyone will like my work. And that’s ok.

KATHARINE:You have this nifty little website called On The Write Track. How can writers benefit by hanging out there?

LYNDA:  This year, I’m focusing on connecting more with my blog readers. I’ve been blogging for several years and I’m thrilled that my followers and subscribers have increased each year. I’ve actually just revamped my blogging “schedule” by coming up with daily (well, three times per week) themes. On Mondays, I blog about things relating to my Madi series, whether it’s a brief passage from my book, or about a theme within the story, like insecurity or discovering your inner princess. I’ve dubbed Wednesdays “Wednesday Word(s)” and focus on either God’s Word or on words in general. I’m doing a fun meme that will run through the year called A2Z4UandMe, where I take one letter per post and blog about a word starting with that letter. Visitors can participate by posting their own blog and linking to it via Mister Linky, included at the end of my post. Fridays are “Fancy Free” and who knows what I’ll blog about? I used to post about the writing process and share blurbs of fiction books on my blog, but I’ve decided to use those over on my Examiner pages. I’m the National Christian Writing Examiner and the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner, so if you’re interested in those topics, be sure to check out my pages.

KATHARINE:Can you give me the elevator pitch for Mind Over Madi?

LYNDA:  Here’s a brief blurb: Madi McCall admits her husband lacks a little in the romance department, but all in all, he’s been a good husband, a good father. Now, though, she suspects Rich is having an affair with Fawn Witchburn, the mother of one of his fourth-grade students. To say Fawn shows of her “assets” more than should be legally allowed in public is an understatement, and Madi’s insecurities kick into high gear. When, in a heated moment, she asks Rich to leave and he complies, Madi is forced to deal with her issues. Issues of love and trust she’s tried so hard to avoid. Issues that trail all the way back to her childhood and make her act like a total moron.

KATHARINE: So many of us writers are juggling home and family and our writing career. What time management or organizational tips work for you?

LYNDA:  I struggle with this so much! In fact, I just recently posted several articles on my Writing Examiner page about fellow authors’ schedules and what works for them, in hopes of coming up with something that works for me! I took an outside job last year, where I’m working 2-3 days per week. I also have a spring deadline for my next novel, so I have to make every moment count. My kids are teenagers and are rarely home, so I have extra time I didn’t have when they were young, but it won’t be long before my husband and I will be left alone in our nest, so I want to try to take advantage of the time they are around. Writing-wise, I have found that working on my fiction first thing in the morning, before my less creative writing, works best. I then concentrate on blogging, marketing, article writing in the afternoons.

KATHARINE: You’ve been at this for a long time. What did you do when the going got rough?

LYNDA: Cry, eat, pray, usually in that order. I need to work on putting “pray” first and removing the “eat” altogether. The going still gets rough and what really helps me is to turn to my fellow writers for encouragement and sometimes a kick in the pants. We understand each other better than anyone else and having a good support system is essential.

KATHARINE: What’s next for you?

LYNDA:  I’m working on Madily in Love, the next book in the Madi series, which will come out later this year. Then it’s on to the third and final installment, Sylvie and Gold. I have several other projects on the back-burner. Lots of ideas to hopefully keep me busy for many years!

KATHARINE: And.. . links? Twitter? Facebook page? Anything else the readers might be interested in?

LYNDA:  I have a Facebook Author page, and you can follow me on Twitter. And, of course, there’s my website, blog, and Examiner pages. Oh – and Mind over Madi is available on Amazon, Christian Book Distributors (at a discount right now), and other online locations. You may also find it in your local bookstores. If not, they can order it for you! Thanks so much, Katharine, for having me today and helping spread the word about my book!

KATHARINE:  Thank you!

My name is Katharine, and I am a reluctant writer. Never mind that I’ve been wanting to be a writer since I was four years old, and never mind that I’ve made up stories in one form or another my entire life, I am not completely secure in this idea of me chasing my dreams.

For five years, I’ve taken my writing seriously, and for five years, I’ve slowly discovered some lies that I was believing. Lies, that if left alone, would kill any creative desire and ultimately convince me that my writing wasn’t worth the effort.

These are the top ten:

10. I can only be successful I find some other writer out there like me and copy them. I am a unique individual. My interests, experiences, perspectives and skills are totally unique, so copying someone would only make me a hack, not a real writer.

9. I don’t have time to pursue my dreams, I’ve got five children. I do have time. I can find ten minutes here and there to work on my novel. I can delegate household responsibilities, make meals in advance, keep my computer on in my kitchen, carry a notebook to the playground and work at it.

8. It must be some cosmic joke to have a desire to write, yet have  no opportunity. I am not a big fan of the phrase “God helps those who help themselves”, yet I do believe that I will have to go out and work to find the opportunities. Since starting five years ago, I’ve started a blog, written and sold an e-book, won runner up in a short story contest and published a half dozen articles. Oh, and I finished my first novel. I’m tweeting, Triberr-ing, and have a facebook page. I’m on three e-mail loops of writers and I’m doing something every single day. If I’m going to succeed, then I need to find the opportunity myself.

7. Past failures certainly trump future successes. I still remember sitting in college writing courses holding back the tears for a paper with a D on it. I had a lot of D’s in my writing classes. I look back now and believe that as a 20 year old, I had no life experience, no self-confidence and clearly not much skill. But I’m older now. I’ve got something to say. I still might make mistakes, but I’m not going to look back at what happened in college. I’m just to keep looking forward.

6. I can’t be a real writer, I don’t wear black, chain smoke or have a whiskey habit. When I was younger I had a lot of preconceived notions about what a real writer looks like and does with his free time. My ideal always was a poor housekeeper, wore mismatched, torn clothing and had a couple of cats. I am not like that and yet, I want to be a real writer. I need to discard any silliness and just write. Real writers write. That’s all I need to worry about.

5. I can only write when I feel creative. Because I have so little time to devote to my writing, I’ve had to discipline my emotions. I don’t always feel creative, but I write anyway. I don’t always feel like making dinner or getting out of bed either, but it must be done for my household to run well. This same self-discipline pays off when I apply it to writing. I’ve never forced myself to write for ten minutes and then regretted doing it.

4. Everything that needs to be said has already been said, or, there’s no room for me. This is a tough thought to shake, especially when agents and publishers are unkind or uninterested. Nevertheless, I must believe that my stories and perspectives are important and then sculpt them beautifully and clearly. I must work on my craft so that my creations are so well said, that others will happily make room for me.

3. Taking another idea, twisting it around to make it unique and then calling it my own is cheating. There really are no new ideas, just unique interpretations of old ideas. How freeing it is to realize that many Shakespeare’s plays were based on factual events. What makes them valuable is his artistic interpretation. I can do that too. And if I’m lucky, I’ll have a fraction of the success that he did.

2. Real writers write quickly and elegantly without effort. BAH!  This is nonsense and it took me a long time to figure this out. Real writers understand that the writing process often means riding an ocean of ebbs and flows, of storms and doldrums, of smooth sailing and choppy waters. If I think that because I get stuck once in a while, then I can’t be a real writer, then I’m doomed.

1. This can’t be my “calling. It’s way too much fun. Those of us from austere backgrounds have a hard time with this, but yet, it is true. We were created for specific purposes and by doing what we were made to do, we will find much joy. I didn’t fully embrace writing until I understood that the reason I do this is because it makes me happy. And to have readers who enjoy it, makes it a double blessing.

These are my 10 Lies. Because I’ve finally seen them for what they are, dealt with them properly and embraced the truth, I’m free to write. I’m free to pursue my dreams.

What about you? Do you have any lies? How are you fighting them in 2012?

This week’s 7 Quick Takes all have to do with discoveries I made in 2011 that made my year more awesome.

#1 Adele

Because I’m a SAHM homeschooling mama, sometimes I feel like I”m in a cultural vacuum. I often have no idea what’s hot in music. (I am in my 40′s, so I can only expect my coolness to deteriorate from here on out. Oh well.) Fortunately for me, I have a very cool friend named Jen who has proven to be someone I should copy. She tweeted in the spring of 2011 about how much she loved Adele. I promptly went to my Pandora thingy and started an Adele station, thinking that she was this really cool black singer from the South. (See? I’m so not with it.) After repeated listenings, I learned to love not just her, but the other cool girls who made that station, like Amy Winehouse and Fiest and Duffy and Ingrid Michaelson. This was fun. And I loved it. And my life changed forever! Thank you Jen! Thank you Adele!

#2. Friday Night Lights

Already blogged about this here. But I do love my Dillon Panthers. Oh my. I thought this was just another silly teen drama show, but no. Oh no. I totally got wrapped up in the family issues, the stupid mistakes of the teens and the career ups and downs of Eric and Tami Taylor. I highly recommend you put this on your Netflix queue. Then, after that, watch The Good Guys with Colin Hanks. You’ll be glad you did.

#3 Pinterest

Raise your hand if you need yet another social media platform!  (Now pin that hand down on your board and call it art.) Apparently, I do. I am now on Pinterest feeding the craft monster, organizing my ideas for my new living space, and looking at other purty pictures. This is the exact tool I need to build up my confidence in DIY-ness and to see what my friends are up to too. Pinterest has changed my life so much, I’ve made Tuesday and Saturday night designated craft night. And I may teach myself how to knit. (Squeal!)  (Find me, katharinejoy)

#4 Instagram

Raise your hand if you need yet another social media platform! (Now take a photograph of that hand so all the world can see.) Originally, I wanted a quick and easy app so I could take photos on my phone and easily get them to Facebook and Twitter because we were driving cross country and I wanted to document our trip. Kristin, another great Twitter friend that I need to copy in every way, suggested Instagram. Oh! How I love this!  It was fun enough to meet my original goal, but then when I started getting followers and playing around with the filters and meeting people and seeing other fantastic photos, it became another way to express myself. So now I’m adding photography to my interests. YAY! (Find me, katharinejoygrubb)

#5 Red Onions

Until this year, I honestly thought that all onions were generally the same. But then I started buying red onions for the sake of homemade salsa. Then I started putting red onions in my salads. (Yes!) Then, on a whim, I put a slice of red onion on my ham sandwich. (Oh yes!) Then, red onions became my best friend and I married red onions. Okay, maybe not. But still. This small addition to my diet has figuratively and literally spiced my life up. Plus, I’m getting more flavonoids and phenolics and health-promoting phytochemicals. (Thank you, Wikipedia.) I haven’t asked my husband how he feels about my new onion love. But he reads this blog, perhaps he’ll comment. ; )

#6 Phineas and Ferb

It was my husband’s idea. I blame him. He heard there was this new animated show that was supposed to be smart and funny. Maybe our kids would like it. And he predicted, accurately I might add, that this would start a family obsession with platypuses. Yes. They liked it. They loved it. They were consumed by it. They quoted it constantly. They incorporated it into their school life, play life and chore life. They went as P&F characters for Halloween. We bought a CD of songs and it was our family’s soundtrack for the entire summer. What I liked about it was that all of my kids shared this obsession equally, it wasn’t just a little kid thing. And P&F is so smart, especially with music, that my older kids wanted to know why I was laughing at Disco Miniature Golfing Queen, which led me to introduce them to Abba, which, of course, was a win.

#7 Running

This was not my idea. It was a God thing. He’s really big into calling something to be out of nothing. He called me a runner. And then I thought he was joking. And then I went out and ran a little. Then I ran a half mile. Then a mile. Then two miles. Then three. I am a runner. There isn’t room enough in this blog to explain how running has made me better and happier in everything I do. I am so glad I became a runner. Maybe by the end of 2012, I’ll have run a 5K and think about bigger races. Anything is possible with God.

So those were my big discoveries in 2011. The best thing about this list is that I’m kinda looking forward to 2012. I’ll have new discoveries there too!

What about you? What were your big discoveries? How have they changed you?

The truth is, I only got one of these babies for Christmas, the other I gave to my husband.

The first:  Rory’s Story Cubes.

I put this in my Amazon.com shopping cart because I was trying to reach that magical $25 free shipping number. I am so glad I did. I knew nothing about this little gem. The game’s concept is to role the dice — all which have images on them — and tell stories. The instructions give options for group play. I’ve played this game twice and it is so much fun. And I’ve noticed that those people who don’t claim to be creative do very well. This game can also be helpful with those pesky moments of writers’ block. (I think I’m going to keep this right next to my desk during Nanowrimo 2012!)

Next, is Writing Toolkit (Not to be confused with Stephen King’s toolbox)

This is a handy little app for my iPhone. In it you can find writing prompts for settings, plots, characters and scenarios. It also has grammar explanations, dialogue coaching, punctuation rules and helps, blog advice and so much more!  I was thrilled to see all of the options here. It makes me feel super powerful that I can take this app with me on the go and still keep those creative juices flowing while I’m monitoring my kids at the playground.

I LOVE these writing tools! Put them on your Christmas list for next year, or spend that gift card on these little gems. They are fun!

Did you get any writing toys/apps/games this year? What do you think of them?