INSIDE THE WRITER'S MIND

What's Not to Love About Getting Up Late?

2009-11-13T07:14:00.002-05:00

Wow. I overslept this morning. I feel much more rested after staying up way too late on Wednesday night.

Ah, what a wonderful feeling...even if it is too late to compose a blog this morning.

Sorry!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have wonderful Friday and an even better weekend.

Mork--Do You Remember?

2009-11-11T06:25:00.003-05:00

God blessed me with eight children. Believe me, as they were growing up, we never had a dull moment in our house. Especially at Christmas. I was perusing through some pictures preparing for a Christmas present I'm working on when I ran across the pictures below. I remember this Christmas like it was yesterday. Many of you probably don't remember the TV Show, "Mork" with Robin Williams. He played an alien from the planet Ork, who was trapped on earth. My kids loved the show. Mork wore suspenders and he would always sit on the sofa upside down.

This particular Christmas my kids purchased a pair of Mork suspenders for my husband. They were a bit nicer to me. I received a nightgown.

Wow, don't we look young there! Look at my hubby's hair!! I have to laugh everytime I see old pictures of us like this. But I diverse. The suspenders were a big hit. My husband never missed a chance to wear them when he had to take the kids somewhere. He'd wear them inside stores and make sure that all the sales clerks saw them...much to our kids' embarrassment.

He always took great delight in embarrassing them. Little did they know that their gift would haunt them for years to come. Today, they still laugh about it when start playing remember when.

That Christmas, after opening his gift, he promptly put those suspenders on and...well the following picture will tell it all.

I sure hope this started your day with a smile! It did mine.

Do you have a Christmas story to share? Please leave a comment with your unusual gift stories.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Call...Luck? Timing? Skill?

2009-11-09T06:19:00.004-05:00

I'm always excited when I hear of an author securing a contract, especially if it's a really sweet deal. With talk in the publishing world about cutbacks, huge slush piles, and book stores folding, it's hard to keep an upbeat attitude toward the one thing we writers do...write and hope for publication. It's a tough road. We battle demons of self-doubt, pressures from friends and family who don't understand the sweat and tears that go into the books we write, and fear of failure.

Writers write. We crank out book after book and wait for "the call." We do need skill. Not everyone can write a book, although many believe differently. It does take a bit of luck in landing your manuscript on the right desk. And at the right time. There is no secret formula that will lead to instant success.

The one constant though is perseverance and developing a thick skin. What is it that makes an editor or publishing house sit up and take notice? Voice. Pure and simple. It's the all important first sentence. The hook. Voice is unique to each person. It's the way you write. You may not know what your voice is, but the editor or agent can spot a voice they like immediately. Likewise, they can spot one they don't like. Editors and agents make mistakes. Occasionally, books will be turned down by many agents and snapped up to instant success by another. Check out this story:

www.alanrinzler.com/blog/

So the one thing that every writer should remember is to remain true to their voice and to never, ever give up. Success might be just a phone call away.

Thanks for stopping by!

What's Not to Love about Counting Down the Days...

2009-11-06T07:01:00.002-05:00

On December 31, I will be leaving my full-time day job. That's only 55 more days! And only eight more Mondays! I don't like Mondays.

However, it does get harder and harder to make myself go into work each day.

I'm counting down...but the countdown is soooo slow, and yet so exciting.

A new phase of my life. Something unknown. Adventure awaits...and hopefully, new books to write.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Thanks for stopping by.

The Furry Thief....

2009-11-04T06:36:00.003-05:00

As we draw closer to the Christmas season, I've been looking at the ads for Christmas trees. Yeah, hard to believe since I'm the one who refuses to think Christmas until after Thanksgiving. But, we really need a new tree. I'd like to get a real tree because it would be much easier to withstand the torture tactics of our furry thief.

The first year we decorated our artificial tree with beautiful red and gold ornaments, our cats totally destroyed it. They dive bombed through the branches bringing down the red cardinals, the poinsettias, and the red satin balls. Once they knocked it completely down. We kept putting things back on, higher and higher, and the bottom half of the tree was bare. I was so happy to take the tree down after Christmas.

Knowing that cats love red and can see red better than most colors, I decided the next year to decorate with a light blue color. Surely, that would deter the cats. Not!

We had just finished putting the lights and garland on the tree. I'd put a beautiful bird in the top branches and hung a few of the non-breakable balls on the tree, when hubby told me dinner was ready. (Side note: we were having warmed up chili--the only thing he ever cooks!) Only a few bites into the chili, we heard a tell-tale rattle and thump. I knew. I just knew. My tree had been attacked.

Sure enough, the beautiful bird was on the floor along with several ornaments. Now how does a cat see six feet into the air, buried among branches, a bird nearly the same color as the tree?

Yet, sure enough. The damage was done. **sigh** I hadn't even finished decorating before they began to destroy. The culprit? Nowhere to be found. But wait...yes...there he is!

I don't know what we'll do for Christmas tree this year, but I'm sure it will not be without mishaps. I hope I shared a smile with you today.

Thanks for stopping by!

Free Autographed Book!!

2009-11-02T05:00:00.001-05:00

I'm holding a contest on my website. You can win an autographed book, and it's very easy to do. Check it out on my "contest" page at www.carolannerhardt.com

Mondays I write about...writing. But for the past few days, I haven't been writing, so I haven't been inspired to write a blog today on...writing.

I've been drawing a blank because Saturday was my birthday and my daughter gave me a new book. We both are fans of Iris Johansen, so she gifted me with "Blood Game." The heroine is my favorite Iris Johansen character...Eve Duncan. I keep following her, hoping that in the next book Eve will be able to bring her "Bonnie" home.

I started the book Saturday afternoon, and I'm already half-way through. *sigh* I love to read and I can't put good books down. The problem is...when I reach "the end," I'm a bit depressed because it's over.

How do you feel when you read "the end?"

What's Not to Love About a Harriet Carter Catalog?

2009-10-30T05:42:00.003-05:00

Usually my hubby gets the mail and throws away things he believes are junk. I love to look at all the little catalogs which come my way. Yesterday I managed to salvage the latest Harriet Carter catalog.

Page after page, I find all these unique things which call me to spend money. On page 3, I found a neat cell phone wallet. How neat! I can carry my cell phone and leave my purse behind for those quick trips. That really makes me want to spend $9.98. And on page 7, how about a non-stick oven liner? A reusable fiberglass mat which catches the messy drips and comes out to wipe clean. Wow! I NEED one of those.

I have sons who have a very strange sense of humor. I found a perfect gift that they would really get a kick out of. However, they wouldn't like to receive it...but they'd love to give it. They're funny that way. Anyway, on page 37, I found a "Fanny" bank. It's this cute little pair of blue pants with butt cheeks shining upward. The slot for dropping money is placed strategically. When you drop in a coin, the bank breaks wind.

Now what's not to love about browsing through such a fun catalog?

Thanks for stopping by!

A Halloween "Tail"

2009-10-28T05:12:00.010-05:00

My daughter makes the most fantastic Halloween costumes. A couple of years ago, when our cats were under a year old, she stopped by to ask for an afternoon to chat while working on a "tail" for the Big Bad Wolf disguised as Grandma. Daughter was going as Red Riding Hood, and her hubby as the disguised wolf. She purchased a piece of fake fur to make the wolf's tail. We were having a good time, and she was hand sewing the tail around some stuffing when suddenly Templeton decided to see what was going on.

That tail totally had him fascinated and he was bound and determined to take it away.

Enjoy the pics!

He sure was determined to have that tail!!!

And, here are the costumes.

I hope I shared a smile with you today. Please pass it on! It's catching, it's calorie free, and it's healthy!!

Thanks for stopping by.

All About Zeke and Girly Books

2009-10-26T05:11:00.003-05:00

I had an interesting converstion with one of the senior managers at my work on Friday. Everyone is aware that my last day of work is December 31. Most know that I'm a writer. But, this man, I'll call him Zeke for the sake of annonymity, seems to be fascinated with that aspect of my life.

Zeke stopped in and asked: "Have you ever written one of those girly books about falling in love?"

Me: "Sure. That's what I write. I write romance books. Actually, romantic suspense."

Zeke: "Have you written a book where the girl and guy fall in love and then they lose each other, and get back together?"

Me: "Sure."

Zeke: "My wife reads those kinds of books. So, do you base your characters on people that you know?"

Me: (Thinking if he's wondering if I've used people I work with) "No, not really. I might sometimes use pieces of someone's personality or perhaps I've seen a stranger who looks interesting and I use a bit of description based on that person."

Zeke: "That's interesting. Have you ever killed someone in a book?"

Me: "Yes."

Zeke: "Have you ever had a woman kill a man in a book?"

Me: "No, not yet anyway."

So I proceeded to tell him the premise of my first book, thinking the psychic bond between sisters who can communicate despite one being dead, might give him something to think about.

Zeke: "Where do you get your plot ideas?"

Me: "Sometimes a person, or an interaction with a person, triggers something that turns into a different scene in my head. From there I develop a plot line. It's all created in my head first before I put it on paper."

Zeke: "That's very interesting."

Luckily, the telephone rang just then.

I may have to include Zeke in my next book. **grin** But today, I believe I'll take my three books to him and ask if he'd like to buy them for his wife. **evil grin**

Thanks for stopping by!

What's Not to Love About an Unexpected Gift

2009-10-23T05:05:00.003-05:00

My best friend is a gift from God. We met at a local writer's group and when I learned we lived close, we began to ride together to the meetings. We became so close during those times spent in the car. Our friendship grew and soon we were sharing much more than writing. We share stories about our past, stories about family, about the things that are deep within our hearts. We support each other through email when we can't be together face to face. I love her dearly and I know the feeling is mutual. One day when we met for lunch, she handed me a bag. "This is just something that I had to give you."

Inside were two desk ornaments. Both have a beautiful 3-D rose embedded inside, deep red against dark green leaves in clear acryllic. One piece is a heart shaped paperweight. Beside the rose are the words: "My Friend. Of all God's gifts, great and small, our friendship is the best of all!" The other piece is like an open book that stands upright. One side has two roses identical to the one in the paperweight. The opposite side says: "Special Friends. There's a warmth and joy that never ends between the hearts of special friends."

I realize these are material things. But when I see them I feel her love reaching out to me, reminding me that I'm special to her. She's a part of my heart.

What's not to love about having a special friend who gives the unexpected gift of friendship?

May your life be blessed by special friends.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paa-Paa

2009-10-21T05:04:00.005-05:00

My husband is known as paa-paa to our grandchildren. He has deep-set dark brown eyes and a deep voice. Add that he's as hairy as an ape and you have a frightening picture to a little child. It's amusing to watch little ones we don't know when they catch a glimpse of my big teddy-bear man. They stare openly, turning their head when he looks at them, but eventually they have to grin back at him. I guess his warm heart can be viewed from inside that big barrel chest in the eyes of a child.

I'm enclosing one of my favorite pics taken during a Sunday afternoon gathering when the little ones were playing in the backyard kiddy pool. Our three year old grand-daughter had climbed up on Paa-Paa's lap, wet suit and all.

Now take that smile and share it with someone else today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Book covers, ebooks, and more!!

2009-10-19T05:34:00.004-05:00

With the changes in the economy and in technology, the future is uncertain for many writers. There is evidence that times are changing in the publishing world. Publishers are scaling back staff; that's a fact. New authors are having a difficult time getting their manuscripts into the hands of an accepting agent or editor. Many new ebook publishers are opening doors of opportunity for new authors to break into the publishing world.

In a roundtable discussion at a recent Central Ohio Fiction Writers meeting, Sue Grimshaw mentioned the only thing holding back the explosion of ebooks is a "universal" reader. Personally I have a reader and it's a bit clunky in comparison with the newest Sony and Kindle ereaders. I'd love to own a new reader because of the ease of carrying multiple books, and opening a page whenever the opportunity arises. I love reading books, whether they are printed or ebook. What I don't like about ebooks with Kindle is the mentality that I must purchase through Amazon. Each reader takes a particular "format" in order for the book to appear seamlessly.

Another thing that surprised me about book buyers is the importance put on the cover of the book. I asked the question "On what factors do you base your decision when purchasing a debut author's book?" The answer surprised me: book cover, author quotes, and voice. Sue shared several cover flats with us and discussed what's hot and what's not in romance book covers. Since authors have such little voice in what their covers will look like, it's horrifying to me that a cover could make or break sales! Evidently, established and best-selling authors have a small amount of power when it comes to changing book covers. She also said that "yellow" covers do not sell well. Wow! So, yellow isn't appealing to the reader's eye?

Lots of interesting tidbits to consider.

Here are my questions to you:

As a reader, what types of covers are you drawn to? (What tempts you to pick a book from the shelf to peruse it?

Do you own an ereader? If so, does this limit the amount of shopping you do in a bookstore?

Looking forward to seeing some discussion. Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. For a chance to win a free ebook, and a grand prize of lots more, check out the following link: White Roses in Bloom Blog

What's Not to Love About Garth Brooks?

2009-10-16T05:27:00.003-05:00

Garth may be one of the most talked about music artists of the day. He's made mistakes. He's owned up to them. And he continues to sell records, even after his retirement in 2000. He's not one of my favorite country artists as far as his music goes, but he's got terrific marketing skills AND he's a man of conviction.

He retired to spend more time with his children and said he wouldn't come out of retirement until they were grown. It appears he's cut a deal to appear in Las Vegas fifteen weeks out of the year, mostly on Friday through Sunday. He won't be putting on a huge stage show like his tours. Instead, it will be Garth, his guitar, and occasionally a guest or so. The deal includes a private jet which will allow Garth to fly to and from his gigs to enable him to still spend a lot of time with his girls. It appears the entire family has agreed, his current wife, Trisha Yearwood, his ex-wife Sandy Mahl, and his three girls.

What's not to love about a man who made a commitment to step out of the limelight when he was at the top of the billboard charts? When his private life went up for public scrutiny he stepped aside so that he could spend quality time with the family he wanted to protect and support. He kept his word and he has spent the last nine years immersing himself in his children's lives. I admire him for that. He's built a strong family framework and continued to market himself with occasional public appearances and record releases. Each was a stroke of marketing genius, no matter the controversy.

No wonder the hotel owner jumped at the chance to purchase a private jet for Garth Brooks. He will get his money back many times over. Garth is back.

Thanks for stopping by!

Three Generations...I Dare You Not to Smile!!

2009-10-14T05:20:00.001-05:00

Recently we attended my granddaughter's ninth birthday. We always have a great time at these family gatherings. What fun to watch the little ones--cousins, brothers, sisters--laugh and share joy. There's nothing like it.

This year, my daughter purchased party favors of silly teeth for the kids to enjoy. But...being the kind of family we are...some adults just had to join in the fun.

The picture below is me, my daughter, and my mother! Aren't we cute?

Smile and have a wonderful day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Introducing Author Margaret Brownley

2009-10-12T05:00:00.001-05:00

This morning it is my pleasure to host Margaret Brownley on my blog. Margaret's newest book, A LADY LIKE SARAH, is coming out in December 2009. She's a dear friend, an inspiration, and a wealth of information. Comments and questions are welcomed.

Blurb:

She’s an outlaw: he’s a preacher. Both are in need of a miracle.

Preacher JUSTIN WELLS leaves Boston in disgrace, heading out alone on the dusty trail to Texas. But when the once-respected clergyman encounters a feisty redhead in handcuffs with a dying U.S. Marshal at her side, his journey takes a dramatic turn. When he promises the injured lawman to take his prisoner to Texas, Justin has no idea the trouble that lies ahead. The slightly-built prisoner turns out to be SARAH PRESCOTT—sister of the notorious Prescott brothers—and she’s determined to miss the hanging party waiting for her in Texas.

But escaping proves to be tougher than she thought. Justin doesn’t own a gun and hasn’t the foggiest idea how to survive the wilderness. How can she leave him alone with the injured marshal?

Nothing is more sacred to Justin than a promise made to a dying man, but how can he turn the blue-eyed beauty over to the hangmen? She’s tough as leather, but there’s something about her that is pure and good.

Justin can’t bear to lose her, but how can a simple preacher fight an entire town? And how can either one of them know that miracles come in many guises—including love?

ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE IN THE WORLD OF DAYTIME SOAPS

It’s been said that knowledge is power, but sometimes ignorance can be a writer’s best friend. For example, I didn’t realize until after selling a story to Proctor & Gamble that “everybody knows” it’s near impossible for freelancers to sell to daytime soaps.

It all started with the Romance Writers of America conference which my dear friend Lee Duran and I planned to attend. Since we were both fans of As The World Turns, we figured it would be fun to visit the set while we were in New York.

Our husbands laughed. Our children laughed. Everyone laughed. Undaunted, I called CBS and told them that two romance writers who were lifelong fans of ATWT were going to be in NY and wanted to visit the set. The switchboard operator didn’t laugh. I took this as a good sign.

Two days later, I got a call from an ATWT producer and we were in.

As we left the hotel for the studio we bumped into our agent and, without thinking, I invited her to join us. While Lee and I toured the set and acted like crazy fans (yep, we met all the stars who are much cuter in real life than on TV), our agent was busy making nice with producers and collecting business cards.

Shortly after the conference, Lee and I came up with a good soapy story idea and decided to pitch it to ATWT. Fagettabout it, everybody said. Crazy idea. Impervious to good advice, we plowed ahead and, for once, luck was on our side. My agent contacted one of the producers who agreed to hear our pitch. A date was set for a conference call. Since Lee lived in Colorado and I lived in California, we decided to get together to work on our story. With this in mind, we did what any self-respecting soon-to-be soap writers would do; we booked passages on a cruise ship to Mexico dragging our husbands along, poor things.

Every morning without fail, we sacrificed ourselves by sitting in Lee’s cabin and working on our story for four solid hours while our husbands lounged on deck, waited on hand and foot.

Then came P day—the great PITCH--and we were ready. Early that morning Lee and I spoke on the phone and rehearsed our parts. We decided we would take turns reading alternating paragraphs of our synopsis. We even added some tag lines like “Here’s the Friday cliffhanger” and “This is what happens during Sweeps week.” We figured that would prove we knew what we were doing.

We calmly hung up and waited for our respective phones to ring. That’s when panic set in. I called Lee and screamed “I can’t do this.”

She screamed back. We were a mess but somehow managed to calm each other down.
Then came the CALL. The producer was very nice and told us to relax. He sounded like my gynecologist which did nothing for my nerves.

For one whole torturous hour, we pitched our story. We didn't know you were supposed to pitch a story in 3 minutes or less. “Friday cliffhanger,“ I yelled into the phone. “Sweeps Week,” Lee yelled back.

We were glorious. We did everything but stand on our heads. During the entire time we rambled on, we never heard a peep from the producer. Nada. My mind imagined the worse. I was convinced he’d either hung up or had fallen to the floor, probably dead.

When we finished, there was stone silence. Finally, the producer cleared his throat and said, “I never heard a pitch like that.” I was pretty sure he didn’t mean it as a compliment. He sounded shell-shocked

Although he was very nice, he rejected our story and that was that. We were disappointed, of course, but at least we got a cruise out of the deal. That’s way more than you get from most rejections.

Then an idea occurred to me. Lee and I both had a book coming out and I decided that a little bit of publicity wouldn’t hurt. I wrote up a press release that basically said two romance writers were this close to selling to their favorite soap. Apparently, no one had ever seen a press release on a rejection so it was picked up everywhere. I hadn’t just made lemonade out of lemons, I created a whole media blitz.

Then much to our surprise, the producer called to say that he changed his mind. He decided to purchase our story, after all. Naturally we were ecstatic. Now we could legitimately say that watching soaps was work. Of course, now I had the embarrassment of having to retract my press release, which we titled When Is A Rejection Not A Rejection?

Our soap writing days were short lived. Now that we know the rules, our chances of selling another story to the soaps really is near impossible. You can only plead ignorance once and Lee and I are already way past our quota. On the other hand, if one of us gets another “good idea” …

~~~~~~~~~
Margaret Brownley has published more than 20 novels and has written for Harlequin, St.Martin’s Press and Penguin. She is currently writing historical novels for Thomas Nelson. Her next book, A Lady Like Sarah will be in bookstores December 2009, followed by A Suitor For Jenny June 2010.

Visit Margaret’s homestead:www.margaretbrownley.com
For laughs you won’t want to miss A Lady Like Sarah Presents Stagecoach Etiquette: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prY2q9Oasp4

Lee Duran has published more than 30 books writing both as Ruth Jean Dale and Lee Duran. A former newspaper reporter, she has written for Harlequin, St. Martin’s Press and Time Warner. She is currently working on a new historical series.

What's Not to Love About Having Your Own Space?

2009-10-09T05:37:00.004-05:00

As I sit here in my home office, I realize how lucky I am to have a space to call my own. Here I can escape from the rest of the world and hide away to make up stories! That's a writer's dream. That's what we do. We pretend, just like when we were little, and make those pretend things come to life on the page. We need a place to do that.

When I was a little girl, m parents and I lived with my grandparents. In the back yard was an old chicken coup. The structure was long and at one end there was a room, segregated from the rest of the building. The door was an outside entrance. My father allowed me to clean that area, which had small screened windows, and use it for my hideaway. I had a cot inside and a bevy of books. I could escape there and read without interruption, escaping into wonderful, exciting worlds. Many summer afternoons I traveled with Jason and the Argonauts, met the Cyclops, Medusa, and other frightening characters. But, Jason always prevailed. Perhaps that's where my first love of overcoming obstacles came to fruition.

How I loved that little, dusty room.

We all need a space to call our own. Not everyone can have an entire room, but we all carve out special places where we can get away to think, to cry, to create...to just be alone. I hope you have a special place of your own.

What's not to love about that?

Thanks for stopping by.

Transformation

2009-10-07T05:28:00.006-05:00

Three brothers, ready to be transformed into....

Two spiders and a fly!!!

**************************************************
It's October, my favorite month of the year. Over the years, I always looked forward to seeing my grandkids in their Halloween costumes. The transformations are fabulous. I especially like the home made costumes. I still smile when I look back at these pictures. I thought I'd share these to (hopefully) add a smile to your face today. Remember, smiling is a wonderful thing. It's free, calorie-free, and it feels great. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to share that smile with others today!

At Setback or a Warning

2009-10-06T06:27:00.003-05:00

I don't normally blog on Tuesdays, but I feel compelled to write my thoughts this morning.

I woke up at 5:20AM and wondered why the furnace was running and I was so hot. I turned on the downstairs hallway light and the further down the stairs I walked the colder the air felt. I headed to the thermostat and immediately saw the problem. The basement door was wide open and the screen door was also propped open! I immediately thought hubby must have been painting in the basement and forgot to shut the doors. But then I knew that I would have felt the cold the night before and I had been in the basement to do laundry and everything was locked and secure. As I walked back toward the family room, I saw pictures on the floor and thought the cats must have done it...probably spooked by something. No! Our flat screen TV was missing. I quickly scouted the area and noticed nothing else that seemed to be missing. My office was intact; my purse intact and all my computer stuff...fine. I hurried upstairs and woke up hubby and told him we'd been robbed. We came downstairs and couldn't figure out how anyone could have come in through the door. It had two slide bolts as well as a regular lock. Nothing was disturbed. The door hadn't been removed from the hinges.

I went upstairs and saw the entry point. Someone had come on our deck, removed a bug screen from one half of the window (inside the deck), and then had gone outside, used our ladder and climbed up to lift the window screen and the window. They came in through that half window area and went downstairs to get the TV. As we investigated the path, we realized they had snipped the alarm wire on the door they used to exit. Not too smart of a crook, because if we had actually set the alarm before retiring, that would have broken the circuit and set off the alarm.

Anyway, we are out one 42" flat screen television, but no one in our home was injured. Nothing else was taken.

I truly believe God was watching over us. It could have been so much worse. In today's world, we might have been killed. If we had woken up and caught them in the act, who knows what might have happened.

I also believe God is giving us a wake-up call. We have safety measures on our windows to keep them from opening. We have locks, and the kitchen window was unlocked. We have an alarm system and we hadn't set it. From now on, we are utilizing all our safety measures, and we are thanking God for the blessing in the violation.

Thanks for stopping by!

Free books and more!!

2009-10-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

Have you checked out the White Roses in Bloom Blog yet? This is week four in our seven week giveaway. Each week you have a chance to win a free e-book by one of our fabulous authors.

How? By joining our scavenger hunt. Each Saturday two to three new author’s web-sites will be added to this blog. What your job is to locate the WHITE ROSE PUBLISHING cup hiding somewhere on their site. Jot down the author’s name and what color cup is on their web page and e-mail the correct answers to carolann.erhardt@gmail.com (Please place in the subject line WRiB Contest) Each Saturday, starting September 19th, a winner’s name will be drawn and your prize will be awarded.

But that’s not all, each time that you send in an entry—regardless if you win that week or not--your name goes into a larger kitty for the grand prize drawing October 31st! (That prize consists of: seven e-books, a box of White Rose Organic tea, your very own beautiful White Rose mug, and a little basket of Arbonne skin care products.)

What are you waiting for?

Go here to play: http://whiterosesinbloom.blogspot.com

What's Not to Love About October?

2009-10-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

October begins my favorite season of the year. It's time for the hot, sticky summer days to mellow into cooler, brisker weather. Leaves turn from green to beautiful neon yellow and orange, painting a breathtaking view everywhere I look. I love to walk outdoors and feel the cool air against my face, tingling my cheeks as they blush from the kiss of autumn.

October is the month before the frantic rush of the holiday season, when people get caught up in cooking, cleaning, and frenzy purchases.

October is the month of Halloween. Many people are skeptical about Halloween and many are prejudiced. But, me? I love Halloween.

HALLOWEEN
c. Carol Ann Erhardt

Halloween is called a scary night,
Where ghosts and goblins give a fright!
When witches ride on magic brooms,
And mummies rise from darkened tombs!

Black cats howl throughout the night,
And monster eyes watch glowing bright!
Bats fly low and pumpkins roll,
The headless horseman in control.

But this is just a myth I swear,
There’s nothing that you need beware.
Beneath those costumes, children smile,
Gathering candy all the while.

Soft and cuddly, black silk fur,
Is the cat you see, who loves to purr.
I know there’s nothing bad to be seen,
For I was born on Halloween!

Now what's not to love about that?

Thanks for stopping by!

Cupcakes -- Good to the last Crumb

2009-09-30T05:24:00.004-05:00

There is nothing better than starting your day with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. In searching through my photos to find something that might make you smile, I found this. Our family had gathered to celebrate a grandson's birthday at the park. One of our grandsons found the best way to eat a cupcake is to just dive right in.

Enjoy!!

I wish you many smiles and much laughter today! It's happy, it's healthy, and calorie free! Indulge.

Thanks for stopping by.

Muse Therapy - D. D. Scott Style

2009-09-28T04:00:00.003-05:00

I'm so pleased to have D. D. Scott join me today on my blog. D. D. Scott’s romantic comedies are all about sexy, sassy, smart, career-driven women and the men who complete them. They're a bit chick lit with a gone-country twist. She’s agented, and her series BOOTSCOOTIN' BLAHNIKS - think Sex and The City meets Urban Cowboy - is under consideration by several NY publishers.

She writes stories with big hearts and a bunch of sass. Once a small town newspaper crime reporter and now a HarperCollins Publishing Returns Center Executive Assistant, she's learned great fiction comes from the street as well as which jacket covers meet early deaths.

She's a member of Indiana RWA as well as RWA's Chick Lit Writers of the World Chapter and ScriptScene RWA. She's been featured in both Indiana RWA's and ScriptScene's chapter newsletters and been a guest blogger on Romance Writers on the Journey. She is linked to on Romancing the Blog and also has an active blog of her own on her website at www.DDScott.com.

Currently, she's driving her darling hubby nuts waiting to hear whether or not she'll be providing Muse Therapy for the 2010 RT BookLovers' Convention in Columbus OH and for RWR in an article-based Muse Therapy series. (Update: Woot! Just got notified she was accepted to teach at RT Convention!!!)

For updates on her books, her sexy, sassy, smart neurotic writer’s life blog, and for a schedule of future muse therapy sessions, visit her website www.DDScott.com. While there, sign-up for her mailing list for chances to win fabulous tchotchkes.

Are you all settled down and ready for a therapy session? Well, get comfortable and I'll turn to blog reins over to D. D. Scott!

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Welcome to a mini blog bit of Muse Therapy – D. D. Scott style – where it’s all about injecting life into tired and/or stressed out muses.
First, a huge thank you to Carol Ann and her Inside The Writer’s Mind for inviting me to do a mini Muse Therapy Session!
I take it many of you may need a writer’s go-to-gal for your muse “disorders”. Bravo! Me too...and I’m the “therapist”! LOL!
Being Queen or King of your creative domain may require “therapy” – Muse Therapy that is!
Congratulations, though, on being at the top of the writing game. No denial. No shame. You’re in the writing business for fun, fortune and fame. Right?
Okay. Okay. At least that ideal looks and sounds fabulous on our screens. LOL!
As a Muse “Therapist”, I give writer’s fun and fabulous tools to analyze their muses’ funks, rein in their creative divas and up their page counts.
Together, we discover what makes your muses tick. What ticks them off. And what makes them dance like nobody's watching.

So if your muse is in need of a tune-up, grab a comfy couch or chair and put up your feet. You're in the right therapy session. You’ll have a terrific time conquering your creative divas and taking back the crown of your personal Muse-ville kingdom. It’s soooo good to be Queen (or King) of your creative domain.
But how do you know if you’ve been dethroned? And how do you take back your creative sovereignty? Here are a few clues. You know you need Muse Therapy When...
1. Your muses aren’t ticking. They’re ticked off.
2. Your muses are in a funk saying “up yours” instead of upping your page counts.
3. Even great sex or a new pair of shoes can’t rein in your creative divas.
4. The following sessions sound appealing:
** Unleashing Your Inner Sybil
** Writing Bi-Polar: I Suck vs. I'm a Genius
** What Do You Mean I'm Neurotic? No, I'm Not. Well, Not Exactly. But Okay...There Are Times When. Like You Need To Know That. Anyway, I Was Thinking, My Jeep Is Red
** Rorschach For Writers: I See Dead Lines
** Stimulants: When Coffee, Chocolate, and Martinis Aren't Enough
5. Your word witches are on their way to publishing Oz but the Yellow Brick Road they’re bootscootin’ on...well...the damn thing never ends!
6. Everyone says your writing is a waste of time, a “hobby” that will never “pay-off”.
7. You feel the urge, however, to tell everyone in reason six to (I’m thinking of a phrase that starts with a 4-letter-word and ends with a ‘you’, ‘off’ or ‘me’).

Here’s the scoop...the secret to upping your page count isn’t done by hurling nasty insults at your muses. Oh no. You’ve got to wine and dine those divas. Whether it’s with coffee, chocolate, fabulous finds in some chic boutique, or with what I call Muse Therapy Trips, it’s all about pampering those chicks and chucks ‘til you get out of them exactly what you want...and then some.
Let’s begin by exploring your word witches’ inner divas. Note I said “divas” plural, not singular. You may have tuned-in to the creative energies swirling in your head, but have you noticed and perhaps worried a bit because there are multiple voices shouting between your ears?
Just like Carrie Bradshaw of SEX AND THE CITY would welcome a new, potential leading man into her life with a seductive “Hello, Lover”, we’ll be seducing our new, potential leading characters to join us on our pages by saying “Hello, Sybil”.
Sybil? As in:
***Multiple personality disorder/Dissociative identity disorder, as in the character played by Sally Field in the 1976 movie which won Field an Emmy?
***Sybil, of thirteen different personalities?
***Diagnosis of a condition in which a single person exhibits multiple distinct personalities, each with its own, unique behaviors perceiving and interacting with the world around them?
YES!!! That Sybil!
Take a look at this definition from www.mentalhelp.net (yes...I’m not in denial that as writers, we need mental help...LOL!):
“Those with a personality disorder possess several distinct psychological features including disturbances in self-image; inability to have successful interpersonal relationships; inappropriate range of emotion, ways of perceiving themselves, others, and the world; and difficulty possessing proper impulse control. These disturbances come together to create a pervasive pattern of behavior and inner experience that is quite different from the norms of the individual’s culture and that often tend to be expressed in behaviors that appear more dramatic than what society considers usual. Therefore, those with a personality disorder experience conflicts with other people and vice-versa. There are ten different types of personality disorders that exist, which all have various emphases. Antisocial. Avoidant. Borderline. Dependent. Histrionic. Narcissistic. Obsessive-Compulsive. Paranoid. Schizoid. Schizotypal...For more information on each of these Personality Disorders, as well as other mental health topics, visit www.mentalhelp.net. Cause mental health matters...”

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re darn right it matters!!! Could we not substitute (Those with a need or desire to be a published writer) for (Those with a personality disorder)? LOL! I mean come on...I personally exhibit at least half of the traits in that definition! How about you?! And just ask my DH...my mental health (and his for putting up with me) matters!!!
So how do we as writers/creative Sybils take stock of all the voices/characters talking to us?
My solution? Collaging: A WIP of Your WIP
How many of you collage now? If you do...terrific! If you don’t...perhaps give it try. Let’s see if we can make this technique work for corralling your muses OR make it work better (if you’re already using it).
Visual arts always trip my muses’ triggers. Interesting though, I didn’t think of applying the collage technique to my writing process ‘til I stumbled on Jennifer Crusie’s 2003 RWR article “Picture This: Collage as Prewriting & Inspiration”. You can find the article at www.jennycrusie.com/for-writers/essays/.
Like Crusie, I panic when I’m starting a new book – but, for me, it’s a good kind of panic. I make good on the challenge of creating my next book by finding the images, words and phrases that send my muses into hyper-drive production mode.
RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and author of over 75 books in the contemporary romance genre -- including BLAME IT ON PARIS and numerous bestsellers in over 20 languages around the world - Jennifer Greene aka Alison Hart says she doesn’t have an “artistic bone” so she’s “not looking to set-up anything fancy or gorgeous the way Jennifer Crusie does.” But before she starts a book, she “sits down with a heap of old magazines” and then “just plays.”
She picks out a house for her hero and heroine. Key room decors for each. Giving herself a visual of how her characters live, the colors they live with and how that works for their characters. Anything she’d have trouble remembering later, she gets a kind of “snapshot” of. She explained further:
“I find that something that slows us down is often filling in the details as we write...so if I have the book in mind, when I’m doing this collage – creation, I can pick up details right then. A picture of the heroine’s ‘mom and dad’. A treasure of hers. Something that typifies what her childhood was like, a picture from where she grew up.”
Jennifer puts all this on a corkboard then takes it down and “tosses it” after the book’s done. (Note: I keep my collages. I think Crusie does too.) Jennifer, however, doesn’t collage for every book, “but especially if (she’s) coming into a tough writing stretch, (she) finds it helps push the muse into gear.”
To understand my characters, I’ve got to first “see” them and their world. How do I do that? I’m a Magazine Ho! My mailman hates me! LOL! But while he’s stewing, my story is brewing thanks to the glossy-packaged images he stuffs to damn near shreds into my mailbox.
As I’m cutting, tearing and pasting these images to a foam core board, my muses are busy making sense of and connecting these fabulous fragments.
But here’s the thing. Somewhere between the collage for my last two manuscripts, my muses got overwhelmed. We’re talking complete sensory overload! Yes, they had every conceivable image they needed for my story, but they were at a loss as to how the hell sooooo many pieces fit together.
I stopped right there and put down the glue! What exactly did I have so far?
Well...I’d collaged a tad about my hero and heroine’s characterization and my Music City setting and my opening story question/hook “How can you build and run a celebrity empire with a baby on the way and paparazzi snapping away at your every success, misstep and dark secret revealed?”.
That’s it! That’s all I had on that board. Basically chapter one and two and part of three. I wasn’t overwhelmed. My mind wasn’t cluttered with fabulous, sparkling crap. My muses were relaxed and happy.
I actually heard their voices whisper between my ears “Okay, Sybil, pick out the images to finish chapter three, then show us your choices and inspirational pieces for chapter four, now we’ll help you get from one set of images to the next. We’ll use your collage as a WIP of your WIP.”
After listening to my muse squad (as you can imagine, listening isn’t one of my former strengths), I made myself a gin and tonic. Vermouth and voices. My kind of Muse Therapy! LOL! I chose my next chapter’s images as my muses instructed. I let the multiple personalities manifesting themselves with gusto in my mind show me the behaviors that would create my story plot and get my characters off their butts and benches. I unleashed my inner Sybil.
Now it’s your turn! Collage your way to your inner Sybil. Unleash the magic of your creative divas.
Get out your scissors, magazines and glue and be nice to your mailman!
You now know what makes your muses tick and what ticks them off. You’re indulging their word-producing whims.
But what if the feisty glam girls of your next bestseller are still pouting? What if they’re demanding you dig deeper to uncover their inner conflicts, make them work-it harder for your characters?
Perhaps you suffer from a few of the muse “disorders” I previously listed in the sessions that may sound appealing to you.
If any of the above has you written all over them, don’t worry. You’re among many creative goddesses battling the same devils...regardless whether or not we’re wearing Prada.
Throughout my Muse Therapy sessions, we explore each of these disorders. We divulge each disorder’s preferred behavioral manifestations then discover fabulous tricks to banish them from our writing kingdoms.
I hope to see you “in therapy” either during my online class sessions or live workshops. Check my website www.DDScott.com for dates and locations.
‘Til then...keep your muses happy. Pamper them silly. They’ll be glad you did and so will you.

Sexy, Sassy, Smart Muse Therapy Wishes --- D. D. Scott
http://www.DDScott.com
http://twitter.com/ddscottromcom

P.S. If you post a comment and join my website mailing list and/or follow me on Twitter, you’ll be eligible to win a fabulous Muse Therapy treat!

Happiness is "I Cried..."

2009-09-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, one of my favorite out of town directors, came into my office to say hi. I love chatting with her. She has a little girl, a beautiful little girl, and many funny, sweet, and endearing stories to tell. Well, that and photos. However, this time, she popped in for a different reason. She had finally had a few spare minutes to read JOSHUA'S HOPE.

"I loved it!" She sat in a chair across from my desk and clasped her hands. "I cried for little Joshua. If it had been anyone else who wrote the book, I wouldn't have continued reading, because it tugged at my heartstrings so deeply. But, I knew that you would make it have a happy ending. I loved it. I really did. And, I wanted you to know how much it touched me."

Now, what's not to love about that?

If you haven't read JOSHUA'S HOPE, you can find more info on my website.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find something to love today!

In An Envelope of Treasures

2009-09-23T05:29:00.002-05:00

When my mother moved in with us, she brought a bag of cards which had been given to my father over the years. Some from her, some from me or my children. I found letters written by the kids and they were so adorable.

One that really made me smile was a letter from my son. He had asked, "Do you like riddles?" He proceeded to write the riddle and off to the left side he drew a picture. The picture depicted the answer.

What is red and can walk through walls? The picture was a red ghost...a sunburned ghost?

The one that stumped me was: Why did the elephant sit on the marshmallow? He had drawn a cup with a spoon sticking out and all I could think was it had something to do with hot chocolate.

If anyone reading this knows the answer, please post it! I'd love to know.

Hope you have many reasons to smile today, and be sure and share that smile with others. How can you feel sad with a smile on your face?

Thanks for stopping by!

Central Ohio Fiction Writers Present Readers and Writers Holiday Conference

2009-09-21T05:49:00.003-05:00

What an exhausting weekend! The conference was a huge success!! Many authors and readers gathered together at the Holiday Inn in Worthington for the annual Readers and Writers Holiday Conference.

The evening began with a "come as you are" reception, followed by a book signing hosted by Barnes and Noble with local authors meeting, mingling, and autographing books.

Donna MacMeans, recipient of the Golden Heart Award for her debut novel, THE EDUCATION OF MRS. BRIMLEY, gave a workshop "Analyzing Your Way to a Bestseller" following the book signing. A CPA by day, Donna employed her analytical skills on everything from dialogue to market trends to assist her along the journey toward becoming a published author. In the workshop, she disclosed meaningful and generally humorous observations accumulated in her research.

Saturday, the conference began with our editors and agents telling a little about themselves and their houses: Stephany Evans, President of FinePrint Literary Agency; Elaine Spencer, Subrights Manager/Agent for The Knight Agency; Lori Graham, Senior Editor for The Wild Rose Press; Lindsey Faber, Editor for Samhain Publishing.

Roxanne St. Claire, Keynote Speaker, gave a humorous and inspirational speech which ended with everyone in the room wiping a tear.

After lunch, Roxanne and all the agents/editors formed a panel to interact with the attendees on "What's Hot and What's Not in Romance."

The group presented an award to Annette Fitzgerald, The Book Exchange, in Port Clinton, Ohio, for Bookseller of the Year. Karin Shah received a first sale pen for her debut novel, Starjacked, published by Samhain.

The afternoon had a choice of two separate workshops. Leanna Renee Hieber presented "Direct Your Book" using theater techniques to write the next blockbuster; and J.C. Wilder and Jules Bennett presented "Build a Hero."

Raffle baskets winners were announced amid cheers and excited shouts of joy. Among the items won were a Dell Notebook, a $100 Amazon gift certificate, and a free admission to RT Convention.

Everyone left with a happy glow and a determination to finish the next manuscript.