This blog has moved to a new location on Carol Ann Erhardt's website.
www.CarolAnnErhardt.com

The Cat and The Hairspray

Visited the hairdresser today for my monthly haircut. Rarely do I use hairspray, but today she sprayed a liberal amount after styling. Didn't think much of it until...

My cat, Charlotte, enjoys sleeping on the back of the sofa in the living room. When I sit there, she likes to nuzzle in my hair. I don't know why and can't seem to stop her. She purrs and nuzzles and sometimes holds my head between her paws to keep it where she wants it.

Today when I sat down to chat with hubby, she jumped on the back of the sofa and began her usual routine. She nuzzled, rooted, purred and rubbed...peeked over my shoulder and looked at me...then went back to nuzzling. She grabbed my head with her paws and suddenly I felt teeth on the side of my head! I pulled away and she meowed at me. I leaned back and she started in again purring and nuzzling...then suddenly, she grabbed a mouthful of hair and pulled! Ouch!!!

You should have seen the look she gave me when I scolded her. And the little vixen slapped my hand when I shook my finger at her. Not sure what kind of hair spray I have in my hair, but you can bet I won't be sitting on the sofa until I wash my hair!

When It's Time To Change...

In an effort to improve our health, hubby and I have purchased several pieces of exercise equipment. Our latest purchase was a recumbent bike. That joined our elliptical machine and the Gazelle in our family room!

Our house is a bi-level and the family room is long and partially divided by the hallway, so it is difficult to arrange furniture around it.

Especially since we have a built-in corner fireplace and bookshelves on either side. And, I need to watch television when I exercise!

So, today I did my workout by rearranging things to put all the exercise equipment on one side of the room, preserving the tv watching area for relaxing. But, with the tv angled just a bit, we can work out and watch tv, too!

I'm very tired and doubt if I'll be using any of that equipment today! Well, maybe I'll use the treadmill which is in my office...but that's another story!

The Writer and The Muse

"I need you to inspire me to write today, Muse."

"What you need is to put your hands on the keyboard and write. The inspiration will come once you remember that writing is an action word!"

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You don't have to stare at the blank screen."

"Neither would you if you would stop procrastinating and start writing."

"How can I write when I can't get the villain's motivation worked out?"

"Interview him."

"Funny."

"See, there you go. Every time I try to help you, there's an excuse. Why is that funny?"

"He's not real."

"That's your problem right there. If you don't think he's real, how will your reader believe in his motivation?"

Score one for the muse!

Sweet Words to an Author's Ear

Words heard while attending a Valentine's Day concert for U.S. Veterans last night: "I started reading one of your books and I can't put it down!"

Shortly after finding seats, hubby and I were pleasantly surprised when his pulmonary therapist and the oxygen coordinator from the Chalmers P. Wylie VA came and sat behind us. My hubby is one of my biggest promoters. He tells everyone I'm an author and raves about my books. He has read every one of them. Word of mouth continues to be one of the best marketing tools and one that doesn't cost a penny.

While participating in a six-week therapy exercise program, he "ratted me out" as an author...bless his heart! His therapist bought two of my books for her Nook, but hadn't yet begun to read them before the program ended. Her words last night gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling and motivated me to continue writing.

"I started reading and I couldn't put it down."
"I stayed up until two in the morning because I had to find out what would happen next."
"Once I started reading, I had to keep going. It was so good!"

These are words I'm hearing from people who have read my Inspirational novels. Seems whenever I get a bit down and question the time I spend writing, God speaks to me through readers.

I may never be a New York Times Best-selling author, but that has never been my goal. My goal is to write stories that touch reader emotions and show how faith can move mountains without "preaching." I've been asked who my audience is and that makes me smile. Who? Everyone! Male, female, Christian, non-Christian...anyone who can read!

TRAPPED is my latest book and the one the Pulmonary Therapist was speaking about last night. I'm currently writing the second book in the series...one I'm enjoying writing and hope will continue to bring the same heartwarming feedback.

I'm Like a Trained Rat...

I'm a creature of habit. For the past five weeks, I've been carrying my iPad to the VA Clinic to write while my hubby is doing his exercise program. This gives me two and a half hours to do nothing but write. No distractions. I can't get up and head to the refrigerator, fix a cup of tea, check emails, read, play with the cats, or talk on the phone. I can't even check Facebook or Twitter. Horrors!

But I'm having a very productive two and a half hours to write. The time passes quickly and the words and pages flow. I'm energized and so immersed in the process of writing that I am sad when the time is up. I used to walk on the treadmill every day and write, but since I began using my iPad at the VA, the treadmill isn't working.

Is it the laptop? Could be. I cannot write at my desk on my desktop computer. That's for blogging, checking emails, twitter, facebook, research. The laptop used to be for writing. Now it's the iPad. Problem is...it doesn't work on my treadmill desk.

I'm like a trained rat who runs through the maze for the food when the bell rings. Once trained, I'm in a rut. Sigh. I must condition myself back to the laptop and the treadmill.

Writers are such weird creatures. Or at least, I am. Sigh.

Characters Can Appear Anywhere!

Yesterday I met a woman in the veterinarian's office who had a bulky English bulldog on the bench beside her. He was so ugly he was cute. Had the typical scrunched face, was snorting and doing his best to get off the bench and get to me. So, I petted him. Adorable dog. The only problem...according to this lovely woman who was in one of my Bible Study groups, is that he's always horny! She says he humps everybody's leg consistently and she doesn't know what to do with him. Even the vet had no idea how to break him.  All I know is I'm sure glad she was able to keep that huge dog under control!

On the way home, I got a great idea to use this to my advantage and include it in one of my books. I'm thinking it would make a great novella story...maybe something for Easter. Wouldn't it be great if the dog belonged to a Pastor's family?

Everyone Likes "Free"

Free seems to be the magic word today, especially when it comes to ebooks. I hear comments like "there are so many free books, you don't have to buy anything." It's a great enticement to grab as many free books as you can. Some of my friends have hundreds of books on their device and they haven't paid a penny for any of them.

I like free, too. Who doesn't? But the truth of the matter is someone spent countless hours writing, revising, and formatting that book so others could have it for free. Interesting. As an author, I have made some of my books free for a brief period of time hoping to get name exposure; and sometimes my book would appear free weeks after I had changed the price to normal. Thousands of copies of my book were downloaded onto reader devices at no cost whatsoever to them. While I would like to build up a readership of loyal fans, I didn't plan my writing career to be an unpaid volunteer position.

When I made a decision to be a writer and not hold a day job, my goal wasn't to continue making the same amount of money I had in the corporate world. I wanted to pursue my passion for storytelling and share it with others who enjoy escaping into a good book. I want to entertain, to touch a heart, to bring a smile, a tear, enjoyment to those who read my words.

Writing isn't easy work. It takes months of writing, researching, editing, and rewriting to get my book ready for the public. I spend money on ink, software, paper, computers...all to put out a quality product. I send my work off to editors and then take their input to make the book even better. My story and characters are in the forefront of my mind while I'm driving, cleaning, gardening, cooking, and even in my sleep. It takes me six months from the idea stage to the finished product. That's a lot of hours. I don't know anyone who would go to work for six months for no pay, do you?

Readers might think writing is easy and perhaps that's why they don't think twice about that book they snagged for free. What do authors want from readers they have "given" their book to? Maybe an honest review from the place where they downloaded the book. Maybe a quick note to say "Thank you!" Maybe a recommendation to a friend.

As for me, I plan to "value" my hard work by putting a price tag on it. My books are currently priced at $2.99. What does that make the hourly wage? Less than two cents an hour. None of my friends or family would work for that kind of money. I'm happy to do so, and I hope readers will understand when I don't offer my services for free.

Mindless Eating

I must admit that I'm guilty of mindless eating. It's an addiction. If I have a bowl of grapes sitting beside me while I'm reading or brainstorming, I will eat them one by one and not even realize what I'm doing. Suddenly the bowl is empty and I have no recollection of the joy of eating them! Now If I could stick to eating grapes or something else healthy like that while I'm mindlessly eating I'd be okay with it.

However, my mindless eating includes a jar of chocolate covered peanuts, sugar coated pecans, or other equally high sugar and bad for me foods! I can inhale a ton of these without thinking and afterward feel like a huge slug.

What I need to do is keep all bad foods out of the house. They are like a magnet to me and once I eat one, I'm a goner. 

Anyone else out there guilty of mindless eating? Have you come up with a miracle cure?

The Answer to What is More Annoying Than the Terrible Two's!!

My crazy cat, Templeton, has been going out of his way to annoy me today.

He's found the addition of a rag rug in front of the refrigerator to be a fun way to run, hit the rug, and slide across the floor! Today he banked off one of my grocery bags, hopped off the rug, and then jumped into the bag. Sigh.

The floor is also littered with cat-bite size pieces of the newspaper.

He started the day by taking his paw and opening the cabinet door beneath the kitchen sink. He pulled it open, then let it bang shut. Over and over and over while I was trying to enjoy a quiet cup of tea. In the summer he liked to go on the outside deck and open the cabinet doors there. Yesterday I found the doors to the printer cabinet open. I went to close them and spied his face staring at me! The bugger had climbed in and was perched on top of my mailing envelopes.

Whenever I yell at him, he curses me in cat language. I can tell it isn't very nice by the look on his face.

Everyone Wants a Magic Pill

To be successful as a writer, forget the lure of a magic pill. There is no magic, except the magic within you.

When the idea of writing first draws us to tell a story, we get lost in the creation process. It's such a freeing and fun activity. Words follow words, paragraphs follow paragraphs, and before we know we have completed our first novel. How exciting! We dream of seeing our book in our favorite store, bright and shining, sitting on a shelf where people are scrambling to grab the last copy. Ah, the dream...

Then come rejections. What? Pain rips a hole in our confidence. Despair, depression, and self-doubt replace the excitement. If we're lucky, we join a writer's group seeking guidance and a magic pill to turn us into an "author."

We bury ourselves in craft books, attend seminars, workshops, and take online classes. We become addicted to learning, following the "rules," being perfect, editing, re-writing...and by doing so we lose the spontaneity of telling a story. We try to follow the "market," write what's hot, all the time stumbling around and seeking what we want to be when we grow up.

Maybe that's not you. Maybe not. Maybe pieces of what I've said apply to you. It happened to me. I became addicted to learning and in the process I found out...gasp...there is no magic pill! No magic formula! The writing process is unique to each of us.

We are individuals, each with our own thought process, ideas, idiosyncrasies. That's how God created us. Knowing that, how can we expect to follow in someone else's footsteps and achieve the same success? We can't. All we can do is be true to ourselves. Write the stories we want to write, not what we think will sell.

The process? Whatever works for you! But the most important thing to remember is that you have a writing voice. Yours is different from mine and from any other writer. If you seek critiques, read them and take what makes sense for your writing. Don't change your story because of what someone else says. That's their opinion, their "voice" speaking.

The best advice I can give? Read, read, read in the genre yow want to write. You'll know what that is. Then just write your story. Don't look for a magic pill to help you succeed. Just write.

The Cat and The Jewelry Box

Most of you who follow my blog know about my "almost human" cat Templeton. But not sure if you all know that Templeton has trouble deciding if he's human or a dog. He LOVES to chew on things. My hubby cannot read the daily newspaper without Templeton being right up front and in his face. And if he doesn't get the attention he desires, he grabs the newspaper and shakes it like a dog taking bite size pieces and tossing them.

A couple weeks ago, one of our daughters was visiting. She and I were visiting in the family room when I realized she'd left her "expensive" designer bag on the floor next to her feet. She didn't know about Templeton's chewing habit until she caught him gnawing away on the handle! Luckily, she rescued it in time. I wasn't so lucky when I first learned of his chewing tendency. I left a new bag on the sofa and when I picked it up to leave for work, the handle fell off!! He'd chewed completely through it. Mine wasn't an expensive one, thank goodness, so I replaced it. Now I know to keep all my purses hanging on a hook inside my closet.

So, now to the story of today's post. I have a velvet covered jewelry box on my dresser. I've had it for some time, but recently decided to put it on my dresser and fill it with small and "best" quality jewelry. When I went to open it this morning I noticed a hole had been gnawed through the velvet and "teeth" marks appeared all over the top!!

I kind of wish Templeton was a dog. Then he wouldn't be jumping to the top of things to get at items to chew on...well, unless he was a dog that thought he was a cat. But, that's another story.

TRAPPED by Carol Ann Erhardt, Book One - Havens Creek Series

My brand new release, TRAPPED, book one in the Havens Creek series is now available on Amazon and Smashwords.

My Christmas present to you is a drastically slashed price on the e-book from $3.99 to $.99 from today through December 25. Why? Because during this time we all have to count our pennies. This is a time for family and being thankful. I'm thankful to all of my faithful fans who have been patient during the time I needed to regroup after losing my mother and dealing with the illnesses my husband has faced.

Trapped is a book about family, trust, and forgiveness...and yes, it does have suspense as well. I hope you are blessed by meeting Summer, Jake, Becca and Jenny...and the adorable animals they love.

The print version of the book will be available on Amazon the first week of December.

Book two of this series will be released summer of 2012.

E-book Purchase links:
Amazon
Smashwords

Blessings,
Carol Ann

Writers Beware--Sitting Decreases Life Expectancy

I watched Dr. Oz today and he said that inactivity and sitting reduces life expectancy by 11%. Boy, am I glad I retired! I never realized my boss was trying to kill me! I wonder if the treadmill desk would ever catch on in the office environment? Think of how much room could be utilized by removing office walls and installing rows of treadmill desks.

As of yet, I haven't tried doing editing on my treadmill. Right now, I'm editing about 45 pages on paper, so today I'm going to give it a try. Beginning tomorrow, I'm going to track steps and word count. Exercise increases blood flow and also stimulates creative brain activity, so it's a win-win situation for me.

Since I haven't tried working on the internet while walking, it's time to get off this desk chair and back on the treadmill.

Are any of you doing exercise to stimulate your creativity? Feel free to share!

Facing Down Fear

Those who know me, know I'm terrified of spiders. Especially huge spiders. This spring I've been seeing invaders in my house. How they get inside baffles me! The one I ran across last night in my lower bathroom was easily 2 inches with his legs not fully extended. *big shudder*

In the past, I would have screamed until my hubby could get downstairs and "save me." But, I've had to give up that luxury. The only way to get rid of the spiders now is to kill them myself. I CANNOT bear the thought of feeling something smoosh beneath my feet. I can tell you that bug killer sprays might slow down these huge arachnids, but they do keep on moving.

I knew if I walked away, he might disappear, but he would also still be in the house. I would be fearful of seeing him again...maybe crawling up my pants leg. This is the WORST fear I have about spiders.

I had to face down my fear. I did it wearing my clunky, heavy waterproof snow boots. I tromped that big guy, actually picked up the carcass with a wad of toilet paper and flushed him away.

Facing our fears helps reduce that fear exponentially each time we do it. However, my fear of heights is another matter. I don't imagine I'll be doing any bungee jumping in the future.

Motivation for Success

Motivation is required for all successes in life. That includes writing. Today I'm working hard on getting in touch with my villain. I need to understand his motivation in order to write the best book I can.

I also need motivation to keep on my weight loss journey. How easy to fall off the good practices and forget about the good lifestyle changes required. I need motivation to get on the treadmill or do do other aerobic exercise.

So, not only do I need to focus on what makes my villain such a villain, but also on what can motivate me to reach my weight loss goals. It takes more than just a will. It takes perseverance and drive.

What about you? Are you motivated to achieve your goals? Have you reached deep inside to get in touch with that motivation?

Breaking Through Zombi-itis!

More rain forecast through Thursday. Storms and flooding.

While I love rainy days for writing, I'm already getting a bit of cabin fever. These days zap my energy. Another thing that zaps my energy is not having my house in order. When things are dusty and cluttered, I begin to feel depressed and lethargic.

Does that ever happen to you?

So, today is my "cleaning" day. I'm sure once I have a clean and uncluttered house, I'll find lots of energy and also give myself permission to take an afternoon off to read. Easter will be a day of rest and then Monday I'll be back in the office writing.

Wishing each of you a blessed Easter weekend!

Contrasts - A Good Writing Tool

Contrasts. What are they? How do they impact our writing?

I look out my window at the rain, the beautiful green grass, the leaves on the trees, plants rising from the red mulch in the garden outside my window...and listen to the sound of my furnace running. A contrast.

When writing, it is good to look for "contrasts" that can be used for foreshadowing. It's a subtle way of instilling a subconscious mood for the reader. Igniting a spark of what's to come. Building anticipation. Building tension.

While writing a scene, think of ways to use the setting as a way to add a contrast. Use your built-in senses to envision the scene. Embrace the sights, sounds, smells, touch, tastes that surround you. Focus on your goal...what you are trying to convey with the scene. Now, using that tap into something you can use to build a contrast.

This is not a tool that you would overuse, but one that can be very effective when used correctly in a manuscript.

Good Friday is here. Words cannot express my emotions. No other gift can compare to the one given on the cross. Yet, this was the darkest day in history, to be followed by the most glorious day of hope and promise--The Resurrection on Easter Sunday morning. What a contrast! What a blessing!

New Look for Website Coming Soon...

Working on launching a new look for my website and will install a blog directly on the site.Not sure how I will handle that blog yet. It may just be for writing information, while this one will take the more personal slant, much as it does today.

Decisions, decisions! Today,I'm looking forward to getting my front flower gardens mulched. And, to finishing the new first chapter. Progress, progress!

Just a Morning Brain Dump

Woke up at 2:45am with thunder rolling, flashing lightning, wind, and tornado sirens. The storm was intense, but moving very rapidly. No damage in our area, but I hear many areas around us did not fare as well.

Today was weigh-in day for Weight Watchers. While I didn't lose anything this week, I did drop more inches. I'm so thrilled that since I began 3 months ago, I've lost 4.75" in my waist, 5.5" in my hips, 4" in my bust, 1.5" in my arms, and 4" in my thighs. Woo hoo!!

On the agenda for today is typing the new first chapter of my WIP. Yesterday I sketched out the scene. Now I'm really excited to begin typing and fleshing it out.