NEW! Monday Music!

Yep. It's that time of year again where I find that a rather large pile of sweatshirts and light jackets are making their way into my car.
I love Fall.
I especially love when you slide into your car and it's that perfect sun-heated temperature that makes you want to close your eyes and take a nice little kitty nap. (Not recommended if you're driving at the time.)

So we're going to try something new here on Daily Distractions! Every other Monday or so will be Monday Music where I mention a band or song or CD that has inspired me to write. Perhaps these suggestion will either help with whatever creative venture you are on or at the very least add to your collection of music.
Sound fun??
Yeah music!
My husband introduced me to Sigur Ros quite a while ago. And I love them. I really do. The music is haunting. Some songs help with writing while others I love to listen to in my car. Really really loud. And I try not to think at all.
But I'm not going to write about Sigur Ros today. I'm going to write about Jonsi. You see Jonsi is the lead singer of Sigur Ros and Jonsi is his solo project. All I have to say about this new CD is that without it I never would have finished book 2. Nope. Never would have happened. I listened to this album on repeat hour after hour until I typed the very last words. Some songs more than others. In fact the song Grow Till Tall is responsible for a rather important scene, a crucial scene I was struggling with until I heard this song.
I'd love to make a book trailer and use this song.
Jonsi, if you're reading this, please call me.
Anyway.
Over on my little playlist thingy are some Jonsi songs but I really think you should all go out and listen to the entire album. Yes. Every last song.
And then go and buy tickets to one of their concerts.
I've been to many many concerts. So many I feel as if I could have bought land and built a house with the money I've spent on concerts. Sad to think about in retrospect.
However.
If you have the opportunity to see this tour, the Go Tour, you should go. I mean seriously. It has to be the best concert I've ever seen. Better than seeing U2 in Vegas. Better than every sold out show that got rave reviews and left me smelling like other people's sweat. And hair products.
Visually it is stunning. And the music, well, just go.
Perhaps you'll come away inspired.
Now wouldn't that be nice?

Getting Dressed In Front of Strangers

So today I had to go into a federal building of some sort. I won't bore you with the details. And thank goodness the signs posted in the lobby warned me to leave my guns and knives outside the security check. WOW! That would have been embarrassing! But I did have to remove my belt.
I don't usually wear a belt. Most days I walk around yanking my shorts or jeans up around my waist, occasionally flashing some innocent mom at the park or mall. (Cause that's where all moms hang out, right?)
But today I wore a belt.
The man at the security check very politely asked me to remove it. Well, he didn't exactly ask. It was more like, "remove your belt."
And of course I did. With a "swish" reminiscent of a sword fighter. (In case that didn't make sense to you I removed it rather quickly.)
So up up up I went in the elevator, desperately trying to slip my belt back into the tiny belt loops on my jeans while perfect strangers observed me.
Apparently they knew better than to wear a belt inside this building.
AND...
The reason I'm even telling y'all this story is that there are days when I feel like I'm naked and struggling to get dressed in front of a room full of strangers. Days like today for instance. When I go to check my email and find an incredibly, horribly evil and downright rude rejection just lurking there for me to read and I feel as if the child I carried for twenty-four months, birthed twice and then spent the next ten years primping into perfection has been bitch slapped. Yes. That is what it feels like. And then! And then their favorite toy is ripped from their grasp and thrown into a ditch.
Yes. Rejections. They can truly ruin your day.
And just in case you were wondering, the most painful rejections are not the ones that tell you how horribly bad you are. Nope. It's actually quite the opposite.
They're the ones that explain in detail how much they liked the manuscript and how it was "so close."
I know all about "so close."
Right now I'm "so close" to losing my mind.

Something Is Brewing...

I know. I know. I said I was going to continue book 2 and now book 3 is pushing its way into the forefront of my mind. It began yesterday. The day was gloomy, slightly cold, even though the weathermen forecasted sunny and seventy degrees.
The trees are just beginning to change, mostly green with a subtle splash of color.
It felt like Fall.
And strangely enough my husband, kids and I were at a Fall Festival down on the Green. But it really wasn't so much a Fall festival, it was more like a Summer carnival. I mean, where was the apple cider? The smell of apple donuts?
Perhaps it was camouflaged by the overwhelming smell of pizza, fried dough and cotton candy.
Anyway.
We were hanging out by the rides — my four-year-old has carnival ride radar and can locate a carousel within a twenty-mile radius — and that's when I noticed that the backdrop to the wall of dingy carnival rides was our local cemetery.
Creepy, right?
While I was watching my daughter ride around in circles, her face lit up with a smile, I would occasionally notice a group of teenagers wander off into the graveyard.
And that's when it hit me.
The feeling.
Dark and foreboding. Chillingly exciting.
Yep. You guessed it.
Book three has arrived.
You see my books always start with a feeling. Rarely in the beginning do I meet the characters, never do I get to know the ending. It's as if I'm on a need-to-know basis.

So now I'm collecting music — my writing playlist is very important — and brainstorming ideas. I'm so drenched in this feeling it puddles at my feet.

I can't wait to find out what happens!!

Why I Write

Lately I've been frustrated with this whole writer-thing. The process is mind numbing and I'm feeling broken. After reading around on the internet I find I'm not alone. Authors, no matter whether or not they are published, are struggling. We are in a creative field. A competitive, creative field where everyone fears that one day they will wake up and either discover they are no longer creative or realize they were never that creative to begin with. Trends have been set. And the world has moved on without them.

This industry is constantly changing. Are werewolves, vampires and faeries a flash in the pan or are they outstaying their welcome? I know I've never really been a fan of faeries and until recently vampires and werewolves were a bit too gruesome for me. So perhaps I'm not the best person to answer that question. But here's what I do know...I'm a storyteller.

And that's all I am, folks. I tell stories. Always have. When I enrolled in photography school I had one goal in mind. Become a photojournalist! Travel the world and use my camera to tell a story. But by the time I graduated I wasn't so sure I wanted to head on out to places unknown so I figured I'd tackle New York and Connecticut. There was this elusive enchantress I had to capture first, the bride. She dazzled me, flirted with me while I struggled to capture each provocative moment. It was a fun story to tell. Colorful, emotional and engaging. And it helped pay the bills.
Even though I still find myself drawn into that world it truly isn't the story I want to share anymore. I have new voices in my head. They moved in right around the time my father passed away and until their stories are told they won't be silenced. And that's okay. I like them. Behind their dynamic pleas to be heard is my father's softer voice. He tells me I should keep trying. He's always believed I should write.
I may not write for everyone but the stories I tell are those I would have read when I was a young adult. Forget that. I'd read them now. I guess I'll never grow up.

And this blog. It helps. While I'm writing or not writing I feel like I'm connecting with people. Getting thoughts down. Polishing my chops until I have more reasons to write like deadlines or readers or when more voices move in and replace the voices I hear now.
Yes. That's why I write. In the end it will all be worth it. I believe that. If not for the voices, for me.

Wandering Characters

Last night I sat down and watched a movie. Big night, I know! I'd collected a few movies on Netflix and figured since I'd finished my first successful read through of book 2 I deserved a break. I was also feeling a bit brain dead and I find sometimes you just can't force creativity. Not only is it virtually impossible but it's also quite ugly to look at!
So I turned on Jane Campion's Bright Star.
Now I love period movies. Especially if they are set in England or Scotland or, well, pretty much any country that ends in -land.
I also love movies that look like moving photographs. So many times during the movie I found I was distracted by the colors and scenery, like I was the one holding the camera and would occasionally change the vantage point the way I do when I'm on a shoot. And since the movie moved quite slowly I was able to enjoy each visually stimulating scene.
Now this movie wouldn't make my top ten list, even though I was very entertained, but it did bring to mind something I've been spending a lot of time thinking about. Character development.
You see the female MC in this movie had a very strong personality and from the very first scene she came off as overly confident and headstrong. But then every once in a while these crazy insecure moments would pop up and get me thinking...wait? what did I miss?
Now I'm not sure if this was just a quirk of her character or not. Nor will I ever know. But I do know that this occasionally happens when I'm reading. I often pause and think, I don't actually believe the character would say/do or think this.
It's very important that characters don't wander. I mean I get that people are strange and unpredictable but when I'm reading a book or watching a movie it's crucial that I figure them out. The characters, I mean. Even if I don't like them. I need to know them.
Characters should be nailed down, set in a coloring book where their colors are within the lines of reason.
Leave the surprises to the plot twists.

Old Friends

Even though there are a whole lot of books coming out over the next few months I find I'm in the mood to revisit old friends. You know the characters you fell in love with the first time you read the book and when you reread it the second time around you realize just how much you missed them.
Yes. This happens to me a lot. In fact there are certain books I go to when I need some quick instruction on how to:
a. create chemistry between the two lead characters
b. add insight or sincerity to a character
c. make that voice sing a whole lot louder
d. move the book along at a much quicker pace

This is one of the biggest reasons I've fought the whole ebook situation. As cool as it would be to carry my extensive collection of books around inside a hand held device I love to walk on over to my towering bookshelf and take in all the beautiful book covers and boldly printed author names.
There it is! My favorite Judith McNaught novel! This will help me get my male MC to grip the reader in just the right way! And Sara Zarr! If I have time I will read all three of your books! Nothing is more inspiring than the sincere heart behind an author. You can't learn that in school, friends. Nope. No, you can't.
So right now while I'm reworking book 2 I find I'm revisiting. Stopping in here and there just to say hi and remind myself how to not only sell a book but get a reader to come back and visit again and again.
So you tell me...
What books do you revisit??

Happy Birthday Reader Fan #1!!

Well, hello there! While everyone around here will be celebrating Labor Day I will be celebrating my mom's birthday! (HI MOM!) Today she turns, well, she turns a year older. Unfortunately, since she lives way out west in Utah, and I don't, we will not be eating cake together. Instead we will talk over the computer where she will watch my oldest child sing her heart out while the youngest one screams. That's pretty much how he shows his enthusiasm. And everything else he feels. You get used to it after a while. Kind of. So happy birthday, MOM! We'll be screaming at you soon!

In honor of my mom's birthday — seeing as she's my biggest reader fan — we're going to talk a little about readers. How important it is to have them when you are writing and what makes a good one.
I know you're all asking, "what's a reader?"
And I have to say, "Hey, thanks for asking!"
A reader is someone who:
1. wants to read your book
2. tells you how it is
and...
3. still loves you 12 revisions later
I think my mom has read my books more than I have. *applauds mom*
As lovely as it is to have a mom that loves me and my work it is also important to have readers that will read with a critical eye. Luckily in my family I have three sisters who tell me straight, actually enjoy telling me straight and do it often. So there's that. Yeah me! And I'm also blessed to have some great friends who read A LOT!!!
I always seek their advice before I send it to my agent. In fact once I have compiled all their suggestions I sit down and work out that final edit. And then I leave it alone. And don't read it. But think about it a lot. And then go back after days and days have passed and the material is no longer fresh in my mind and then I tweak it some more.
And that's how I work.

Update: Almost done with my revision on book 2! Looks like I just might be writing book 3 soon!! HIP HIP!

Hello Friends!!

So I'm revising book 2. No, I wasn't told to. Not yet at least. I just miss them! My characters that is.
They were inside my head for a solid 5 months and now they only pop up occasionally. Like when I'm eating lunch and dinner or when I'm driving in my car or trying to sleep. Okay. They pretty much harass me all the time. Except breakfast. The only thought that enters my mind first thing in the morning is, how can I get more sleep?
And since you asked the real reason I'm revisiting book 2 is I really really really want to continue the story. I know. Bad Shari! But too bad. I'm doing it. I'm not ready to move on yet. I want to keep writing about my friends. They have so much more to experience. There's a whole heck of a lot of story left to write. Can you tell I'm excited? Can you? HUH?
Normally I would discourage this kind of behavior — you know continue a series when the first book hasn't sold yet — but my mind won't move on.
And...
Do you know the other really cool thing about revisiting a book?
I have a fresh perspective! Suddenly I'm seeing things I never saw before! I'm adding danger and more mystery! And LOVE!! Yes. It's like I'm a chef adding ingredients to a stew. Or. Um. A writer revising her book.
Holy cow! For a moment there I was all excited about cooking. Don't worry. It passed.
So stay tuned.
And. Um.
YEAH FOR WRITING!!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

With Fall just around the corner (yes I know it's like a 100 degrees outside right now) and kids throughout the neighborhood returning to school I am reminded of that time in my life when I first discovered my love for reading.

Now I'm going to skip right over the Encyclopedia Brown days and try not to mention how many Sweet Valley High books I owned (all of them) and focus on the books that got me thinking, one day I'm going to be a writer!
It was probably just after I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
And right around the time I read The Pinballs by Betsy Byars and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
For the first time I felt like what I was reading was significant. I was fascinated by the real people featured in these books. They were young, imperfect and faced with real life problems. Finally something I could relate to.
Now don't get me wrong...I really do love me a good escape novel. But you have to give an author a whole lot of credit if she can make you feel something you wouldn't normally feel. Or don't want to feel. In-your-face reality isn't something I usually race to the bookstore to buy but I can't help but be impressed by writers who can pull it off.

Now I definitely don't want to forget about Lois Duncan or Judy Blume.
Judy Blume had me convinced that every single odd characteristic or personality quirk I possessed was not only completely normal but strangely appealing. And Lois Duncan...well she got me all kinds of obsessed with ESP and telepathy. So much so that I occasionally freaked out my friends at slumber parties with my strange mind games.
Yes, I know. I was a weird kid.
But thanks to these authors my love of books and reading began. And now I can thank them when I grow up and become a writer. Yes. They will definitely make the acknowledgment page.

List Of Things Keeping Me From Writing...

1.ME
2.ME
3. ME
Well you get the point.
I actually do have a list of things that distract me from writing but at the top of the list it is always me.
Right now I'm struggling with my next story idea. I'm pretty sure that this whole submission process has a lot to do with it and my lack of focus isn't helping. In fact it's kinda getting in the way.
So I read a lot. I get excited over the success of other authors. (Or sometimes feel bitter) I'm blogging and posting on forums. All of these things are helping me feel proactive.

As well as distracting me from writing.

You see so far this is my least favorite part. When I was querying agents I approached it like a job. I was fearless. When one agent turned me down I would query four more. And I just so happened to land a fabulous agent. When he called me up to offer representation his enthusiasm mirrored mine. I got off the phone and thought, this is it. This could really happen.
But now I wait. He's in charge now. I'm supposed to sit back and let him do his thing. And. Um. Just so you know...I'm not so good at that. Perhaps it's a control thing. Or a patience thing. Either way it's kind of making me lose my mind.
And writing should help. Yes. It should. That's what everyone says and I really do believe it. But the thing is...I have these two books and I keep feeling like they aren't finished until somebody buys them. Some editor gives the okay for each one to be printed and marketed and shelved and then sold and then read by everyone in the whole wide world and...
That hasn't happened yet. They don't feel finished right now. And I like finishing things.
So...
Starting another book...
is crazy hard.
Sigh.