I’m amazed as I read reviews (I often do when browsing Amazon for new books) that people will not read a book based on the title.

One book that I came across had “Pirate” in the title. A woman commented that she almost didn’t read the book based on the title.

Really?

I wanted to ask her if she bothered to pick up the book and read the back of it, or read the description (I mean she IS on Amazon and they do have descriptions of the books).

I mostly read what others say when I’m in doubt over the organization of my reading selection. (Careful not to read spoilers). I admit, I will tend to read a book with 180 5 star reviews over one with 180 2 star ones.

It just blew my mind that someone wouldn’t read a book based on the title.

Recently I came across a book that earned my “I will be talking about this for months to come” rating. The title: “Talking To the Dead”.

One review I read said this person would not read it based on the title alone. I can tell you – they missed out on one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Now when I see that comment, I run to get the book.

Filed under: reading & reviews, Uncategorized

I thought about this a year ago. Then I acted on it.

I found a writing partner. Someone who enjoys stringing words together as much as I do.

This is probably the best words of advise I think I could give anyone starting out.

Find someone to write with you. Someone to share the experience with, to keep you sane when your characters do funny things on the pages and will not listen to you. Find someone that will encourage you and also tell you where you’ve gone wrong.

I’ve learned a lot by reviewing her work and also by reading the comments she has about mine. We push and cause each other to get excited about writing.

Find someone to write with you.

Filed under: writing

I love to write. I love to see the words go from my head, out my fingers, and onto the laptop screen. I like to see them printed in black on the white paper.

I confess, I have my high school papers from… well… awhile ago.

It is getting the time to write that I hate.

Sitting in my black chair, the chair I cry if I ever have to part with it, I was poised, set to throw down the words when my phone rang.

2.5 hours later, no words were typed, lots were spoken. Needed words. Words that were awesome.

But my word count at the end of the day was still zero.

I am turning into a night writer. Night is my time. After the kid goes to bed, I try my hardest to let the dishes go and sit down to write. In my dreams I write. In real life, well, real life gets in the way.

I have a day job. I have a child and a husband and a dog. I’m OK with being a night writer, but the hours just don’t seem to last long enough.

Are you a night writer? When do you write if you also have a “day” job?

Filed under: writing

to go back to school. Guess what? It snowed.

Here are some pics. Enjoy.

Bry outside

Snow angel

Running through the snow

Filed under: every day life

There are days I feel like writing and never stopping. An emotion will grab me, refuse to let go, and I have to get it down. Those always seem to be the days when there isn’t any way I can write. I can’t sit in front of my computer and fling words from my finger tips as they scroll through my head.

What to do?

I try to hold onto that emotion, I call it the write emotion, but isn’t that easy.

The most helpful thing I can do or suggest is to take notes. I have often pulled out my phone and taken down notes on it or emailed myself some of the thoughts running though my brain.

I wish the write emotion could be turned on and off. I could use that switch.

Filed under: writing

A year ago, I thought about writing again. Something stirred deep inside me and wanted out.

I walked. I thought. I struggled.

I mentioned this to a woman who walked with me one day. We crossed the 4-lane highway to the bookstore and I browsed around while chewing on the idea of picking up the pen (ok really – 14 years later- its pounding on the keyboard) again. On the way out the words tumbled from my mouth.

“I want to write.”

“What on earth do you have to write about?” she replied to me, not a drop of humor in her voice. Nothing in my life could be bad enough or exciting enough in her opinion for me to have anything to write about.

Oh where do I start?

So I wrote to prove her wrong. Only in the end, her words ended up cutting deeper than deep. They still haunt me.

I’ve realized that there was more to this comment than just her belief I had nothing to write about. It was deep down jealousy. Without going into details, I’m married, a mother, she isn’t.

After months of shutting that voice inside me down, I wrote. I wrote a story that brought tears to many eyes. It wasn’t my best, but it was a first after many silent years. It was good enough to place in a contest.

I am good enough. I have a story to tell.

Filed under: writing

So, just when Christmas vacation is about to end… it snows.

School is cancelled. Why? Because it snowed and I live in East TN.

Needless to say, my daughter is ecstatic. School was cancelled the week before Christmas vacation, and now when it’s about to start again, bam, it snows.

Here are some pictures I took this morning.

My yard	Neighbors yard
My yard	Iphone fun
More Iphone fun

Filed under: every day life

I’m sitting here looking at book reviews on Amazon. For those of you who do not know, I started book reviews not long ago.

I read, lots. I read all different kinds of genres, although I don’t review everything I read.

I read some Christian fiction because I like the story ideas. I don’t read Christian fiction because I’m Christian. If these same story ideas were not written in the Christian genre I would still seek them out.

The one thing I find interesting in reading reviews is that some readers think you have to republish the Bible in the novel. Maybe this is something that is expected? I haven’t been reading Christian novels long, I started maybe 6-8 months ago? I guess I’m a “newbie” to it.

I don’t mind some scripture while reading fiction, but really it can be overwhelming to the story itself. Especially if it’s verse after verse with the version of the Bible listed. I also mind being preached to. Why? Because the author just may have it wrong. They are feeding me their views on the Bible when I can just go pick it up and see what God himself said. I don’t need my fiction to feed my reality that way. I don’ t need an interrupter.

What I do like about Christian fiction is if there is a story there. A lesson maybe. A bit of hope in an otherwise heartbreaking situation. Yeah, I like that. I love it in any genre.

Make me feel. Make me want more. That’s what makes a good book in my view.

A good story without 30 pages of scripture is fine I think. Maybe those reviewers should see if there is a story behind those words. Dig deeper, think longer.

Maybe I have it wrong? Either way, I’ll run to my Bible for God’s words.

Filed under: reading & reviews

I have my new blog up, and for once I have nothing to say.

I’m sure that will change soon

Filed under: Uncategorized