Kaylee Baldwin

Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca Jamison

2012-02-06T17:35:00.001-07:00

I had the chance to read Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale a few months ago and I loved it!

Here's the description:
When Anne broke off her engagement eight years ago, she thought she'd never see Neil Wentworth again. But when Neil's brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store, and Anne is woefully unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that accompanies Neil's return. Fans of Persuasion will love this fast-paced, modern retelling of Jane Austen's most romantic novel.

My thoughts:
I have to admit that Persuasion isn't my favorite Jane Austen novel, so I was a little nervous about reading this book. But since I generally enjoy modern adaptations of classics, I decided to give it a try.
I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Anne was written so great. There were so many parts that just had me laughing (Anne with the psycho/stalker guy for one) and the love interest was frustrating enough to make me want to smack the side of his head, but sweet enough that I had to keep reading to make sure he and Anne got together despite all of their misunderstandings and their pride.

It was the perfect blend of inspiration and fiction. I didn't feel preached to at all, just uplifting. It kept me reading long into the night.

I recommend this book if you are in the mood for a light-hearted romance, a modern adaptation of a Jane Austen, or if you just like LDS fiction.

Here are a few links to check out:

Author Website: http://www.rebeccahjamison.com (if you only do one link, please use this one)
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/RebeccaHJamison
Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKgM9tuCzSo
If you are in the SLC area, Rebecca would like to invite you to her Launch Party Feb. 18th from 11-1 at the Taylorsville Seagull Book (5720 S. Redwood Road, Taylorsville).

**I wanted to post a picture of the cover, but blogger is giving me issues today. Go here to check out the cover and read more reviews.

When Stories Fall Flat

2012-01-16T07:00:00.001-07:00

I was reading the intro to Life of Pi and Martel talks about a manuscript he was working on that was well researched, he liked the characters, he even liked the story, but he just felt like it wasn't going anywhere. So, he decided he needed to cut his losses and move on. He says he mailed the manuscript to a fake address in another country so he'd never have to see it again.

I was relieved to hear that other people have stories they love, but can't make them work for one reason or another.

I have half of a book written--the first book I ever wrote actually. I love the characers. I love the story. I love the conflict. And yet, I can't seem to make it work.

I don't want to erase it, though, because I have dreams of going back and rewriting and revising and making it the novel I keep dreaming it could be.

What do you do when a wip just doesn't seem to be working for you? Do you give up? Trash it? Save it? Plow through? Or something uniquly you?

Dear Britta

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

A fellow blogger and writer friend of mine has a beautiful baby girl who has had a lot of unexpected health problems in her life--including a life-flight trip for an emergency heart surgery.

Steph is blogging about her daughter's journey here: http://dearbabybritta.blogspot.com/

Please take a few minutes to jump over there and read about beautiful baby Britta.

I Married a Crazy

2012-01-13T06:00:00.001-07:00

Actually, I married a really great guy.

Look, here he is:

Note the strategically placed arm over my pregnant belly.
Also, we are not pained to be that close together, we are pained by
the piercing AZ sun in our eyes.

And here he is again...

This is Washington crossing the Deleware portrayed by Jeremy.

He's smart, good looking, fun, and super sweet. I seriously love this guy.

But he's still kind of crazy.

Tomorrow he's running in something called The Tough Mudder. Basically, it's a military style course that goes about 12 miles and includes various obsticals like walls to climb, ropes to cross, mud pits to jump into, tubes to crawl through, fire to run through, and live wires they have to run through and get mildly electrocted at the end. Fun, right?

Except, he keeps showing me these vidoes of the course and in the background, there're people being loaded onto stretchers or having medics attending them, or bleeding from various parts of their bodies. He thinks it's awesome. I think I'm going to start praying now.

You may or may not recall my 5K mud run (mis)adventure, so you can see why I don't get this. I had to sign a waiver just to be a spectator at the Tough Mudder!

I'm actually really proud of him and all of the hard work that's gone into him training for this race even if I am a little worried.

Wish him luck!

Kids Just Want To Have Fun

2012-01-12T06:00:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the activities my creative children participated in while I was sick and mostly immoble during the first three months of my pregnancy.

Baking:

As a side note: The bottom shelf of the pantry is probably not the best place to keep flour.

Redecorating/ Painting murals:

Somehow the children found the crayons that up until this point were hidden in a drawer and I only pulled them out when I could sit and color with them. There is not one unmarked wall in my entire house. The kids' bedroom has so much crayon on the walls (basically an entire mural) that I know it was a combined effort of all three of them.
As a side note: Flat paint is impossible to clean. Never have white walls with flat paint in a house full of budding artist children.

Arts and Crafts:
My 4 year old had made a ghost in preschool using glue and cottonballs. They'd glued the cottonballs to the inside of the body of the ghost and he was very proud of it.

Later that day... he found the cottonballs in my bathroom and the bottle of tacky glue in my craft box and glued cotton balls all over the floor and walls of our play room.

As a side note: Glue does not wash out of carpet, even after multiple carpet shampooing attempts.

Arts and Crafts, Take II
The kids found a permanent marker.

I should probably just stop there, but I just can't.

My four year old drew all over himself and his two year old sister (they are always partners in crime, as pictured above). When I went into the playroom to check on their suspicious quietness, they both had almost completely black faces. Their noses were all the way colored in like little puppy dogs, my four year old had given himself a mustache, it was on their foreheads, cheeks, eye lids, arms, stomachs, legs, feet...

As a side note: Rubbing alcohol takes the worst of the permanant marker off of skin. The faint remains just have to wear off over time.

The Time I Lied to Christopher Paolini

2012-01-10T06:00:00.001-07:00

About seven years ago, when Eragon first came out, Christopher Paolini did a book signing at the Phoenix Zoo. At the time, I was a student at ASU, majoring in Secondary Education to teach English, and taking a class called Young Adult Lit (the class where I discovered and fell in love with YA lit, btw, but that’s a different story.) As an extra credit assignment, my professor encouraged us all to go to the book signing. Since I’d missed several days of class due to my son’s unexpected health problems and several emergencies that put him in the hospital, I knew that I needed the extra credit.

Plus, I’ve never been able to resist meeting an author. And I was doubly impressed when I learned how young Paolini was at the time, to have a book out with Knopf that was doing so well.

I recruited my little sister to go with me, partly to keep me company and partly because I felt that, at 15 years old, she helped legitimize me among the teenage group. Okay, and I also wanted someone to help me watch my baby.

Paolini spoke for a while about his journey to publication (a really interesting story that you should look up when you get the chance) and afterward offered to sign everyone’s book.

I’d taken my sister to Changing Hands bookstore just before the signing so we could purchase our books, and I’d cracked mine open and read a few pages while we were waiting for him to speak. I’ll readily admit that fantasy is not my favorite genre to read and I was skeptical about liking the book. My 14 year old cousin (boy) had enjoyed it, but I was a 22 year old young woman. Married. With a kid. And, I’ll admit, I like romance a lot (big surprise, seeing as how I wrote one and everything). I didn’t see Paolini weaving a heart-stopping romance into his dragon book.

Me and my sis got in line to have him sign our books. When it was our turn, he took my copy of Eragon and flipped it to the title page. I thought he might just sign it and move on like he had with most people, but I am not most people, apparently.

He finished signing my copy, but held onto it for another second. “Have you read it?” he asked.

“I’m reading it right now,” I replied, truthfully. But then I opened my big ole mouth and continued. “I’m about half-way through.” Half-way? What now? I was about 12 pages in and had spent all of five minutes that day reading the book. How in any world is that half way through a 400 page book? I honestly have no idea why I even said it

“Huh.” He looked down at where my bookmark clearly stuck out in the very front pages. “Are you liking it so far?”

“I love it. It’s so awesome. Really hard to put down.” Someone needed to come shut me up right about then. Seriously. I thought my sister might blow something from trying not to laugh.

At that point, I was chanting in my brain: Please don’t ask me any specific questions about the book that don’t have to do with the first 12 pages.

Paolini sat back a little in his seat. “I find that really interesting,” he said. “When I started writing this book, I wrote it thinking that it would be guys like me reading it, not…” He kind of gestured toward me, and I knew he of course meant extremely good looking young women (with babies and tendencies to run off at the mouth when nervous). “I’ve been surprised at the different people who are enjoying it.”

He—thankfully—handed me my book back then and thanked me for coming, signed my sister’s book with a nod, and we were out of there. I waved down my professor so that he could see I that I came, dragged my sister and the baby away from the signing area, and explained to her that I hadn’t lied, I’d just exaggerated (I am supposed to be a role model to her and everything).

For those who are curious, I did in fact finish Eragon about four years later one Sunday (in my pre-Kindle days) when I was dying for something to read and it was the only unread book on my shelf. It really was a good read. It’s not necessarily my flavor (I didn’t finish out the series, even though I’ve recommended it to people who are into fantasy), but I’ll bet my boys love it when they’re a little older.

1984

2012-01-06T06:00:00.006-07:00

I'm reading 1984 right now. I keep it next to my bed and I try to read a page or two before I go to sleep each night. I’ve read other things by Orwell (Animal Farm, many of his essays), I like his style, and have always wanted to read 1984. There are so many references to it in our culture—doublespeak and big brother just to name a few—and I wanted to see where they originated from.

But I am having the hardest time getting through it. I am on page 72 and I feel like Orwell is still world building. And maybe that’s the point of 1984—building a world and society that’s a chilling forecast of what could happen if we let government get out of control. But I’m craving more plot than a man writing in his journal.

I’m using the receipt from when I bought the book as my bookmark, so I know I purchased it May 4, 2011. Eight months and I’m only 72 pages in. Pathetic. (It’s a good think I read like five books at a time.) The thing is I want to finish it. I keep a pencil by my bed and I underline things that really stand out or make me think. I’ve talked to my husband about points Orwell’s made that are really interesting or profound. But I’m rarely in the mood for a book of exposition about a fictitious community.

I love the classics, but I am not clicking with this one.

And yet, I want to finish it. I only paid $4 for it (thank you, my local used bookstore)so it’s not the money. Maybe it’s the curiosity. Dystopian books are really big right now and I’m seeing a lot of parallels between 1984 and a lot of these books I’ve read. Maybe, despite my frustration with Orwell’s main character, I’m more drawn in than I thought.

I started this post so that you could convince me to finish it, but I think I’ve convinced myself to keep chipping away at it.

I’ll let you know in about five years (when I finally finish it) what I thought about the book.

Finishers

2012-01-04T10:37:00.001-07:00

I am not a finisher when it comes to reading. If something doesn’t catch my attention or keep me wanting to read, I have no problems putting a book down and moving on. I think there are just too many good books out there and I don’t have a ton of time to read, so I don’t want to waste my time on something that’s not engaging. I thought everyone was this way.

I was wrong.

In fact, I can’t believe how many people out there feel like they have to finish a book once they’ve started it. And here I’ve been for years, buying books for people just because I like the cover, or heard on the news that it was good, thinking that if the book stinks, the person will just stop reading it.

Again, wrong.

I bought my sis-in-law Inkheart for her birthday a few years ago. It sounded intriguing, there was a movie coming out, and she was enjoying the Fablehaven books, so I thought she might like it. I’m not a huge fan of middle grade fantasy, so I didn’t read it first, had no idea what the books would be like. A few weeks after I gave them to her I asked her if she’d had the chance to read it yet. She said she’d started it, but was having a hard time getting into it. I told her it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if she didn’t like the books (I dislike probably half of the books I start reading.) Several months later, I read a book by Nicholas Sparks that I knew she’d love (we’re both huge fans) but when I tried to give it to her, I was blown away when she told me that she was still reading the first Inkspell book--and having a hard time getting motivated to read it--but didn't want to start a new one until she was finished.

Nicholas Sparks, though. I’d been on a waiting list for months to get the book from my library. But she really wanted to finish Inkheart, even though it really wasn’t her kind of book and it meant she wasn’t reading at all.

Similar (shorter) story… Over Thanksgiving, I gave my brother-in-law a book from my shelf that I’d started reading several years ago, but stopped about 2/3s of the way through because I didn’t like it. He was interested—maybe because he’s in school right now and reading textbooks can make any book seem appealing. When I saw him at Christmas he was still reading it, and said it was just okay. He’d gotten a book for Christmas that he’s been wanting for a long time, so I was surprised to see him reading one that he was only kind of enjoying (although I suspect he’s just being nice and he really doesn’t like it.) He said that once he starts a book, he has to finish it. He started reading The Road a few years ago and hated everything about it. The writing style, the plot, the characters, and he still kept reading it, just because he started it.

So, here I am, thinking I’m promoting literacy by buying and giving books, and instead, I’m kind of killing it.

Oops. (I wonder if my in-laws cringe when I given them a book…)

My finisher friends: What motivates you to finish a book you’re not enjoying?

A Discovery

2012-01-02T15:41:00.003-07:00

I made a new discovery about myself the past several months while I was dealing with the 24 hour morning (ha!) sickness with my pregnancy. I am a prideful person.

At my lowest point in being sick, I’d lost 18 pounds (just for some statistical background, I’m 5’9” and started my pregnancy at 130lbs), was crying every night when I had to give myself a shot, dealing with headache and fatigue as a side effect of my nausea medication, throwing up anything substantial I managed to eat, dragging an IV pole around with me, and fainting if I moved too quick. So, not great.

One day I had a close friend over and while we were talking, someone called to see how I was feeling. My close friend was getting bugged as she listened to my side of the conversation, especially when I said, “Oh, I’m fine. I’m really doing okay. Honestly.” When I got off the phone, she informed me that I was not doing fine and I needed to stop telling people that and stop being so dang prideful (I prefer to call myself "independent," but whatev).

The next time someone asked how I was feeling, I committed to telling the truth—mostly so that I could prove to my friend that I wasn’t prideful (I know, I know, the irony of proving my humility in order to save my pride, let’s not go there.) In this conversation, I started to really open up. If I was going to tell the truth, then it was going to be the whole truth, apparently.

Cause not only was I struggling physically but I was starting to feel really, really sorry for myself. My sickness came right on the heels of news about our oldest son needing surgery again (after already having four surgeries this year), and I began to wonder why I needed be so miserable in my pregnancy when there are so many woman who aren’t. It was easy to feel picked on. Hadn’t my family had a rough enough year already? Did we really need one more thing thrown our way? Had the Lord just forgotten me?

What followed from that conversation was two months of people from my church bringing dinner for my family, cleaning my house, watching my children, taking my children to school and back, and driving me to appointments. People were calling and emailing me to see how I was doing, dropping books off for me and games for the kids. I was blown away by how much help I got with such short notice and by so many people.

And I learned something from this. It’s not so easy is accepting help from other people. It killed me to accept all of this help, but I couldn’t deny that I needed it. I don’t think I even realized how much I needed all of that help and love until it started coming and I didn’t feel so overwhelmed and forgotten anymore.

And although I would not want to live through the past four months again, I’m glad for the things I learned. I may have learned that I’m a prideful person and that I have a hard time accepting help, but I learned something else as well.

I learned that when I was in a dark time and feeling very alone and sorry for myself, the Lord was always aware of me.

We are never forgotten.

Why I Feel Like Junk

2011-10-07T09:55:00.002-07:00

I miss you all!! I am still feeling like crap.

Here is why I am:
Hooked up to an IV
Have medicine streaming through a tube into my stomach 24/7
Practically living in my bathroom, living over Mr. Toilet
Losing about 1/2 pound a day
Fantasizing about food that I can't eat or keep down...

I am pregnant!

We are really excited about having a new baby, but pregnancy does not love me. Hopefully I've only got another month of this because my body is going to give out on me soon. Thank heavens for modern medicine. If I couldn't have all this stuff at home, I'd be in the hospital right now. But with it, I get to veg and be miserable at home. I have good days and bad days, and good parts of any days and I am in an okay day for the first time in a long time.

The good news (or pathetic news, depending on how you want to look at it) I have been taking this time as an opportunity to catch up on my reality television--Dance Moms, Project Runway, Top Chef-Just Desserts, X-Factor, Say Yes to The Dress, What Not to Wear, VH1s Top Songs of the '00, and anything else Bravo, Lifetime, or TLC wants to throw my way. I'm not picky. My brain may be slowly eating itself with all of this tv, but it is what it is.

But I actually wrote a blog post here. It is my first blog post since I started blogging over there, and it actually has something to do with books and literature (it's called Lit Can Change Lives) instead of my current, embarrassing television habits. Please check it out and leave a comment. :)

Oh! And more good news. Jolene Perry's book, The Next Door Boys, is out! I read this book for the first time about ten months ago. It was the first book I ever read by her and I loved it. So happy it was published. :) If you liked Meg's Melody, I really think you'll like The Next Door Boys. I should interview Jolene. Or maybe just post some of my favorite quotes from our emails....

Just Go Here

2011-09-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't been feeling too great lately so my Internet attendance has been sporadic.

Anyway, if you haven't yet, check out the awesome group blog I'm a part of: For The Love of Contemporary.

And you don't have to take just my word for how awesome it is. :) Jessie has written a fabulous list.

Here's hoping I'll be back in the land of Alive and Kicking soon.

Critique Groups

2011-09-13T11:11:00.001-07:00

Here are the facts of my critique group.

--I've been in it for 2 1/2 years
--Without them, I never would have finished my first book (Meg's Melody)
--We meet once a month
--We alternate whose house we meet at
--Usually we all bring something to share (1-6 pages)
--We do it at lunchtime so we can eat and critique
--We have a wide range of writers: women's fiction, romance, literary, YA, nonfiction, and middle grade (plus some crossovers: LDS, scifi, historical, etc). I love having the diversity because all of our strengths lie in different areas.

Just this week we decided that we should email our pages to the group before we meet, so that we have time to read and think about them before we get together. I know I have a harder time thinking of critiques right off the top of my head, when everyone is looking at me, expecting me to say something, but if I have time to gather my thoughts, then I can actually give decent feedback.

I also have some online crit partners that I regularly send my work to for "right now" feedback: Jolene Perry (gets the most of my stuff), DeAnn Huff, and recently Kelley Vitollo. All three write YA and are extremely talented women. I have other beta readers that I send my full book to when I am finished and they are amazing (but that will have to be a different post)

So how do you run your crit groups? Do you have any tips? Have they helped you?

Giveaway: Prized by Caragh O'Brien

2011-09-07T07:55:00.001-07:00

I'm hosting a contest as part of Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash 2011 Presented by Squeaky Books
From August 22nd until September 22nd Enna Isilee at Squeaky Books is having a HUGE bash to celebrate her birthday! There’s a giveaway nearly EVERY DAY, tons of author interviews, and guest posts from a bunch different YA book bloggers. And I get to host a contest!

I get to give away an ARC copy of Prized by Caragh O’Brien! Entering is simple, just fill out the form (with optional bonus entries). You have until September 21st at 11:59 MST to enter. All winners will be announced on Enna Isilee's birthday (September 22nd) on Enna Isilee's blog (Squeaky Books). And today, Ennalee interviewed Caragh at Squeaky Books. You should totally go check it out.

Want to know more about Prized? Click here!
Without further ado, enter to win! Click below.

Click here to enter

Giveaways and Other Really Awesome Things

2011-09-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

The new blog: For The Love of Contemporary is up and running!!

Come check it out, become a follower, and see all of the awesome books we're giving away. These are some of our favorite books, so it is a fabulous giveaway.

See you there :)

Just Curious

2011-08-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

This came up the comments section of an earlier post, and it got me thinking about rereading books.

I've reread almost every book I own (all of my fiction books that I bought before two years ago, I've reread at least once.) I LOVE rereading books. In fact, most of the time, I like them better the second time because I all ready know what's going to happen, so I can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Plus, school kind of ruined me. I have a degree in English lit, so I had to read a ton in college. I remember one semester I had to read 47 books. So I learned to speed read. And I can not get out of the habit. I speed read everything I read. So if you quiz me on a book (or even ask me about it a few months later) I've forgotten most of the details--I remember the big picture, but that's it. So rereading is fun for me to revisit stories that I blew through the first time around.

Do you reread your books? Just your favorites? None at all?

The Spark That Got Me Writing

2011-08-26T09:13:00.001-07:00

I've always known that I wanted to be a writer. At a really young age, I remember bringing a list to my parents and announcing that I waned to:

a) Act
b) Sing
c) Write

Acting--It didn't take me too long to realize that I was too shy to act in front of people (exhibit A: the disastrous school play try-outs of sophomore year. I wish I could wipe those memories from my brain)

Singing--I do well enough to sing my kinds a goodnight song and sing along with the hymns at church (you know, blended with about 150 other people) but I realized--also in high school--when a friend wanted me to sing with him, that I was way too shy to sing in front of people. (And I won't tell you about the time someone was covering their ear when singing next to me. I tried not to be offended...)

That left writing--which was my favorite one on the list anyway. I used to make my sister write stories with me instead of play. We were endlessly starting clubs together, and part of those clubs was that we'd have to write stories back and forth with each other. She never complained (maybe because I'm the oldest) and she always read everything I wrote (still does).

But there were three experiences that made me realize that I COULD be a writer.

1) Sophomore year of high school. We had a group project in history/English (combined class) where we could present our information any way we wanted. My group decided to write a soap opera and act it out (I know, acting. I had a bit part.) It was hilarious. We had the class bending over and almost crying because they were laughing so hard. It was awesome to help write something so entertaining.

2) Junior year of high school. We had to write an epigraph paper--so basically we had to find a quote that we loved and write a personal essay about that quote. I chose a quote from James M. Barrie: "Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." The I wrote about a time a group of us spent an evening with a friend's lonely grandpa, listening to his stories, drinking root beer, and having a great time. My teacher cried when she read it. I'd never had anyone cry when reading something I'd written. It really made me feel special.

3) Senior year of high school. We had to write personal essays again. It was a nice break after all of our lit crit essays we wrote to practice for the AP English test. I wrote an essay about a bike race between my sister and I that ended in disaster. I got it back and it had an A+ Great job!! and then he read it to the class. It was powerful having other people read and listen to something I wrote.

There are a lot of other experiences that continued to fan my writing flame into college and beyond and give me confidence that I could be a writer, but the KEY experiences all happened in high school--all three in my English classes. English teachers do have the power to help their students achieve their dreams. Mine will probably never know what an impact just a few words in an entire year of lectures and reading and discussing meant to me. I'm glad I'm a writer (and not a singer or an actor.)

It's Just Too Close

2011-08-25T11:40:00.005-07:00

I have son with Down Syndrome and because of that, people are often recommending books where characters have children with DS as a major plot point. There are several, but the two that are most well known is Jewel and The Memory Keepers Daughter. And I've read the synopses (I actually had Jewel for over a year) but I just can't bring myself to read them.

The reason? It's just too close to what I'm living right now.

I've read several non-fiction books on DS (those are a necessity), but I have a hard time with the fiction.

I don't know if I'm worried that they'll bring up something that I'm not worried about right now, but will be after reading the book. Or if it will just break my heart because no matter what I'll identify the DS character with my son. In real life my heart already breaks a little at a time every time I have to take him to the doctors for more tests and poking and proding, to the hospital for surgery, after surgery, after no-end-in-sight surgery, or when I hear kids whisper about why he's acting "funny." But I love him like crazy, so we do these things with a big, huge (kind of strained) smile so that he's not scared. I guess when we're done with it in real life, I don't want to read about it, too.

Not that it's all hard. There's the good stuff, too. The hugs and the smiles and the times he accomplishes things we've been working on for forever, and his laugh is the best laugh in the world--but I don't need to read about it. I can just go hug my son and tickle him and hear him laugh right then. That's so much better to me.

Is there any subject that is just hard for you to read about?

(And my sparkfest post is coming tomorrow...)

See anything missing?

2011-08-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

Look at the bears closely. Now do you see it?

The eyes.

I crocheted this afghan for my four year old—just finished it about a month ago, actually. It took me a year and a half to finish. Well, almost finish.

The eyes are a pain. They are supposed to be French knots, so I had a friend come and teach me how to tie French knots. I did an experimental bear, and 2/3 of my children had pulled the eyes out in less than five minutes.

Buttons: My kids would choke. The odds just swing that way for us.

Yarn Xs: The bears looked dead. It was totally morbid.

Yarn circles: a huge pain—they looked more like squares and were funky.

Felt circles: Not sure how I’d attach them so they don’t fall off.

I don’t have a ton of motivation to figure it out. My son doesn’t care. He loves it without the eyes. He’s been waiting 18 months for this blanket. He’s just excited to have it. So in my book, it’s done. He’s happy. I’m happy-ish. Moving on to the next blanket (a lion blanket) for my six-year-old.

I am not this blasé in all areas of my life. Maybe I’m just sick of this afghan or maybe my son’s excitement outweighed any OCD perfectionism tendencies that I might have had about it. I know with my writing, I always try to curb my tendency to lean toward perfectionism. I don’t want to perfectionize the voice right out of my writing. I go through and want to make sure all of my scenes have their “eyes” in place, but sometimes it’s the lack of eyes that makes something interesting.

And sometimes we just tell ourselves that when we’re feeling lazy. J

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to life? To writing?

For the Love of Contemporary

2011-08-19T15:04:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Jolene Perry told me about this really fun, super ambitious project that her and Kelley Vitollo were working on: A blog dedicated completely to contemporary YA fiction.

I love contemporary YA.

So when Jolene and Kelley asked me if I wanted to be a part of their new blog, I was seriously excited. Probably too excited. In fact, it’s amazing Kelley hasn’t blocked me from the group email based on the long, mostly irrelevant emails I’ve been sending (Jolene is used to these, so I’m sure it doesn’t faze her.)

But I guess they’re okay with my tendency to say a short story long, because Jolene, Kelley, Stephanie Campbell, Kelley York, and I have been cranking away, setting up a lot of really cool things:

Interviews and guest posts from Sarah Ockler, Tara Kelley and more
Giveaways (first one in September)
Contests
Fab indie book reviews
Reviews of any YA contemp we can get our hands on and just love
Lots of teen participation (reviews, stories, guest posts)
Our favorite literary crushes
Delving into social issues
And so much more!! This has been a seriously fun project to be involved with.

The official launch is September 1st and we are going to be giving away loads of YA books.

So come here, check it out, and become a follower.

Borrow or Buy?

2011-08-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

I love going to the library.
I've already been there twice this week. It's close, cool, and comfortable (the three c's you need fo a small town AZ summer)

Here is why I love the library:
1) It's free.
2) The librarians are great and do a really fun reading time.
3) My kids can check out twenty books a week.
4) If I check something out that I hate, I can just take it back.
5) We have a pretty decent YA section/New Release section

I also love the bookstore.
I've somehow convinced my husband on our last two dates to "drop in" to the bookstore (meaning, stay there an hour or more.)
I can't go into a bookstore without buying at least one book for myself, and my kids, and my husband.

Here is why I love buying books:
1) I get to have that book forever to read and reread again.
2) I can loan it out to all of my friends.
3) I can mark it up if I feel so inclined.
4) When I have a hard time sleeping, I love looking at all the books in my bookcase (its against the wall next to our bed, together my husband and I have over 500 books)and for some reason it's comforting to me--don't ask me why.
5) I feel like I'm helping support authors I love.

So which do you prefer? Do you like to check most of your books out at the library or do you buy most of what you read? And why?

It Is Really, Really Hot

2011-08-11T23:12:00.002-07:00

My air conditioner broke today and the guy can't come out until tomorrow.

It is hot in my house.

Really, really hot.

Like I'm blogging at 11pm because it's too hot to sleep, hot.

Like I'm emailing all of my writing friends at 11pm to see if they are awake also, hot. (Because, let's face it, writers keep really weird hours and are probably the only people I know who stay up really late on week nights.)

I really wanted to work on my wip tonight, but kept getting distracted. Emails from friends, two separate school functions, broken air conditioning units, phone calls from two different family members and a friend (a saint friend who made me dinner.)

And I'm at this really great place in my wip that I'm really excited to write and where all the fun stuff and kissing (yes, kissing) is about to happen, and I can not find time to sit at the computer and write (well, except this blog post...)

Do you ever have those days when you are dying to work on something, but just can't seem to make it to the computer?

Or can you just send cool thoughts my way to make up for the broken a/c?

Dog lovers will hate me, but...

2011-08-10T19:57:00.001-07:00

I really shouldn't even write this post. And the only reason why I am doing this is because the person who owns the dog I'm going to tell you about doesn't read this blog. I think she doesn't read it. If she does, then I am very, very sorry.

So my friend called and asked me if I could:

a) come over and let her dog out of the kennel (Jack Russel Terrier--there's a huge possibility I just made this kind of dog up, but I think that's what she said--and if that statement doesn't tell you how much I don't know about dogs, nothing will.)

b) Take the dog into the backyard so that it can do it's business

c) Put the dog back in the kennel.

Oh--and her dog will probably be really excited to see me.

So I asked her, "When the dog is done with it's business, do I just open the kennel door and it'll go back inside?" There was a long pause after I said this, while she probably (rightfully) second guessed asking me to help, and she told me that I'd have to pick the dog up and put it in the kennel.

Pick the dog up??? I kind of had an freak out moment on the inside, but I'd already said I'd do it, and I am a committer almost to a fault, so I told her it'd go great, and to go out of town, no worries.

Then I spent the rest of the afternoon convincing myself that I was a dog person (despite my past of disliking/being deathly afraid of dogs.) My friend Kathy has a five year old chocolate lab that we go on walks with every day. I love that dog. Never mind that when I water her plants when she goes out of town, I have to pep talk myself into going into her house and always call out to the dog first thing so that she doesn't attack me (she's never attacked a person in her life, and she loves me, but I still get freaked). And my friend Dee has an adorable little Yorkie that I hold and even let lick in the air in front of my face (not quite there for face licking just in case she turns crazy and bites my lips off). So I am a dog person, in some select instances.

4pm rolled around and I loaded my kids in the car to drive them around the corner (it was too hot to walk) and I went into the house where the dog was going crazy jumping everywhere and yapping. I gave it the treat--which it rejected--and got it out and slapped the leash on it really quick.

I took it out front yard...but it would not go to the bathroom.

So I took it in the backyard...but it would not go to the bathroom.

I thought the leash might be killing it's mojo, so I took the leash off and went inside. But the dog followed me inside, darted past me, and ran through the front door that I had (stupidly) left open. So I was standing there with this stupid empty leash, kind of shocked, watching this dog that is like my friend's child, run away. And here's the thing--in case you hadn't noticed yet--I don't know the dog's name, I don't know the gender, and I'm kind of hazy of what kind of dog it is in the first place. So I didn't know what to call out to get the dog to come back.

I ran out front in a smidge of a panic, and started yelling, "Here, dog! Here, dog!" and patting my legs to get it to come. It came running and me full force, so I turned and ran back in the house, and it started jumping all over me and tasting my legs, and scratching me all up--and only people who are afraid of dogs can understand how much this kind of thing can freak a person out. So I pushed it into the backyard while I took a moment to get my panicked breathing back to normal.

At this point, I didn't even care if it went to the bathroom or not. I needed to get out of there. I was all alone with this dog, and I was getting frustrated, and kind of wanting to cry (because that's my emotion overload default response), so I opened the back door and the dog came running back in. I opened the kennel door and told it to get in, but it wouldn't.

And here's the other thing, I was afraid of raising my voice, because I worried that it would be like an invitation to attack, so I was talking to the dog like you'd talk to a six month old baby--all high pitched and happy and smiley, but I was saying, "Get in your crate you stupid dog. I kind of hate you right now. Get in before I scream." And it kept opening it's mouth all the way, showing me all it's teeth, and it kind of reminded me of my trip to Louisiana and all of the alligators. So I steeled my courage, grabbed the collar, and dragged it into the kennel.

And it escaped before I could shut the door.

So I had to grab it again (and now it thinks we're playing all rough or something and it trying to gnaw on my arm) and I drag it back to the kennel, slam the door shut, tell it goodbye (in my nice voice) and leave. My hands were shaking when I got to the car.

Does anyone else have delusions about their abilities sometimes?

This is a common theme in my life. Somehow I convince myself that I can do things--even when prior experience has told me that I can't. I guess I'm the hopeless optimist (I have to be to keep sending out query letters, but that is another story.)

Overheard Conversation

2011-08-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

I took my son to the doctor this afternoon and overheard this conversation between two women and I HAVE to share it. I have to idea what they were talking about my my imagination has kind of been going while all afternoon.

Woman #1: I just got back from the sauna retreat.
Woman #2: What did you think?
#1: It was really intense.
#2: Yeah, they are really intense, but very spiritual, too.
#1: I know what you mean, but intense.
#2: We had a retreat a few weeks ago and you'll never believe who (garbled name) invited.
#1: Who?
#2: Well you know we don't invite ANYONE in law enforcement, lawyers, judges, or anything like that.
#1: Or prostitutes. We don't invite prostitutes either. (by the way, my ears totally perked up at the word prostitute, and I didn't even pretend like I was reading my book anymore)
#2: Yeah, no prostitutes. Well, (garbled name) invited a parole officer!
#1: NO! What happened?
#2: Well, everything was fine the first day, but then the second day we did (her voice was too low for me to hear what they did, dang it!) and he started questioning things.

And then the doctor called her back! I was going "No!!!!!!" in my head because I needed to hear more about what kind of lives these women live.

But, no worries about me being bored. The other lady in the waiting room took the silence as an opportunity to tell me about how her husband just sold their house out from under her and forcing them to move to Oklahoma (they are moving next week), for no reason at all, because neither of them have jobs--totally venting to me! But we got called back before I could dive further into that.

I love doctor's office waiting rooms sometimes. We are in them a LOT (my oldest has a ton of health problems) and the things I've overheard.... Although, this sauna thing was the most intriguing conversation of all.

Have you ever overheard something juicy? Do these conversations ever make it into your books?

Someday I'll Be A Beautiful Butterfly and Everything Will Be Better

2011-07-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

This quote from A Bug's Life is a common theme among writers (and my children.)

For the past several weeks, my four-year-old has been on this "When I turn five..." kick. I've heard him say:

When I turn five, then I can read.
When I turn five, then I can watch Harry Potter (this is not true, but for some reason he thinks it is.)
When I turn five, then I will be big and strong.
When I turn five, then I will have so much fun.

And I can't help but wonder: What's so bad about being four? He's built up five-years-old in his mind to be this amazing age where all of his dreams are going to come true. I can't help but laugh every time he gets this dreamy look on his face, and I know he's about to tell me about something else he'll be able to do when he's five. (By the way, he doesn't turn five until March.)

But, maybe I'm as bad as he is. I remember saying, "When I get published..."
a) I'll feel validated for all of my hard work
b) I'll know I'm a good writer
c) I'll be so happy
d) I'll never doubt my writing again

Now I say, "When I get an agent..."
(Fill in the blank with a, b, c, or d from above.)

I know there are others out there that feel the same way, who think the same things. I worry that we're missing the joy of the journey and the joy of just writing because we love to write. When writing becomes less of an escape and more of a business, I'm afraid we're cheating ourselves of the very reason we started writing in the first place. Not that I don't think that being published is great. Not that I wouldn't LOVE to have an agent. But what if the focus shifted off of how happy I'll be when that happens, to being happy with where I'm at right now?

If we're too busy wishing we are somewhere else, then we're missing how great life can be where we're at. I still think we should be working toward our goals of getting an agent or getting published or whatever our personal writing goals are, but we need to find contentment in that journey. And never, ever forget why we began writing in the first place.

How My Stories Start

2011-07-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

I love writing. I love when I sit down and these characters come into my head and I have to tell their story.

For me, my stories start with the characters. Always.

With Meg's Melody, it all started with Meg and the fact that her husband had left her. That's it. There wasn't a Matt a Johnny or a pregnancy or issues with her Mom or any of that fleshed out in my mind yet. It started with a girl who was really sad (and kind of bitter) because her husband just left. My first draft of Meg's Melody was all in first person. I LOVED it, but felt like Matt needed to be fleshed out a little more. So, for kicks, I decided to write his side of the story from his pov. I liked it so much and felt it added to the story, so I had to merge the two story lines together. I've wondered sometimes how the first person version would have been received. It was a little funnier and Meg was quite a bit quirkier. A lot of that was lost when I went to third person, but I really think I gained by having Matt's story in there, too.

For Falling (I know, I know, most of you haven't read Falling yet, but it's on my mind so much I have to blog about it) my story began one night when my husband was out of town and I was supposed to be doing edits on Meg's Melody, but I needed a break. I opened up a new document because I had this girl saying to me, "My brother didn't die in the accident, but sometimes I wish he would have." And I had to ask myself: What accident? If he didn't die, what happened to him? And why does she wish he was dead? The first draft of this story was really depressing (by the way, no one has read any of my first drafts except for me. From first draft to second draft is extremely different--which is why no one gets to read them!) so I had to go through and give Brenna some lighter moments here and there. It's still a very serious book, but there are a lot more lighter moments that her voice originally led me to believe there could be.

Then there's my YA wip about kissing. And friendship. Two of my favorite things to talk about when I was a teen. But the story idea started with this girl named Chole who has to be in charge all the time--her voice just came through as snarky and spunky and kind of controlling. I love Chloe. She's the spunkiest character I've ever written and she doesn't let anyone get away with anything. This is the one that I'm actively working on and having so much fun with it.

(I'm also working on another LDS one. I'll post more about that one later. Also so much fun.)

I know I've said this before, but characters are where it's at for me. If I love the character I'm writing, then I'm loving my writing and having so much fun doing it.

I'm always curious about how other people start their stories.
Do you have to have the entire idea for your plot and where you're going before you start a story? Or do you just start with a character that starts saying crazy crap and go from there?
Or is there some other method unique to you?

Withdrawals

2011-07-20T16:40:00.001-07:00

I live in Small Town, Arizona where we only have one option for Internet. (Cox, how I hate and love you at the same time).

There was an Internet outage in our area yesterday and I was going through some serious email/blog/FB withdrawals. I'm one of those people who don't have Internet on my phone ( I still have a flip phone, our television is from when my husband was a teenager, and our laptop is a refurbished castoff from his work--all this not because we don't love technology, but because our kids, bless their hearts, are destructive. And as under-functional as these old electronics are, they hold up well under sticky fingers and drool.) Anyway, I didn't have Internet for over 24 hours. (Until I remembered the 3G access on my Kindle, but it was such a pain to write an email, I gave up.) (Also, it's kind of telling that the newest electronic we have is a Kindle--you see where my priorities are.)

Also, sickness has decided to pay a visit at the Baldwin home, so I probably shouldn't be putting anything out there on my blog today, having only eaten a handful of crackers and some toast in two days, but here I am. Relishing the Internet, just because I can. (And writing a lot of asides and tangents, just because I can.)

Okay, back to the couch to cuddle with my little cuties and watch a movie.

In which I have delusions about my abilities

2011-07-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Cabin fever.

We have a serious case of it over here at the Baldwin home.

It is over 100 degrees outside with the relentlessly bright sun killing everything in our yard, and me and my three extremely fair skinned children can't go out in that without paying a price.

So I took them to McDonalds last week to play in the indoor playplace. My oldest set off the alarm, tried to do it two more times, threw his shoes at people, knocked trays off the table, tried to run off, the decided to top it all of by screaming, screaming, screaming, until I could gather his scattered shoes, my other kids and their shoes, and drag all three out to the car (fyi, people glare at you if your kids decide to go limp on said walk and you literally drag them a few feet until they stand up--using their perfectly healthy legs God gave them for a reason). I think people actually cheered when we left.

So McDonald's is out for the rest of summer.

And pretty much any public place, since I want to keep my sanity.

So a friend of mine suggested we set up a tent in the house for the kids to play in. Great idea. Awesome idea, in fact.

And, although I'm not a camper, my husband is, so we have seven tents, I believe. (Don't ask me why a family of five that has only gone camping together TWICE has seven tents.) I picked the red one because I like the color red, and started to set it up.

What followed was the most frustrating venture with a tent that has four stupid poles that I had to stretch out and put in the right holes and then keep the tent from collapsing. Right when I was in the middle of the most frustrating part (where if I were a swearing kind of gal, there would have been words flying) my little sister called.

When I told her what I was doing, she just laughed and laughed and asked me, "Kaylee, do you not remember that you are not a camper."

"You shouldn't have to be a camper to know how to put up a tent," I replied, holding the phone between my ear and my shoulder because I was still trying to keep the stupid tent up (my kids had prematurely crawled inside of it, so I couldn't let it collapse.)

I finally ghetto-rigged it up (really, it was more "up-ish," but I was done.) My husband took one look at it when he got home and just started laughing. He then pulled it apart (saying, "How in the heck did you get the poles to go like this?) and showed me how to do it. Then informed me that I picked the hardest tent we have to set up. That's what I get for choosing because of color.

So my kids had fun and that's all that really matters.

We still have three and a half weeks of summer and I want us to have FUN!

Do you have any fun, indoor activity ideas I can do with my children?

Countdown to Love Review

2011-07-11T07:57:00.001-07:00

From back cover:
Kelly Grace Pickens is an excited bride - until she's abandoned at the altar. Desperate, she accepts an offer to appear on a reality TV show, Count Down to Love. Her country ways are a stark contrast to the mysterious bachelor from New York. Wading through hurt and betrayal both on and off screen, Kelly discovers that being true to yourself is essential to finding happiness and love.

My thoughts:
If you've been following my blog for a while, then you know that I love The Bachelor, so when I got the chance to review this book, I was really excited. I started reading it the day I downloaded it, and finished it in one evening. So much fun. I really enjoyed this book. Kelly Grace is an extremely likable character and she works through her hurt and trust issues--something that is especially difficult when she finds herself falling in love with a man that several other girls are chasing as well. I highly recommend to those who are looking for a fun, romantic comedy with a little more depth than usual or those who love The Bachelor. I will be reading this one again.

Here is the author’s website: JulieNFord.com

And here is the author’s blog: Queries2Reviews.wordpress.com

An Email Obsession

2011-07-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

I just discovered this interesting little feature on gmail. Down in the very bottom right corner there is a tab that says: Last Account Activity: Details (and you can click on the details link). I'm sure this feature is to make sure you haven't been hacked or that other people aren't getting into your email.

Not mine. It shows that I logged in all at the same computer. And these are my log in times:

Jul 6 (18 hours ago)
Jul 6 (18 hours ago)
Jul 6 (17 hours ago)
Jul 6 (16 hours ago)
Jul 6 (15 hours ago)
Jul 6 (15 hours ago)
Jul 6 (11 hours ago)
**then I must have gone to bed**
Jul 7 (1.5 hours ago)
Jul 7 (58 min ago)
Jul 7 (0 min ago)

I'd label this a wake-up call for my obsession for checking my email, but I already knew I had a problem. I can't walk past my computer without logging in and checking my inbox. I guess that's what happens when you're querying and waiting to hear back from agents!

How often do you check your email?

My Birthday Winner

2011-07-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Julie Coulter Bellon for winning my birthday prize! Thank you all for entering. I'll be doing another giveaway in a few months, because I love giving away books :)

Just waiting around for me to come

2011-07-05T09:39:00.001-07:00

My feelings were hurt the day I did the math and figured out that my parents waited NINE MONTHS after getting married to get pregnant with me.

Up until this point, I figured that they got married just for the sole purpose of getting pregnant, and therefore having...me. What else would they want in life but a beautiful daughter? What were they doing in those nine months that were better than having a newborn baby? I guess I always just pictured them sitting around, yearning for me, never really living until they had me.

Pretty self-absorbed, right? (My sisters, if reading this, will not be surprised at all that I felt like the whole of our parents' younger lives were just a series of angst-filled, empty moments until I came along to give them purpose and joy.)

Since then, I often wonder how many children believe that they're parents' lives started when they were born.

How many authors feel that way about our characters? Like our characters have been sitting in some dark place somewhere, just waiting for us to discover them, and the only moments that really matter in their lives are the ones that we put down on paper. Anything before that? Insignificant, because it's not a part of their time with us.

I recently read a book where I felt like the love interest was created for the sole purpose of giving the main character someone to hook up with. His past was alluded to, but never explored. He didn't have any identity outside of the context of the main character. He pretty much could have been substituted for anyone and it wouldn't have made that much difference.

I love when I'm reading a novel, and I get this sense of knowing the characters, their pasts, what led them to the point in this story, where I don't feel that the characters were just sitting around, only existing when the plot conveniently says they exist. I want them to feel like REAL people, ones that I could be friends with, fall in love with, or, in some cases, hate. Ones that I'll talk to my husband about and he'll ask me, "Wait, are you talking about real people or book people?" (To which I respond, "Does it matter?")

I love even more when I'm writing and a character's voice comes into my head, and I have to discover who she is and what made her that way. My story may only cover a few months in her life, but I love finding out what existed BEFORE that time that she came into my mind.

What makes a character real to you? What helps you connect to a character?

Nerd vs. Dork vs. Geek

2011-07-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

I went out to dinner last night with my husband and several of his co-workers (all electrical engineers) and my husband tells our dinner companions that he likes classifying everyone at work under three categories: Nerds, Dorks, Geeks. He then proceeded to inform everyone at the table where they fell. (He, of course, is the rare exception among engineers and claims that he does not fall under any of the three).

So, being engineers, they couldn't just leave it at that. They had to define what made a nerd vs. a dork vs. a geek.

Since the other popular topic at dinner that night was robots (I know, robots, but my husband had to go to a writers' award gala with me and listen to writing talk all night long, so it was only fair) so they decided to define nerds/dorks/geeks in terms of robots. Here was my interpretation of what they said:

Nerds would build a simulated robot.
Geeks would build an actual robot.
Dorks would dance like a robot.

I have always considered myself a nerd, so I didn't like this definition of nerd (because I had to ask my husband what a simulated robot even was) so I have to add that I think a nerd would READ about robots, too.

And even though robots are not my reading topic of choice, I will read about almost anything else, so I am a nerd.

Do you consider yourself a nerd, a dork, or a geek? (Or are you the "rare" exception like my husband seems to think he is?)

**Don't forget to enter my birthday giveaway for a chance to win in any book you want.

***If you get a chance, head over to Jolene Perry's blog and congratulate her! She's one of my favorite critique partners and has some awesome news.

My Birthday Giveaway!!!

2011-06-28T20:35:00.003-07:00

I am turning 28 on Sunday, and in addition to watching the casino shoot off fireworks and spending time with my family, I want to have a giveaway here to celebrate my birthday!

And since my absolute favorite gift to recieve is always a book I haven't read (which my family complains is hard to find), that's what I want to give away. I will draw one person and give them whatever book they are dying to read this summer.

The rules are simple:
1--Just make a comment below and tell me what YA book you really, really want to read.

2--Include your email address so that I can contact you if you win.

3--Be a follower of my blog.

Bonus--You can have additional entries if you tweet or blog about this (just let me know.)

That's it!

The contest will end Tuesday, July 5th at midnight.
I'll draw a winner a week from today, Wednesday July 6th.

**Thank you Chantele Sedgwick for this giveaway idea. :)

Lovin' the Language Blogfest

2011-06-27T09:57:00.002-07:00

I (barely) survived my girls camp experience this year. Turns out I prefer the mountains and sleeping in a tent, and yes, even outhouses, to being crammed with seven other people in a 12'x12' room. Once we worked through all the drama (would it be girls camp without drama?) and had our shower day, everything went a lot smoother. Also, I was so tired from staying up late the first few nights, that I discovered I can sleep through almost anything (noise, lights, laughing, talking, crying....)

Now I'm back just in time for Jolene's blog fest!

I love beautiful writing. Nothing can draw me into a story more than the ability to put words together in a way that just makes me sigh.

In the novel I just finished writing, FALLING, Brenna (my main character) goes to group therapy for siblings of people who have a traumatic brain injury. This is one of my favorite journal entries that she writes for therapy (we're only supposed to do five sentences, but I've been following rules all week, and feeling an itch to break one or two, so here you go):

I think about that last day a lot. The last day that Brian was normal and how we teased each other and were so comfortable and didn’t ever think that anything could change that. I remember closing my eyes and letting the air conditioner blow in my face, and pretending that I was climbing outside, wishing I had the courage to do it.

But I was too afraid of falling—afraid that the anchor might give, that the ropes could unravel against the hard rock, that one mistake could cause me to plummet to the unforgiving ground. I didn’t realize then that there were other ways of falling, ways that were even longer, scarier than literally falling from a great height. Like falling in love with someone you didn’t even like before. Falling between the cracks in a family you thought you belonged to. Falling into a life you never wanted to live. Completely falling apart.

Who knew all along I was afraid of the wrong kind of fall?

Brenna’s Sibling Support Journal

Can't wait to read what you have!!

Spending the week...

2011-06-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

with teenagers at a church in New Mexico. I think I've mentioned before that I am the youth (girls) camp director for our local church unit and we were supposed to go camping up in the mountains for a week, but the entire Catalina Mountain range was closed due to fires. So there's this old church that does family reunions that we're going to sleep in (can I tell you how happy I am that we're going to have flushing toilets? See this post to really understand my complete joy.)

So, I am gearing up for a week of crafts, swimming, hiking, learning first aid, skits, firesides, archery, staying up late, and lots of inside jokes. And maybe even some ideas for my next book. :)

Documents Galore

2011-06-17T14:39:00.001-07:00

While saving my writing yesterday, I noticed that I have a lot of documents for each book that I write. This wasn't a new revelation, since I save something to those folders almost everyday, but I started scrolling through my folders and just realized there were a ton. Maybe more than one person should have for one book (or maybe it's normal, IDK.)

I think my husband's engineering ways are starting to rub off on me, because I decided to add them all up and see how many saved documents I have for each of my finished books (stalling, anyone?) I stopped short of making a pie chart of the results even though I knew it would've made him proud.

For Meg's Melody:
48 documents

For Falling:
67 documents

Document titles include:

Alternate beginnings 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5

Element of Blank (the original title) installments 1-7 (when I was sending sections to my mom as I wrote them—that way she’d keep asking for more, so I had to keep writing in a timely manner)

Queries 1-8

Synopsis 1 and 2

TBI outtakes (TBI=traumatic brain injury--from before I’d even titled the story)

TBI treatment, information, interviews

And all of the critiques that my crit partners have sent me. (More about their awesomeness later)

I need to know if there are others out there like me!

Do you have a a ton of documents saved for each book you write?

Throwing out a scene

2011-06-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

Tossing a scene can be really, really hard. I know. I've tossed a ton of them.

With Meg's Melody, I have a deleted scenes folder that is as long as the book. Sometimes I cut scenes because they weren't adding Meg or Matt's emotional journey. Sometimes I needed to show a concept or growth or past about a character, but decided that the way I'd originally told it wasn't the best way. And some scenes, I had to cut because my publisher needed it to be a certain word count--so I looked for my weaker scenes.

Right now, I am in the final, final editing stages of my ms and there is one last scene I am tightening up. Last night I rewrote the scene, but decided that I didn't like my rewrite at all. It was an experiment that succeeded because I now know where I don't want to take that scene. So around midnight (since I'm just obsessive enough to not be able to sleep when I have a scene that needs finishing) I made a list of what I need to accomplish with my scene.

It looked like this: (picture scraggly handwriting since I wrote this in the dark before getting in bed)

1. Gabe=Tim (a replacement for the lighthearted/normal friendship she's been craving)
2. We learn more about Philip from Gabe--get inklings of Philip's past so "the past" revelation isn't so surprising
3.Give Brenna a fun, lighthearted night (she needs it)
4. Establish that Brenna and Philip are friends now--not just people that hang out because they have a connection to Brian
5. Hint at Philip's deeper feelings for Brenna (very slightly)

So, this list probably doesn't make sense without knowing who my characters are, but I wanted to give you a sense of how I edit. If a scene just isn't working for me, I make a list of what I'm trying to accomplish in that scene, and think about how to rewrite, bringing those ideas out even more--while conveying the tone I want for that section (in this case, everyone needs a break from all of the heavy stuff that's been going on in the book so far) in addition to making sure the main theme of the book is still being supported.

Then I save my original scenes in a folder called "deleted scenes" (original title, I know.) Always save those scenes. You might end up using parts of them somewhere.

How do you decide which scenes to cut and which to keep when you're editing?

Jumping Back to High School

2011-06-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Not literally (although my ten year reunion is this year, so I will be back shortly) but I mean with my reading.

I read way many more young adult books now than I did when I was in high school. I read a ton, then, but it was always adult books that I stole off of my mom's bookshelf.

Recently, I had a conversation with a few friends about books they read in high school, and of course the conversation turned to what we all had to read in out English classes. I realized that my English classes must have been reading some interesting things (AP, nuff said), so I hadn't read a lot of the "normal" classics that weren't touched in my college English courses (the many, many that I took.)

So my quest is to read all those classics from high school English that I never read while actually in high school. I just read A Tale of Two Cities for the first time (loved it, although a little wordy, but what did I expect with Dickens?) And now I'm reading 1984.

Did you read YA in high school?
What other classic suggestions do you have for me that you read in high school?

Contest with Gabriella Lessa

2011-06-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Weronica Janczuk, an agent for Lynn C. Franklin is judging this contest. Go here for the details. We are all posting a love scene from our novels. Here is one of my favorites from my new ms, Falling.

Name: Kaylee Baldwin

Title: Falling

Genre: Contemporary YA

Entry word count: 726 words

Manuscript word cout: 75 K

Link #: 16

I'd love any feedback you have!

Scene:

Philip’s whole house smelled comforting, like cinnamon and vanilla, wrapped in warmness and peace. I inhaled a deep breath of that feeling, wishing it could remain with me when I went back to my house, back to the loneliness so thick it reeked of mildew.

Gabe sat on the couch and patted the seat next to him. Ricky jumped into the armchair I’d set my sights on, pulling the lever for the footrest before I could make my move, before I could even blink. I sighed and shuffled toward Gabe, sitting as far from him as I could without actually being on the other side of the couch.

Philip had run off somewhere once he dropped his dish in the sink, and I pushed down disappointment that he wouldn’t be joining us.

Lizzie popped the movie in and turned off the lights before lying down on the lush carpet in front of us. I sank further into the leather couch as she found the DVD menu and pushed play.

“Thought you might still be cold,” Philip murmured in my ear as he sat down on the couch beside me. He draped a worn quilt across my legs, his arm and leg pressing against mine, making it hard for me to breath. I was much closer to him than I probably should’ve been, but I didn’t want Gabe to get the wrong idea if I scooted his way.

I pulled the quilt up higher, trying to concentrate on the opening action sequence of the movie. Philip shifted, angling his body toward me just a little bit. The fresh shower scent I’d had a small taste of from his sweatshirt was so much better, stronger, with the real thing sitting beside me.

“How do your hands feel?” Philip whispered close to my ear, his warm breath shooting tingles of awareness down my spine.

“A little sore, but not too bad.” I smirked, knowing that his hands had to be worse off than mine. “How about you?”

His shoulder shrugged against mine. “My hands got pretty tough building houses this summer. It’s actually my forearms that are killing me.”

“Shhhhh.” Ricky turned to us with a stern expression.

“Sorry,” I whispered. I pretended to be engrossed in the movie, even when Gabe’s gaze lingered on me and Philip before turning back to the show.

After a few minutes, Philip’s hand brushed against mine where it rested on my leg under the quilt. He turned my palm face-up and ran his finger across the beginnings of new calluses. I knew he had to have felt, or heard, my breathing hitch as he continued to trace the lines in my palm and fingers.

“It’s hard to believe that these little hands could pull you up so quick,” he breathed against my ear, before entwining my small, cold fingers between his large, warm ones. His thumb continued to dance patterns on the top of my hand, causing my blood to rush so fast through my body that I couldn’t have paid any attention to the movie if my life had depended on it.

Suddenly, Gabe scooted closer to me and slipped his arm around my shoulder. Philip raised an eyebrow, his hand squeezing mine once more before letting go. The room seemed to come back into focus for me again, the sound of squealing cars in the movie, of Philip shifting away from me, of Gabe breathing too close to my ear. What was I doing? I was on a date with Gabe and holding hands with Philip? And hating that he had to let me go?

I was possibly one of the worst people in the world at that moment. Philip was Brian’s boring friend. And my friend too, but only a friend. I needed to remember this. But, really, he wasn’t so boring, as I’d found out that morning. And maybe his flirting wasn’t horrible all of the time. I forced myself to stop thinking about that, stiffening when Gabe began to tickle the little hairs at the back of my neck. Philip must have noticed because he folded his arms and leaned even further away.

We’re just friends. We’re just friends. I chanted it over and over in my mind, but all I could think about was how good it felt when Philip touched me so softly.

I heart my Kindle

2011-06-11T07:55:00.001-07:00

Why?

New reason #1-- Maybe I'm seriously behind the times here, but did you know that you can loan out books on your Kindle? I went to the Manage My Kindle page to clean up my library and noticed the "Loan this book" tab. Not all books are available for loan, but most of mine were. And one of my best friends just got a Kindle for her B-day, so now we can loan our books to each other instead of me just giving her my Kindle for a week (I really trust this girl, but missed my Kindle when she had it)

New reason #2--I went to Net Galleys (check this site out if you review books, it is awesome) yesterday to get an arc of a book I was asked to review, and they sent it right to my Kindle. And it turned out to be an awesome book that I stayed up past midnight to finish. I'll be a part of a blog tour in about a month, so look for my review.

No Patience

2011-06-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

My computer is driving me INSANE!!!!
It is taking forever to load pages, open files, search on google, get into blogger. And forget trying to comment on people's blogs.

Then last night--Word froze up on me, and of course I hadn't saved in an hour, and I lost a lot of what I'd written. Without auto recovery, my computer would probably be in a very sad place right now.

I can feel my heart-rate skyrocketing to unhealthy proportions this afternoon waiting for my computer to load things, so I decided to time myself and see how long I could go wait for page to load without getting antsy.

Five seconds.

After that, I could barely go another five seconds (so ten seconds total of waiting for a page to load) before giving up and exiting out completely. Sad, but true.

Now to begin the campaign to convince the hubs that a new computer is a necessity.

How I find time to write

2011-06-08T15:31:00.001-07:00

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how I find time to write with my three kids and church stuff I usually have going on. Sometimes I stay up really late, get a babysitter for a few hours, convince my husband to play Mr. Mom on the weekends, but those things don't happen very often. Instead, I have to find little chunks of time throughout my week, which means giving up something else that used to fill that time.

A few things I’ve had to give up so I have time to write...

Television.*
Folding Laundry. Really, why does it need to be folded, if we are just going to wear it within a couple of days anyway?
Scrapbooking. Thank goodness for digital albums, or else my kids pics would still be on a roll of film in a box somewhere, I’m sure.
Most of my hobbies. I have been working on an afghan for two years, I have two quilt tops done that need batting and backing and tying, and a Welcome Bear I’ve been painting outfits to go with each month—still have a few outfits left to paint. I work on a little bit every time I get a chance, but at this rate, it’s going to be another couple of years before I’m finished with any of them.**
Exercising at the gym. I go for a walk every morning to get out of the house and see my friends/walking buddies, but I’ve given up going to the gym I’m already paying for with my HOA fees. The only time I could get down there without kids is in the evening and that is prime writing time.
Naps.

*Except for Bachelor/ette because everyone needs some veg time in the week

**Since I only work on these things while I'm watching Bachelor/ette--heaven forbid I just sit and relax. :)

The next question... Is it worth it? YES!

Are there things you've had to give up in order to find time to write?

When we want to quit

2011-06-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day some friends of ours went with me and my husband on a 5K Mud Run (er, walk). And what a reality check this 5K mud run/walk really was for me. I go walking almost three miles everyday--pushing my two kids (30lbs each) in a double stroller--so I thought it would be no problem.

Wrong.

After standing in the relentless AZ heat for almost an hour just waiting for our start time, I was a little dehydrated. But still totally pumped. We finally got in line for our turn, counted down from ten, and we were off to a great start.

Until about 100 meters in, I got a side ache. I mean, come on! I knew it was going to be a loooong race after that. (In my defense, I had told my team that I was going to be the weak link. I think they thought I was exaggerating. I was not.)

But, I pushed on, mostly because I was trying to impress my husband--yes, married almost seven years, still trying to trick him into believing that I'm semi-athletic (failing miserably, by the way). All of a sudden everyone was running toward us, yelling that we were all going the wrong way. So we had to turn around, run the quarterish mile to get back on course, then continued. At this point, it turned into a mud walk for me, my pride going out the window when I realized my breakfast was going to be apart of the obstacles for the runners behind me if I kept pushing myself. I even considered stopping, because so far, this mud run? Not so much MUD as endless dirt and thorny shrubs (that I brushed against and got thorns in my legs. Fun times)

About a mile in, we had a water station, then a hose down, then a bouncy house slip and slide, then another water station. And I was a new woman. I could actually jog after getting wet and having some much needed water. They should have had some of those things in the first mile, instead of just having us run in dry dirt in the hot sun, nothing to break it up.

So, as usual, this made me think about my writing. I started out strong in this race, lost momentum when we went the wrong way, got discouraged when it was the same thing over and over for the first mile, and even thought about giving up. But I kept pushing myself forward (mostly because of pride, kind of because I'd paid a lot of money to torture myself like this) and once I got hydrated, ended up having so much fun that I'm going to do it again in September.

Like with our writing, sometimes we lose momentum, hate our beginnings, don't know where we're going, don't know why we're even torturing ourselves like this anyway--no one is making us write and submit and get rejected over and over again--but then you get to that point where it is just fun. Maybe you have to slow down a bit to make it enjoyable again, or maybe you have to just go crazy with your plot and characters and remember that above all, writing is supposed to be FUN or enjoyable or fulfilling. That the more we write, the better we get at it, and when we take a wrong turn, it's not the end of the world, we just have to get back on track.

The point? Don't quit!! Keep pushing yourself forward, remembering why you're writing in the first place, and have fun with it again.

What is scarier than submitting to an agent?

2011-06-02T22:01:00.001-07:00

Having teenagers read the skit you wrote for them to perform at church camp.

Not kidding. I am the girls camp director for my ward and part of my duty is to get a 8-10 minute skit for them to act out on skit night. So instead of googling a previously written skit, I got an idea that I really liked, so I wrote the skit for them. I loved the finished product, but when it came time for me to print out copies of it to give to the girls for practice, I started freaking out a little.

What if they don't like it?
What if they mock it?
What if they don't want to do it?

Since I only had minutes to print out the skit and get to my meeting, I didn't have time to back out at this point, and just took what I had. I gave it to the girls and told them that they could ad lib in any [appropriate] way that they wanted (this is church camp, after all). And the result? Hilarious. These girls are so funny and fun and positive, and they were awesome in the skit. Sure, it's not the rap we did last year, but we've gotta mix things up now and then (although, one of the girls--the villain--did say her lines as a rap and it was perfect.)

I think it's scarier having people I know read something I've written than having complete strangers read it. If strangers reject me, whatev. Yes, I'm bummed when I get rejected, but I never have to see the rejecter. So I get rejected once and move on. With people I know, I have to see them at church, the pool, the grocery store, our kids' schools, always remembering....
How do you feel about sharing your writing with people you know?

It's Clean

2011-05-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

No, not my manuscript.

My house.

I've also made two new recipes this week, organized my kids' toys, did window treatments in my son's room, and folded insane amounts of laundry this week.

I get really motivated to be productive around the house when I have edits I should be doing. Suddenly the dishes don't seem so bad when the alternative is ripping apart my manuscript, the carefully piecing it back together.

I used to do this in school. My family always knew when I had a paper due, because suddenly my house was cleaner than ever. It's the only time cleaning is actually the happier alternative to anything else.

Okay, now I've updated my blog. I should probably stop stalling and get to work.

Twitterfied

2011-05-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

I've entered the land of Twitter, and I'm not too proud to admit I'm a little lost. I can handle the whole update thing, the hashtag thing is still a little confusing, and if there is anything else Twitter does, I have yet to unlock those secrets.

Look me up at: kayleebaldwin1 and join me as I stumble past my comfort zone into new social technology. (I know I'm in my 20s and this technology stuff should come natural to me, but should and does are two different things.)

Coming up... My report on the Storymakers conference (loved it!)

You I Mist!

2011-05-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

I think I've mentioned before that my oldest son has Down Syndrome and he has several health problems that go along with this. Because of some recent surgeries he's had, he's missed school and church for over a month. His classes in each made him a book of notes (without knowing that the others were making them) and I received both of them this week.

I wish my scanner wasn't such a pain so that I could scan in the cute little drawings, but what really got to me were the notes that these five and six year olds wrote to my son. He can't understand most of the words but I do. I read through every note and looked at every picture.

The power of a few words is incredible. Some notes say: We love you. You are very strong. You are fun. You are the best. I missed you for a long time. I wish you were not sick. And about 25 more messages for my son.

Then I got to the one that somehow got to me the most.

You I Mist.

Three words. Not spelled correctly. Not good sentence structure. But jam-packed with emotion.

And in those three words, my heart went out to this class who has learned this year that kids their age can get sick and need surgeries and struggle to talk and walk and eat and be like them. And still, they love my son for who he is.

This is part of writing. Finding these emotions and these words with powerful meanings and the people behind the words, and connecting. Connecting in a way that makes a 27 year old mother of a special little boy cry. Connecting in a way that draws us in and makes us feel something. Connecting in a way that reminds us that despite all of our differences, we can still come together through the power of a few words.

A Must Have For Writers

2011-04-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

I am deep into revisions for my YA novel, and it is undergoing a major rewrite right now. I am taking out a main character, which means that the last 100 pages have to be completely rewritten. Why am I doing this? Because I am the queen of tangents and I think this plot twist I added at the end may actually be a monster-type plot tangent that took on a life of it's own and overtook the last part of my book. I love it, but I am doing an experiment to see what would happen to the story if I took him out. We'll see. I did it with Meg's Melody, and I liked the result, so that's the version I turned into CFI, and we know how that turned out.

So while I'm doing this revision, I decided to pull out my trusty writing book, Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. I love this book. It is seriously a must have. I borrowed it from a friend in my critique group about a year and a half ago when I was doing revisions for Meg's Melody and liked it so much that I had to get a copy for myself. Right now I'm evaluating my character arcs for my three main characters of my YA novel (which is undergoing a title revision, as well.)

I also love Ann Lamott's Bird by Bird and Orson Card's Character and Viewpoint. What other good writing books are must haves?

The Crazy Daze of Motherhood Review and Prize

2011-04-14T22:24:00.001-07:00

From Back Cover:
A mother's day is filled with all kinds of emergencies, from bumps and bruises to hospital stays. Find the perfect way to recover from your own family's little emergencies with Jane Isfeld Still's latest book on the hilarious daily challenges of a mother in the fray. You're sure to laugh and cry as you celebrate the joys of motherhood.

My Review:
If you are looking for a great Mother's Day gift, here you go. I loved this book. I sat down the day I got it and read it in one sitting. I was laughing so hard at times that my husband kept shooting me glances from where he was working on the computer, so I'd have to read sections out loud to him. Her stories are so relatable. Most of us will be able to connect with at least one of her experiences--whether it's cooking mishaps, plumbing mishaps, or children mishaps. Jane looks at motherhood in a very positive and humorous way, and makes you realize that even when everything seems to be going wrong, there is always something to laugh about.

To read more about Jane and her exploits visit her website at janeisfeldstill.com or her blog at janeisfeldstill.blogspot.com. (Seriously, her blog is just as funny as the book. If you want to check out her writing style, go visit her blog.)

A Prize:
You can win a fun prize from Jane to help celebrate the release of her book. Just go to her blog at http://www.janeisfeldstill.blogspot.com/ and become a follower, and then leave her a comment and tell her that you're a new follower. You could win:
1. Mother's Daze basket, soap, chocolate, lotion, decorative candles, and recipe cards
2. Box of blank cards with a smattering of Canadian chocolate
3. Chocolate

Too Many Good Books

2011-04-13T22:08:00.001-07:00

A few nights ago at book club we got to talking about good books that we've read. Someone mentioned the book Rebecca, and when I said that I hadn't read that one, she told me that I would probably love it. Luckily for me, I already own that book.

So my sis-in-law turns to me and says, "How many books do you own that you haven't read?" I laughed and didn't really need to answer because she knows me well enough to already know that I own a lot of books I haven't read yet. But I will. Eventually.

Here's my problem (well, I don't really think it's a problem, but my husband might argue that point): There are too many good books out there, and I want to read them all. So if I'm at the bookstore and I see a book that's been on my tbr list for a while, I snatch it. If I see a book that's a really good deal, I find a place for it on my shelf. If I see a book that just has a really awesome cover, I'm totally suckered in and I buy it.

Then they sit on the shelf until I can finally get to them. I have an entire shelf devoted to books that I haven't read yet, but it just keeps growing because I give precedence to the books I check out from the library since those ones actually have due dates.

I won't even get into the unread books on my Kindle.

It's my goal, though, to start working through my shelf. I pulled Rebecca off of it today and set it on my night table (below the five other books already there) so that it is in the queue. Thing is, I know me. Next time I'm in the bookstore, I'm not going to be able to resist buying something to add to my shelf in hopes that someday, eventually I'll find the time to read it.

I'm Back!

2011-04-04T18:52:00.002-07:00

This is what I've been doing instead of blogging the past couple of weeks.

Just to clarify, I'm running from the alligators. Not cheering for them.

Spending time with a good friend at the swamp. I think she's torturing me/helping me overcome my fears here.

I can't tell you how proud I am of myself for actually holding that thing. I told my four year old that I ate alligator, and he saw this picture, and how he thinks that I just leaned down and bit the head off of that thing. Such a nice mental image of my son to have of his mom!

This is as close as I would get. My heart was pounding like crazy. I like all of my limbs and did not want to lose any of them.

I just had to add this picture for contrast with mine.
This is my good friend (who was not afraid to touch the alligator)
and one of my first readers for my manuscripts.

So, the reason why I haven't been blogging...

I was in Louisiana! My wonderful husband got me plane tickets for Christmas to go visit my old roommate from BYU. These pictures are all from the swamp tour that my friend and I went on one of the days we were there. Don't be surprised if a little jaunt into New Orleans happens in my next book.

And can I tell you how much I love airplanes? Not so much the airport, or being really high above everything (or the fact that after I told my four year old I was going on a plane he said, "Oh, no. That's bad. Planes go really, really high... then they CRASH!" This was complete with hand motions and sound effects.) What I love is meeting new people. I love talking to people on airplanes and finding out about their lives. And these people are stuck next to me for hours, so they have to talk to me at some point, right? I met some great, great people--some who might wind up with cameos in a book in the future. So much fun.

Sickness has hit the Baldwin house with a vengeance as well. I guess that's just how it is with little kids. They bring everything home from school.

Then today, amidst all of the throw up and crying and messy house, I got this in the mail:

Not the Kindle version, of course, but this was the best picture I could find. I won this on this blog a few weeks ago, and I am really excited to read it. I'll let you know what I think.

I love getting books in the mail. It is probably my favorite kind of package to get.

My First Book Signing

2011-03-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

I am doing my very first book signing at a bookstore tomorrow morning at LatterDay Cottage in Tucson. I'm actually feeling a little nervous about the whole thing, so if you are in the area, stop by and say hi! There are going to be some great people there.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Agent contest

2011-03-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to tell you about an agent contest that YAtopia is hosting. Go here to check out the details.

Good luck!!

Growing Up Gracie Review

2011-03-17T10:06:00.001-07:00

From the back cover:

As the fifth of six kids, it's sometimes hard for Gracie Fremont to see what makes her special. But with the help of friends, family, and her faith, Gracie discovers that even the most ordinary girl can do extraordinary things. Told with sweetness, humor, and heart, this unique coming-of-age story will resonate with readers of all ages

My review:

I sat down to read a few chapters of Growing Up Gracie a couple of nights ago, and ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. I loved this novel. I thought that Fechner did a wonderful job with the characterization of Gracie, illustrating how she grows throughout her growing up years.

The book begins when Gracie is five years old and goes through her life until early adulthood (mid-twenties). In that time, you really get to know Gracie, her friends, and her family, and watch Gracie as she tries to find her place in this world.

Highly recommended.

Go here to check out Maggie's blog.
Go here to read my interview with Maggie.

Interview with Maggie Fechner

2011-03-17T09:44:00.002-07:00

I had the chance to interview Maggie Fechner, author of the novel Growing Up Gracie.

Kaylee: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Maggie: Here's me in a salted nut shell (salted because I'm dieting right now, and this is my daily protein snack of choice).

I'm a wife of 9 years to my best friend. I am a mother of 7 years to four kiddos who stress me to the tips of my toes and bring me joy to the depths of my heart. I am a portrait photographer. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am a writer. And now, since November, I get to say I'm an author. Yay!

How long have you been writing?

I was just thinking, is it too cliche to answer, since I was a child? It's true. I've been writing since a very young age. However, that's what every author says, so I think it might be kind of neat to answer something like "I've never written a sentence in my life. Page one of my NYT Bestseller were the first words I've ever written." Yeah, right.

Seriously though, I've been doing it forever. Editor of the newspaper. BA in journalism. Worked as a reporter. Blah, blah, cliche, cliche. :)

Can you tell us a little about your writing process?

I'm not a huge outliner. I just write fast with no looking back and then have major revisions when I finally look over the jumbled mess.

I know you have four little kids, and I'm sure you have other obligations as well. When do you find time to write?

I write from 5-6:30 in the morning on Monday through Friday. Then if I can throughout the day I try to steal little snatches of time here and there for marketing and blog hopping and things like that. When a book is out with my first readers I take a break from writing and don't hop straight into the next project. Yes, it might be lazy, but let me tell you, sleeping in until 7 feels like heaven!

Tell us a little bit about your road to publication.

I wrote Growing Up Gracie fairly quickly when I was a new mother and had an infant who was a great sleeper. I remember my parents and husband taking me out to dinner one night to celebrate that I had finished writing my book. I then proceeded to put the manuscript away and not touch it for about five years. When I dragged it out again I read it and was appalled at the horrible writing I had once celebrated! I began editing and editing and editing and editing. I probably did three complete rewrites before giving the book to my first readers. Then I edited some more and more and more. Finally I submitted it and was informed on my 30th birthday that Cedar Fort wanted to offer me a contract.

What is your favorite book? Favorite genre?

I just read The Secret Garden for the first time and absolutely loved it. I also love Alicia: My Story. My favorite genre is not paranormal YA. Can you believe it? Is anyone's favorite genre not YA these days? No, seriously, my favorite books are set in America before 1960. If that genre has a name, I don't know it. I was informed to be a truly "historical" piece, it must be set before the 1900s, and so I guess it's not that... Hmmm. Let's just say this. I love olden-times books, but not super olden-times books. And I definitely don't need a happy ending to be satisfied with a book.

Do you have any advice for those trying to get published?

I don't quite feel "old" enough in this business to offer advice. But if there was anything I wish I'd known before I delved in, it would be this: your first, or second, or even third novel doesn't have to be the first one you have published. It's okay to write just for the sake of improving your craft.

I'm so grateful Growing Up Gracie is out there and is being received so well. This journey has been so full of excitement and amazing support. I feel that my knowledge has grown in leaps and bounds, and I've still only scratched the surface. I hope that my debut is a great jumping-off point to a long and rewarding life as a writer.

Thanks, Maggie. It was great getting to know more about you.

Thanks, Kaylee.

Go here to read my review of Growing Up Gracie.

The First Line

2011-03-14T14:17:00.010-07:00

I’ve been editing my book recently and thinking about first lines. They have the power to draw you in or turn you off. So I wanted to do a little research using some of the books on my bookshelf that are in the same genre (YA) as the book I just finished writing.

Here are the ones that I found:

“For the record, I wasn’t around the day they decided to become Dumb.”

Five Flavors of Dumb, Antony John

I haven’t read Five Flavors of Dumb yet, but I’m expecting the narrator to be a little sarcastic and funny. And I’m really, really curious about a band that would name themselves Dumb and the girl that comes into their lives.

“I guess I kept hoping some kind of miracle would happen.”

Bloom, Elizabeth Scott

“Getting dressed was always the hardest part of the afternoon.”

Pretties, Scott Westerfeld

In Scott Westerfeld’s book, the Pretty world is almost completely consumed with caring about appearances. He sets their world up perfectly with just one sentence. When what to wear is your biggest problem (and you’re not even getting dressed until afternoon anyway) then I get really curious about what’s going to happen to shake this all up.

“My lady and I are being shut up in a tower for seven years.”
Book of a Thousand Days, Shannon Hale

“There are times in life when it’s important not to trip: when you’re going for the tie-breaking lay-up in a basketball game, when you’re walking down the aisle on your wedding day, and when your English teacher asks you to hand out textbooks—and you’re about to give one to Ethan Lancaster.”
Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws, Janette Rallison

Janette Rallison’s book is just as hilarious as the first sentence would lead you to believe. With that one line she shows that the mc is a basketball player and in love with Ethan Lancaster—both things which drive the entire plot.

"Everyone knows I’m perfect.”
Perfect Chemistry, Simone Elkeles

“There is no lake at Camp Green Lake.”

Holes, Louis Sachar

As for Holes, Sachar already has me asking questions and wanting to read more. Why is there no lake at Camp Green Lake? (And green lake, yuck!) The tone of this book stays completely true to his first sentence. The whole book just drips with irony.

What do these lines tell us?

They give us voice. They give us tone. They tell us about the character or the world the character lives in (sometimes both.) They draw us in, either by leaving us wondering, or because we already love the character’s voice.

My current first line is this:

I untied the rope from my harness with tingling fingers, flexing them as I walked away from the rock wall.

I think it lacks punch.

So I rewrote it to this:

With twenty feet of gray rock above me and forty feet to the hard ground below, I couldn’t help but wonder how Brian had convinced me to do this.

But I'm worried that it starts my story in the wrong place. I'd have to do flashback to tell you how she got there, and I don't want to do that.

So, back to the drawing board. If I come up with anything good today, I'll update.

Why I Write

2011-03-10T10:17:00.003-07:00

I'm reading The Liar's Club by Mary Karr for my book group this month and I came across a quote that I LOVE and that I totally agree with.

"Personal experience has the possibility to transform both the tellers of it and the listeners to it." (p. xiv)

A few years ago, I took a class at ASU that focused completely on this concept of the power of personal narratives. It was one of my secondary education (for teaching English lit) classes, but as I wrote examples of the assignments for my students, I relearned what I'd already discovered through avid journal writing: personal narrative really can heal a person. It can change them.

I think this is one of the things I love about blogs. I visit the craft blogs, and the cooking blogs, and the writing blogs, and I find their posts interesting and informative, but the blogs that I find myself going to over and over again are those that share personal stories. Those that connect themselves to whatever they're sharing.

I love the writing blogs where writing isn't just a scholarly pursuit to be dissected as if it were a science project. Yes, we need to know the mechanics of good writing. Yes, we need to know techniques for engaging a reader. But there are a lot of sources out there telling about these things. I have numerous writing books, I get the writing magazines, I subscribe online to various websites that teach these things. I love the blogs that may jump into these topics, but then the authors tell me about themselves and how this topic relates to them. They talk about their successes, their failures, the things they've learned, they show me how powerful metaphor can be by writing a post just oozing with amazing metaphor, they teach me about subtlety by being subtle. While I'm being taught, I don't feel like I'm being talked to or lectured, but that the author has invited me to sit with them, to share a carton of ice cream, and discuss what we've learned and how our writing has affected our lives, our families, and our selves.

So, if you get a lot of me and my personal story here at this blog, that is why. I strongly believe in the power of personal narrative, of writing it down, of letting it heal. And we all need healing. From heartaches and pains, to hurt feelings, broken bodies, broken families, sick children, wandering children, and so, so many more trials that I can't even fathom.

This is why I keep a journal.
This is why I blog.
This is why I write.

Because even if the circumstances of my life don't change, my heart does.

Mailboxes, Keys, and Awesome Packages

2011-03-09T08:44:00.001-07:00

This has been a crazy week over at the Baldwin household. My oldest son had surgery last week and is taking longer to heal that we thought he would. On top of that, my sister is getting married this week so I'm helping to get things ready for that.

And just to stress myself out more.... I've made his crazy goal to have my next book written by May. I'm about 60 pages in and have it outlined, so we'll see if the rest of my life will cooperate with my writing goals.

So I went to the mailbox today for the first time in over a week, which is not unusual. Our mailman probably thinks we're out of town a lot. We're not.

Our mailbox is one of those communuty ones that is about seven houses down from me. SEVEN houses. That may not seem like a lot, especially seeing how our houses are so close they're practically on top of each other, but for some reason, I can't get there. It probably doesn't help that a few weeks ago, I jogged down there while my kids were watching a movie, and I jogged back (because it is never a good idea to leave my headstrong/creative kids alone for longer than a minute) and left my keys in the mail box. My car keys, my house key, my mail key--all dangling from the outside lock on the mailbox. They hung there for two hours. Until I decided to take my kids to McDonald's for dinner and couldn't find my keys. As I ran to the mailbox, hoping they'd still be there, my neighbor was driving toward me with her hand out her window, my keys in her hand. I love my neighborhood. I can't believe no one took my keys, that were in my mailbox, where my address was plainly displayed. That could've been an invitation someone couldn't refuse. Luckily I have great neighbors.

Now I drive to the mailbox. Yes, the one that's seven houses down. Because you can't leave keys in a mailbox when you need them to turn on your car to leave the mail box.

Anyway.... When I got to the mailbox, I found these inside. I love getting packages in the mail!

I am really excited to read this book! It seems like the perfect Mother's Day gift. And I read Jane Still's blog and it is hilarious. I'll get a review up on this book in April.

And I also I received this:

Okay, you may have to squint to see this dress, but it is my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding that's on Saturday. That's right. Her wedding is in three days, and the bridesmaid dress just arrived today (well, that may not be entirely accurate because I haven't checked my mailbox in a while, but still.) Now I can finally breath easy and not be afraid I'll stand out/ruin all of my sister's pics.

Anyone else get anything fun in the mail this week? (Or have a propensity for losing things?)

Journey of Honor Review

2011-03-02T21:33:00.002-07:00

From the back of the book:

Disowned, she came to American anyway. Attacked and left pregnant by a vicious mob, she still pressed on. Finally in spite of being accused of theft by the vilest of her attackers, Giselle tries to remain as upbeat and uncomplaining as a prairie wildflower as she travels on to Zion.

Thoroughly disillusioned with the ugliness and cruelty of slavery in the South. Trace Grayson leaves his young medical career to go west, hoping to leave bigotry and hatred behind. He begins taking goods by teamster train to sell in the territories. However, this fourth time across in July 1848, he's stuck in St. Joseph, Missouri, waiting for enough wagons to join the train so that they can leave.

Knowing that if they don t start west soon, they ll be caught by snow in the mountains. Trace is thrilled when the final wagon signs on. Then, when the beautiful young Dutch girl traveling with the last wagon is falsely accused of stealing and is detained, the whole trip is jeopardized. Thrown together by circumstances, Trace and Giselle team up to begin to figure out just how to make this epic journey across a continent a success.

With a deep sense of honor and an equally strong sense of humor, together they learn to deal with everything except the one trial that neither of them can overcome.

My thoughts:

Journey of Honor was a sweet love story. When I started reading it, I was so excited to see that it was a marriage of convenience story, the kind of book that I just happened to be in the mood to read that day. Giselle is a faithful woman who rises against the horrific things that happen to her, and Trace is just the kind of hero that you'd want your daughter to fall in love with (or that you'd want to find for yourself!) I'd recommend this to readers who love clean romance, who like historicals with an LDS themes woven in, or anyone in the mood for a sweet love story.

The Bachelor and Me

2011-02-27T20:22:00.002-07:00

Some of you may know that I am a Bachelor fan. You know, that show on ABC with all the the girls chasing one guy. They are all doing everything they can to catch his attention. I love this show. I love the drama. I love the ridiculousness of it all. I love the small bit of hope in me that believes the final result is a love match that really will last forever.

This weekend, I think I had a small glimpse at what those women on The Bachelor feel when they are trying to get that hunky, possible future husband's attention. I was one of several women (well, there were a few men, too) at a writing conference, trying to get the attention of an agent.

I went to the ANWA 2011 writing conference in Phx, AZ this weekend. I have to admit that it was the first writing conference I've ever been to, so I didn't know what to expect. My nerves have been on high alert all week, though, knowing that I'd be pitching my book to one of the agents there.

The first night of the conference, after all of the classes were over, we had a "meet and greet." Which is kind of like a cocktail party, only instead of cocktails, we had lots and lots of water. And the point is to mingle and meet new people and to network. So I wanted to talk with the agent I was pitching to the next day, hoping to get my nerves out with a casual conversation that had nothing to do with my book.

For those of you who watch The Bachelor, they also have a cocktail party right before he chooses which girls he will keep and which girls get the boot. And the tricky part is that these girls have to get time with the bachelor so that he's thinking of you when he'd deciding who gos and who stays.

I was a little disappointed in the drama-free cocktail party at this conference--no crying, no fighting, no bitter "you've-missed-out-on-the-best-thing-that-ever-could-have-happened-to-yous" (that I'm aware of)--but there was still that sense of trying to get in with the agent to leave your impression before the real games began.

Since I had that image in my mind the whole night, when I met with the agent the next day for my pitch, I kept thinking about the one-on-one dates on the show. That's where the girls really get to know the bachelor and try to convince him to pick them. So, guess what kept going through my mind when I sat down for my pitch session with the agent? This is our one-on-one date. Is she going to give me a rose or send me home?

I really enjoyed talking with her. It's amazing to me that these agents know just what to ask. And it's just plain fun talking to someone about my book. So, when we left our one-on-one, I felt really excited to keep writing and to keep working on my manuscript. Now I wonder if I'll be thinking of literary agents and writing conference "meet and greets" when I watch The Bachelor tomorrow night.

On My Bookshelf

2011-02-21T07:13:00.001-07:00

In my mailbox last week I got these books:

Reviews will be coming in the next couple weeks for these books.

I'm also the kind of person that loves to buy books--even when I know I won't have time to read them for a while. We have a used book store in Tucson that is no where near where I live, so every time I'm on that side of town I like to go in to the used bookstore and see if there are any books in there that are on my tbr list. If they are, and I can get them for a good deal, then I snatch them up while I can. Oh, and I won one of these books on an awesome blog. Here are some of the books on my bookshelf that I am so excited to get to whenever I have the time! (I won't even tell you how many unread books I have on my Kindle....)

Someday I'll tell you all the books that I have to read that I've borrowed from my mom (there are at least four right now).

My love

2011-02-17T13:19:00.002-07:00

I met my husband seven years ago at a Valentines Day dance. I saw him across the room, and I thought he was really good looking, and I thought that my good friend knew him--seeing as how they were standing next to each other--so I went and introduced myself to him. Well, my friend did not know him, but Jeremy asked me to dance anyway. I remember how easy it was for me to talk to him, even though we'd only just met minutes before, and when he called me later that week, I was at ASU walking to my car, and I started jumping up and down in front of the education building. I got some strange looks.

One year later, we'd been married for about four months and I was in the first trimester of my first pregnancy. I was so sick. Sick to the point of losing too much weight, with meds hardly helping. So on this Valentines Day, our first one as a married couple, I woke up early to go do my internship at the junior high for three hours, left that to go straight to work at the optometrists office as a tech for six hours, went straight from that to ASU for a night class I had that went until 9pm, then dragged myself to my car--only having eaten two pieces of dry toast the entire day. When I hauled my sorry self up the stairs to our condo later that night, I barely made it inside before falling onto the ground, crying. I couldn't go one more step that day. My husband, instead of continuing with the romantic evening he had prepared for Valentines Day, picked me up and carried me past the dinner he'd made, the roses he bought, and the candles he lit and just held me while I cried and fell asleep. I love that man.

But Valentines Day is sometimes a disaster in our house, for some reason. It's always because of me, not him. Like last year, he got me the most beautiful flower arrangement. And then while he was at work, I started getting a headache. Then sneezing. And my eyes were watering and started swelling up. I finally figured out that I was allergic to the flowers, so when he came home that evening, he noticed that I was kind of a mess and put his amazing flowers in the garage so that I wouldn't be miserable anymore.

This year, I thought would be different story. I'm not pregnant. We know that flowers are not the best idea. But then, I got this stupid flu bug/cold. And that wouldn't even be so bad, if I hadn't taken the NyQuil. The NyQuil that apparently gives me aggressive dreams. So Valentines Day night, we go to bed, and I have these dreams that people are after me, trying to poison me. I'm spitting out the poison that these bad guys in my dream are forcing me to take, and I wake up with a soaking wet pillow, still spitting. My husband says that I was also hitting him in my sleep, a few landing on his face. (good thing that I am so not strong) That has never happened before. Nothing says happy Valentines Day like that, right?

That is why my Valentines Day post is so late. I'm finally starting to feel better, but I just have to say Happy Valentines Day to everyone out there--to everyone who's been in love and hopes to be in love. Love is just amazing, isn't it?

And Happy Valentines Day to my husband, who is the best husband I could ever ask for. I love you.

My husband and I this past summer in
Washington DC on a rainy day.

The Upside of Down

2011-02-07T22:05:00.001-07:00

I am so excited today to share my interview with Rebecca Talley, author of The Upside of Down. This book deals with something that is very close to my heart. Some of you may know that I have a son with Down syndrome--which has completely changed my life. It has helped make me the person I am today, and I am so blessed to have my wonderful son in my life. I am so pleased to see a book that handles motherhood, and especially motherhood in light of having a child with Down syndrome, in a realistic and positive manner.

Kaylee: Hi, Rebecca! I'm excited to get to know you a little better. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Rebecca: I grew up in Santa Barbara, CA. I attended, and graduated from, BYU where I met my husband. He was the FHE “dad” and I was the FHE “mom.” We have been happily married for over 25 years and are the parents of 10 wonderfully creative and multi-talented children. We live in rural CO on a small ranch with a dog, cats, a spoiled horse, and a herd of goats. It took me a bit to adjust to the rural lifestyle after growing up in southern CA, but I love living in the country.

Kaylee: When did you start writing?

Rebecca: I started making books when I was a kid and I loved to write in high school, but I put writing aside when I got married and started having babies. I decided to get serious about it again in the mid-90s when the internet suddenly opened up a whole new world for me. I met other writers, took classes online, and read all I could about writing. I’ve been writing ever since.

Kaylee: What do you like to do besides writing?

Rebecca: Eat chocolate, ice cream, peanut M&Ms. I love to go to the beach and swim in the ocean, but I only get to do that once a year or so. I also love to dance to disco music. I’ve recently started doing Zumba, a kind of Latin dancing/exercise program—lots of hip shaking. I love to go on dates with my husband and I love to play with my kids. I’ve also started making jewelry and flower barrettes with my kids.

Kaylee: You newest novel, The Upside of Down, was released in January. What was the inspiration for this novel?

Rebecca: While I was watching the new version of Cheaper by the Dozen, I thought it would be fun to write a similar story set in an LDS household. Since I have a large family, I drew from many of my own experiences to create my characters and establish the storyline. I had lots of fun writing it, especially as I relived some of the funny things that have happened in our family.

Kaylee: What do you hope people take away from The Upside of Down?

Rebecca: I hope people realize that no matter who we are, none of us is spiritually invincible. We all need to rely on the Lord, in good times and in bad. No matter how desperate a situation may seem, the Lord can lighten our load if we’ll turn to Him. The atonement is for all of us. And, even in the midst of trials, we can have peace.

I also hope people will learn something from my book about Down syndrome and realize that underneath it all, we’re all children of God and we all deserve love and respect, no matter our chromosome count.

Kaylee: Where can we purchase The Upside of Down?

Rebecca: Amazon carries it and it should arrive in LDS Bookstores soon.

You can learn more about Rebecca at http://www.rebeccatalley.com/ and http://www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/
and http://www.theupsideofdown2.blogspot.com/

Kaylee: Thanks for meeting with me! I have really enjoyed getting to know you over the past year and look forward to reading more from you.

Rebecca: Thank you so much for the interview.

More about The Upside of Down
Back cover blurb:
“Hmmm,” the doctor muttered.

Natalie wrinkled her forehead, almost afraid to ask, and said, “What does that mean?”

“You do know you’re pregnant, right?”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Excuse me?”

“You’re pregnant.”

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. “I’m what?”

Natalie Drake certainly has her hands full raising a large family, dealing with her difficult mother, and maintaining a relationship with her rebellious teenager. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, she finds out another unexpected surprise—she’s going to have a baby. Faced with so many challenges, Natalie must learn to trust in a plan that isn’t what she imagined and discover that every situation has an upside.

Am I Meg?

2011-01-31T13:46:00.004-07:00

I have been getting this question lately. And people aren't meaning the beautiful girl on the cover (I wish), but they mean my character, Meg Sanders.

On the one hand, this is a really flattering question. It's cool that Meg's story seemed so real that it could be based off of my life. And, I really enjoyed writing about Meg. I wouldn't mind people thinking that I was like her.

On the other hand, I have my own stories and trials and personality (and husband and kids) and don't want people mistaking me for my fictional character! Meg has quite a life... just not my life. :)

Since I just got this question again this weekend, I've decided that you all need to know more about me and you can decide which part of myself I'm putting into my various characters.

Today's tidbit:
Although I've been telling my husband our entire marriage (6+ years) that I love camping, I have in fact proved that I am a city girl the two times he's braved taking me out with him.

Camping trip #1
Peed on myself. Three times. Girls were not meant to squat. For anyone who wants to argue, look at the evidence above. Three. Times.

Did not sleep at all. Every noise was for sure a bear coming to eat me and therefore deprive my children of their mother.

Woke my husband up at least a dozen times. "Are you asleep?" "Did you hear that?" "Are you asleep now?" "Can you shine a light so I can go to the bathroom?" "Oh, man, I peed on myself again. Do you have a change of pants I can borrow?" "Can we switch sleeping bags. Yours must be more comfortable because you can actually sleep." etc.

Camping trip #2
Husband brought bucket with toilet seat. (Yes, I was mocked by our friends. Yes, I was glad to have it anyway.)

Air mattress lost most of its air in the night.

Had to go to the bathroom, didn't have my contacts in, so I tripped over the cot, got up, tripped over it again, and crashed out of the tent. But at least I didn't pee on myself.

Brought kids this time, ages 5, 3, 1. It was about 20 degrees outside. Too cold for this AZ girl and her kids. The kids (and me for a while) spent most of the morning in the SUV with the heater on, watching Ice Age 3 while husband broke camp.

Then the bees came out. I can't even describe to you how much I hate bees.

Needless to say, my husband does not believe me anymore when I tell him I love camping. I don't think I even believe myself.

***Update: I just got an email from an agent yesterday that started out: "Dear Meg..." I think I'm going to start developing a complex soon!

Monday Me

2011-01-24T12:48:00.001-07:00

It's Monday, the longest day of the week for me! So to have a little fun, and shake off the Monday blahs, I'm going to tell you about the time the bird pooped on me. On my wedding day.

I married my wonderful husband, Jeremy, about six years ago. After the ceremony, we went outside to take a ton of pictures--so many pictures that my cheeks hurt from smiling. Everyone was getting hungry and hot (this was Sept in AZ, so still really, really hot outside) so the photographer wanted to get a big family/extended family portrait before everyone left for lunch.

He arranged all 40+ of us under this huge tree on the lawn, with me and my husband right in the middle. Just as he was getting ready to take the picture a bird in the branches above me pooped. It splattered all down the front of my beautiful white wedding dress. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. In the end, it wound up being a combination of an 'are you friggin kidding me' laugh and a 'not my dress' cry.

After my mom and I had cleaned up my dress in the bathroom the best we could, I went back out to the lawn to see my husband and all five of his groomsmen, in their really nice tuxes, throwing rocks at the tree. The sight of all of these guys trying to take out the bird is still one of my favorite wedding day memories (not that I'm all for revenge, but come on, out of 40 people, the stupid bird pooped on the bride!)

My grandmother later told me that having a bird poop on you is good luck. My marriage has been great so far, so I guess she's right. I just wish that the bird could have dropped a rose in my hair or something more Disney-esque.

Here's something else to help out with the Monday Blahs....
Congratulations to Chris (commented on Jolene's blog) for winning the copy of Meg's Melody from the blog tour. I used Random.org to generate the winner. Thank you everyone for participating. That turned out to be pretty fun. I think I'm going to have to do more contests in the future. :)

Last Day

2011-01-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of the Meg's Melody blog tour. Thank you so much for becoming followers and making comments!! I am really excited for the drawing.

Here is the list again for all of the blogs that participated in the tour. You can leave a comment on their review of Meg's Melody for the drawing to win it. I'll be drawing the name and posting it on Monday.

I really appreciate all of you making this so special.

Editing woes

2011-01-17T08:24:00.001-07:00

I am in the process of editing my second book right now, tentatively titled IF I FALL. I think I'm just a little obsessed with editing and finishing this thing! I have read it through several times, had my beta readers read it, then sent it out to some of my writing friends to critique it for me, and now my husband it reading it/proofing it for me. He is the king of finding missing words and awkward sentences (I am the queen of skipping words when I type!).

So last night I start dreaming about people giving me feedback on my book. I woke up feeling exhausted! It's probably just time to send it in. Sometimes it's really hard to send a book into a publisher, though. With Meg's Melody, I finished it, and it took almost three months to work up the nerve to send it out. There were many times that I almost didn't (and my mom would pep talk me into sending it it, which is part of the reason why she gets a whole paragraph in the acknowledgments section of my book. My mom rocks!) I think I'm going through the same thing here. I'm totally dragging my heels over writing a synopsis for IF I FALL. But I've made a deadline for myself. I WILL start sending it out the last week of February no matter what (earlier, if I can talk myself into it.) The last week of February is the ANWA conference (check out the widget for more info), so it's a good deadline for me.

Here's to crossing fingers that I'll stop being such a wimp!

On another, blog tour related note...
Today Fire and Ice has posted a review of Meg's Melody. Stop by and comment for a chance to win a copy.
Also, if you get the chance, check out this post, and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Joan Soward's latest book, The Star Prophesy.

Meg's Melody Blog tour--Taffy's blog

2011-01-15T08:56:00.001-07:00

Okay, I had my days a little mixed up yesterday(husband stays home on a Friday and all day I thought it was Sarturday)!! Taffy is actually posting her review today. :) She's also giving another copy of Meg's Melody away, so visit her blog and leave a comment for double the chance of winning a copy!

And remember to become a follower of my blog as well, for an additional entry. Thank you!

On another really awesome note, I just got an email from my writing friend Shaunna that said Meg's Melody was in the glossy mailer from her local LDS bookstore. Woo hoo!

The Star Prophesy by Joan Sowards

2011-01-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today in the blog tour for Meg's Melody, stop by Taffy's review blog and leave a comment (or go to this post for a list of other blogs you can leave comments at), or become a follower of my blog for a chance to win a copy of Meg's Melody.

Now...

I so excited to be a part of the blog tour of The Star Prophecy by Joan Sowards this week! I really enjoyed this book. While reading this book, I kept thinking: I want to read this to my children! There is a lot of exctiting adventure as Enoch travels from Zarahemla to Jeruselem to see the baby Jesus. As an adult, I enjoyed thinking about the birth of the Savior from a different perspective and watching Enoch grow and hold fast in his faith. I think that my kids would be completely drawn into the Nephite world and an adventure at sea. A recommended bedtime read!

The adventure begins with the blog tour
for
The Star
Prophecy by Joan Sowards

We will be giving away THREE copies of The Star
Prophecy.
It's easy to enter.
1. Visit the fabulous reviews and leave a comment letting us know why
you're excited to read The Star
Prophecy. Remember to include your email address.
2. If you tweet about the blog tour, or post about it on your blog or
facebook, leave the link in the comments section and you'll receive an
additional entry.

Good Luck! Entries close at midnight (MST) on January 28.

*****
You are crazy. No Nephite has ever
returned.

Most people laugh when they hear of Enoch's dream of returning to
Jerusalem to find the infant Messiah. Even Enoch's future father-in-law
mocks him when he asks for a postponement of his long-awaited wedding to
his beloved Rebekah. A few take Enoch seriously - the shipbuilder Omnihah,
Enoch's teacher David, and the prophet Nephi.

Five years before, a Lamanite named Samuel had stood on the wall of
Zarahemla and prophesied that "five years more cometh" and the Christ
would be born in Jerusalem. Time is running out! Enoch knows he must set
sail across the great waters in search of his dream - to see the face of
the Messiah.

The Star Prophacy is a surprising
story of courage and love, faith and fortitude. Sail with Enoch and his
friends across the sea through hardship and adventure in search of the
Christ child.

January 10
I Am A Reader, Not A
Writer

January 11
Totally Tina

January 12
Peggy Urry

January 13
Tangled Words and Dreams

January 14
Kaylee Baldwin

January 17
Of Writerly Things

January 18
Writers Mirror

January 19
Bonnie Gets a Say

January 20
The Blessing of Family
Life

January 21
Anna del C. Dye's Blog
Renee S. Clark

Meg's Melody Blog Tour--Shaunna Gonzales

2011-01-13T14:06:00.001-07:00

Today the tour is stopping at Shaunna's blog. I had a chance to read a women's fiction novel that Shaunna wrote that I really enjoyed.

Thank you to everyone who has become a follower of my blog and making comments. I'm really excited for the drawing next week!

Meg's Melody Blog Tour

2011-01-12T07:09:00.001-07:00

Today Jolene Perry posted a review of my book along with an interview. I've had the opportunity to read a few novels that Jolene is finishing up, and they are AMAZING! I love her writing style and am pleased that she could review Meg's Melody.

Win a copy of Meg's Melody

2011-01-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

I am so excited this week! The blog tour of Meg's Melody is starting today and going through next week.

Leave a comment at any one of these blogs on their blog post about Meg's Melody and you will be entered into a drawing to win Meg's Melody. You can leave comments on multiple blogs for multiple entries.

I will give you another entry if you become a follower of my blog!

January 10th

Shanda at LDSWBR

January 11th
Tristi Pinkston

January 12th
Jolene Perry

January 13th
Shaunna Gonzales

January 15th
Taffy Lowell

January 17th
Heather at Fire and Ice

January 18th
Marsha Ward

January 19th
Alison Palmer

January 20th
I am a Reader Not a Writer

January 21st
Rebecca Talley

The contest will run until January 22nd.

Today, reviewing my book is Shanda over at LDS book review. I love this blog! Take the time to look through more of their reviews and contests that they have going on.

Blog Facelift

2010-12-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

I finally figured out how snaz up my blog! I added tabs, including some deleted scenes from Meg's Melody. Let me know what you think!

A Christmas Giveaway

2010-12-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

My book is being showcased today on LDS book review! Visit their blog and comment for a chance to win a copy of Meg's Melody! They are also giving out many other books and a $50 Amazon gift certificate.

http://ldswbr.blogspot.com/2010/12/megs-melody-by-kaylee-baldwin-countdown.html

The book is in!!

2010-12-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law just called to let me know that she got Meg's Melody in the mail today!! She ordered it from Amazon, and it is already there. She is possibly the first person to see it. (I haven't even seen it yet!!) But she assures me that it looks awesome. I am so excited to get the copy of my book and actually hold it in my hands. Here's hoping I get my shipment of books soon!

Unbroken Connection

2010-11-27T12:30:00.001-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! It has been quite a year, and I definitely have a lot to be thankful for! My son is healthy and strong (and starting to walk again) after going through four surgeries this year. My middle son is FINALLY potty trained!! Woohoo. I never want to have three kids in diapers again. And my baby girl is showing her spunky personality everyday.

And, of course, I am so thankful that my book is coming out soon. It has always been one of my dreams to be an author. I remember telling my parents when I was probably around eight years old, that I wanted to be a singer, a writer, or an actress. Well, my singing is about average, I am waaay to shy to be an actor (maybe I'll blog about my short, humiliating foray into acting), so that left me with writing--which I love. I just finished my second book and it is out being critiqued right now.

While I'm waiting for the critiques on my next book, I've been trying to catch up on my to-be-read list. I stumbled across a book in my library by Angela Morrison called Taken by Storm that I read and loved.

I also had the opportunity to read Taken by Storm's sequel, Unbroken Connection and then interview the author. Unbroken Connection is a fabulous book. I got it in the mail one afternoon a few weeks ago, so I started to read, thinking that I'd get in a chapter or two while waiting for my son's bus to drop him off. I couldn't put it down!! I ended up reading the entire book in one afternoon. It is a touching love story that made my heart ache for Leesie and Micheal.
(And for all of you Kindle readers, Unbroken Connection is only $2.99 at Amazon--click on the link for a description of the book.)

I am excited to share my interview with Angela Morrison.

Kaylee: Unbroken Connection is the sequel to Taken by Storm. Did you always plan to write a sequel for Leesie and Michael? Where did you come up with the idea of their story?

Angela: Michael and Leesie's story was born in the back of a dive boat. We were tossing on the waves off the coast of Cozumel, shivering in the rain, when a fellow diver told us the weather wrecking our dive was left over from a hurricane that hit Belize the night before. He'd heard about a boat full of divers that got caught in it and drowned. At first, I found that hard to believe. But it was true. The story haunted me, and I began asking myself what if a guy on the boat survived when his parents and friends didn't? What would he do? Where would he go? And who would love him?

I didn't plan on writing a sequel, but when I finished writing TAKEN BY STORM, Michael and Leesie wouldn't leave each other alone. They wouldn't leave me alone, either. I scribbled down their conversations and it began to form into a story that I needed to tell. UNBROKEN CONNECTION was supposed to be the second book in my contract with Penguin, but they got nervous and asked me to write the story with different characters--in case TAKEN BY STORM didn't do well. I refused. Yikes. I had to come up with a whole new book, but that led to the amazing blessing writing SING ME TO SLEEP became. I wouldn't trade that book for anything, but I couldn't give up on UNBROKEN CONNECTION, either. When my editor left my imprint at Penguin, her boss rejected UNBROKEN CONNECTION. My readers threw a fit! So I released it independently, so they could read it.

Kaylee: I love the cover of Unbroken Connection. Did you design it?

Angela: My son designed it. We wanted to keep the feel of Penguin's paperback cover for TAKEN BY STORM. I think my son improved on it--tons! I love UNBROKEN CONNECTION's cover, too!

Kaylee: I've been following your Cayman Summer blog, where you are putting each chapter of the third book in this series online as you write it. How is this process going for you? Is it harder or more nerve wracking to post as you go? Or does it give you more motivation to write quickly for your waiting audience? (It makes me nervous to even think about it... but I'm glad you're doing it)

Angela: I have to admit I was incredibly nervous the first day I posted, but I have the most devoted band of readers an author could ever ask for. They encourage me and send me love every day. It's incredibly inspiring. I love getting instant feedback and will use that a lot when I revise. The motivation to post for them every day is fantastic, and it does give the writing teacher in me a chance to pontificate now and again.

Kaylee: Now, the impossible question... What is your all-time favorite book? (Okay, if you're like me and there is no way in the world to narrow it down to one, what are your most favorite books?)

Angela: Tolstoy's WAR AND PEACE. It's the most heartbreaking love story I know. Maybe that's why all of my books are tragic. I used to read it every year, but I'm so busy now writing, it's been a couple of years. I have the big, fat unabridged version, so it takes awhile to get through, but I love it again every time I read it.

Kaylee: Along this line, what books on writing have you found most valuable?

Angela: Hands down, Vogel's THE WRITER'S JOURNEY and Cameron's THE ARTIST'S WAY. I also love everything Katherine Paterson writes about writing. Check out THE INVISIBLE CHILD. The poetry writing book I use the most is Kowit's IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. But Paul Janecsko's HOW TO WRITE POETRY is fun if you want to write poetry for children.

Kaylee: What advice can you give to any aspiring authors?

Angela: Work hard on your craft. This is an art, and it takes years of practice to be able to hone your skills to the professional level. Don't give up. I can't say it will be worth the time and sacrifice in monetary terms. If that's why you write, choose another avenue. But if you write because you're miserable if you don't, welcome to the agony! Welcome to the joy.

Search for good mentors and opportunities to learn from professionals. If you write for teens or children, join SCBWI. My MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts--a high quality low residency program--changed my life. Check out my liv2writ blog on my website. I post my best writing advice there. Start at the bottom and work up!

And I'd also love to have you join the discussion at http://caymansummer.blogspot.com/. I hope the journey will be especially valuable for writers--and I'm giving away some free critiques as part of a big contest. Believe in yourself, in your story, in your art. It took me three and a half long years of rejection and revision to sell TAKEN BY STORM. Publishing is going through a painful revolution. There are lots of new opportunities there. Explore. Be creative. Share. Have fun. Love it.

Oh, Say Can You See

2010-11-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

The bicentennial of the War of 1812 is less than two years away, and America is gearing up to host spectacular celebrations of the 200th anniversary of her second war of independence. LDS author, L.C. Lewis, saw the event fast-approaching and began writing a historical fiction series to commemorate this often overlooked moment and generation. Along the way, Free Men and Dreamers has garnered an impressive array of reviews, endorsements, and awards. Though each book continues the overall story, each volume is written as a stand-alone read as well, and Lewis thinks volume four, “Oh, Say Can You See?” which weaves her characters through the events surrounding the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner, may be the most timely of all the volumes.

This week author L.C. Lewis is prepping for the national launch of “Oh, Say Can You See?”

From the backliner of the book:

Although the British raids have left Washington a devastated, blackened city, the battered Constitution has held and the presidency has survived!

But the struggling government has no home. The British saw to that. Gone is the Capitol and her magnificent library, the chambers of the Supreme Court, the President’s House, and every relic and document not secreted out of the city.

Next on the list of British prizes—the rebellious port city of Baltimore! A victory here would assure the Americans’ defeat, but a loss would dilute the importance of the destruction of Washington.

But has the raid on Washington stiffened the backs of the Americans? This is the question gnawing at the leaders on both sides.

The Willows women are mourning their absent men—gone to war, or wounded, or captured—as they await the birth of a blessed child.

Mere miles away, attorney Francis Scott Key embarks on a diplomatic mission that will leave an everlasting mark on America. Proving that a pen can be more powerful than a sword, Key records his fears and hopes—the fears and hopes of his embattled people—as he watches the bombardment of Baltimore while detained in the midst of the British fleet.

What changed in this noble man’s pacifist heart, empowering him to pen the powerful anthem, known today as “The Star Spangled Banner,” an epic poem that rallied a shattered nation to rise from its knees to claim the dream of “one nation under God?”

Experience the personal sacrifice of five families placed in the firestorm of the War of 1812, citizen heirs of the sacrifice of the Founding Fathers.

View the trailer at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQYHvfQeZvE&feature=player_embedded
---

Kaylee- That all sounds exciting! You’ve mentioned that “Oh, Say Can You See?” may be the most timely of all your books. What do you mean by that?

Lewis- I could lump volume three, “Dawn’s Early Light” in there as well because it surrounds the British attack on Washington. In my opinion, the devastation there really culminated in the writing of the Key’s epic poem, “Defence of Fort McHenry,” which we know now as the “Star-Spangled Banner.” But what I meant is this, America is enjoying a renewed reverence for the Founding Fathers and their brilliance in designing the government they did. Sadly, many of us know less about the Constitution now than we did in sixth-grade, but that is changing today. There is a sense of patriotism sweeping across the land that resembles that passion and urgency felt in 1814. Remember the American political landscape was changed after the British attacked us. The iconic buildings Americans were beginning to identify with their nation and government had been destroyed. It was then that the flag rose from being a mere fort marker, to an emblem of this nation. Key recognized that as he peered across the Baltimore harbor, praying to see one of the last surviving symbols of America—that star-spangled flag flying above Fort McHenry. I think most Americans can identify with those feelings.

Kaylee- I’ve read that your research has been extensive. Why did you choose to write the events of this period as historical fiction rather than just as straight history?

Lewis- There are some spectacular historical accounts of this period, many of which I reference, but as I read reviews of those authors’ brilliant work, I recognized that there was an entire audience of people who didn’t enjoy that format, but who learn history best when it is personalized and wrapped around a compelling storyline. So I researched this period and created characters readers can invest in, and had them experience these events. By doing this, I can place them anywhere and in the midst of any event I choose.

Kaylee- What was the hardest part of writing “Oh, Say Can You See?”

Lewis- Since this volume thrusts our characters into the pivotal Battle of Baltimore and the events surrounding the writing of the "Star Spangled Banner," I really wanted readers to feel the emotions experienced by the families as well as the soldiers and sailors during that "perilous night" with "bombs bursting in air.”

Kaylee- The cover is beautiful! Did you have a hand in designing it?

Lewis- I had input. I knew I wanted an image of the bombardment of Fort McHenry with the focus on that splendid flag. Amy Orton, the cover designer at Walnut Springs Publishing presented a concept and we tweaked it together. I hope it will make readers hungry to tear into the book.

Kaylee- You’ve already received some beautiful endorsements. We’re posting a few listed on the book’s back cover:

"This book touched me deeply, causing me to reflect on the countless lives that have sacrificed freedom and happiness so that I could pursue my own. Lewis has written a compelling, almost epic, novel, full of themes that span from 1812 to 2010—and beyond. As her characters wrestle with the dislocation and trauma of a war, they come to realize what it means to be Americans, what it means to be free—and ultimately, what it means to be human." Braden Bell, author of "The Road Show."

“Master storyteller L C Lewis weaves her tales using well researched American history facts as the warp and masterful plotting and characterizations as the woof. (The word might be weft. I'll try to check if the wireless persists.) Oh Say Can You See carries all the threads of the previous three books in her Free Men and Dreamers series and presents a rich tapestry of life, love, conflict and triumph during the War of 1812.”. Liz Adair, award-winning author of “Counting the Cost.”

Once started, I had to read the whole thing through, and many parts brought tears to my eyes. (Ernest Runge, a Viet Nam veteran and history enthusiast)

Lewis- I love reading the early reviews. I sent unedited copies to some colleagues and readers and I was deeply, deeply touched by the warm reception the book has had so far. I especially love hearing that whole families are reading the series and writing to tell me how much they’ve learned about America. I can’t wait to hear their reaction to “Oh, Say Can You See?”

Kaylee- Tell us a little about your research for this volume.

Lewis- Aside from tons of reading, and visits to Frederick and other sites, my research for this book took me to Fort McHenry where I spent time with the expert on the Battle of Baltimore--Scott Sheads--who not only heads the staff at the fort, but who has served as the curator of the "Star Spangled Banner" exhibit at the Smithsonian. Like most historians with whom I've had the pleasure of chatting, Sheads is generous with his research and observations, offering me tidbits of little-known information about the perilous battle upon which the hopes of a battered nation hinged, and about the principle characters like Francis Scott Key who observed it as a detainee in the harbor, including details about the days surrounding the writing of the poem that became our nation's anthem.

Kaylee- I hear one more volume is planned after this one. When will it be released, and tell us about the other volumes.

Lewis- Book five is set for a spring 2011 release and it will carry us forward, as we see how the events of this period shaped America and affected the next generation. We’re toying with two titles—“The Morning Breaks,” and “In God We Trust.” Right now, we’re all leaning towards “In God We Trust.”

The other three books in the series are:

Volume 1, DARK SKY at DAWN, introduces the complex story of our six lead families--three American, two British, one slave--and the devastating prelude to the war.

Volume 2, TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING, carries readers into the harrowing events at Hampton, Virginia, and illustrates the toll the war takes on civilians--women and children. But through it all, a new tenacity begins to strengthen the young nation's spine as Americans rally to the cause of their nation.

Volume 3, DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT, throws our characters into the attack on Washington and the events that proved the mettle of the the Constitution and the Presidency.

Kaylee- Tell us a little about L.C. Lewis.

Lewis- Well, many readers will be surprised to hear that I’m a grandma and not a grandpa! Publishers tend to obscure female historical fiction authors behind a pen name because some readers just expect the authors of these books to be male. I write women’s fiction under my real name, Laurie Lewis. My most recent release was in April—a women’s novel titled, “Awakening Avery,” which is currently nominated for a Whitney Award. (http://whitneyawards.com/wordpress/about-the-whitney-awards/)

I’m a long time resident of Carroll County where my husband and I still reside. The past few years have been consumed by these books, but as soon as volume five is released I hope to pick up some of my old hobbies—genealogy, cross-stitch, the guitar and gardening. I’m dying to learn to play the piano and my brave daughter has offered to teach her uncoordinated mother the ropes.

Kaylee- Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with us today. Let’s just remind readers that OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE? is set for an October release but autographed copies can be pre-ordered at http://www.thisistheplace.com/store?start=Product&wid=15166.

L.C. Lewis is beginning pre-release promotional activities readers can participate in by visiting her web site and blog at www.laurielclewis.com, and www.laurielclewis.blogspot.com.

Original Thinking

2010-10-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

Agents and publishers want originality. I've been asked the question (several times): What makes your novel unique? Coming up with original plot lines and twists are key to writing something that people will enjoy. But this can be really, really hard. Sometimes we don't even know we're picking cliche reactions and story lines in our writing.

At a writing critique group I met with a few weeks ago, one of the other writers brought an exercise (from Joan Soward's post on the ANWA blog) for us to do on metaphors. There were two columns of words:
One: skinny girl, autumn leaves, computer screen, black and white movie, and old shoes.
Two: water slide, bed skirt ruffles, wedding buffet, clothesline, and bubble bath.

Then we took just a couple of minutes to make as many metaphorical sentences that we could using one word from each column.

I will share my sentences with you (knowing that they are not metaphors, they are similes, but that is not my point!), but I was working under a time frame and just wrote the first thing that came to my mind:

1) The autumn leaves fell from the bag over her shoulder like water down a slide.
2) The skinny girls arms stretched like a clothesline as she prepared to do a cartwheel.

Well, imagine my surprise that as we went around and read our sentences aloud, all of us had chosen to pair the skinny girl with the clothesline, and two of us had paired the autumn leaves with the water slide. Why had we all chosen the same images?

Because we had all picked the first things that came to our mind. We picked the easy-to-pair images. And as a result--we didn't have bad sentences, but none were truly unique.

I think the key here is to not go with the first thing that comes into our minds when writing. We need to brainstorm several different paths our stories can take, give ourselves several options to pick from. Try to dig deeper. Try pairing the skinny girl with the wedding buffet instead (go for a little irony maybe) or the autumn leaves with the the bed skirt ruffles (as one of the women at the critique group did and she gave us a vivid image of what those leaves sounded like). Get a little crazy!

A side note: The book: Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell has an awesome list of brainstorming questions to help us come up with something original. I love this book!

Meg's Melody Back Cover Blurb

2010-09-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

She paced the small confines of her bathroom as she waited the obligatory two minutes for the result. Yet, part of her sensed the truth. Not only did Austin take her self-esteem and plans for happiness, but he also took her get-out-of-this-marriage-free card.

The plus sign glared at Meg from the white plastic frame of the pregnancy test. The test fell from her hands and clattered into the bathtub as Meg’s back slid against the wall until she reached the floor.

“I’m pregnant,” she said into the quiet.

Meg never imagined she'd end up like this. With nowhere else to turn, she's forced to rely on the family she pushed away, the church she abandoned, and an unexpected friendship to help her find her forgotten melody. Meanwhile Matt is still mourning the loss of his wife. But determined to keep things together for his daughter's sake, he decides starting over in a new place might be just what his family needs.

This touching story combines romance with redemption and real conflict to remind you it's never too late to find joy. Kaylee Baldwin's capable hand renders a sincere, heartfelt story of rediscovery and hope. Perfect for romantics of all ages, this book will captivate your heart and rekindle your belief in the magic of music.

Available for pre-order through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com.

Meg's Melody Cover

2010-09-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here is what the cover of my book is going to be:

I am so excited! Seeing the cover makes it actually feel real. I just finished going through my last edit, and it will go through a few more people over at Cedar Fort, then make its way to the printers, and will then be out the first week of December. I'll keep you updated when I for sure when it's coming out.

Win a copy of Chocolate Roses!

2010-08-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Love
chocolate? Love Jane Eyre?

Then you're going to love the blog tour (July
26-August 6)
for Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards.

Janie Rose Whitaker¹s world revolved around her chocolate shop until
Roger Wentworth and his young daughter moved into the apartment across from
Janie¹s. Anyone would think Roger fit the mold of the ³perfect² guy, but
soon Janie discovers secrets that could keep them apart forever. Though she
resists getting involved in Roger¹s complicated life, they are drawn
further into a bittersweet relationship.

You will laugh, cry, and crave chocolate as you read this LDS parody of the
classic novel Jane Eyre.

My Review:
I really enjoyed Chocolate Roses. It is a parody of Jane Eyre—one of my all time favorite books. She follows the storyline of Jane Eyre closely, with quotes from the book at the beginning of each chapter. I read it in one sitting (and had to go get some chocolates from the pantry at one point!) It is a well-written, fun, lighthearted story with a heroine that is not your typical skinny, beautiful-but-doesn’t-know-it character. The love triangle addresses some sensitive issues, but it is handled in a tasteful, believable way. This is definitely one I will read again—perhaps on a stormy evening, wrapped up in my quilt, with a box of delicious chocolate close at hand!

We have two great prizes up for grabs!
Win either a copy of the
book (2 winners) or this fabulous apron created by Joan!

All you
have to do is leave a comment (along with your email address if it isn't on
your blog profile) and answer the following question.

What's your favorite type of
chocolate: white, dark, or milk?

The more blogs you comment on the
more entries you'll receive.
All comments must be left by midnight MST on August 8 to be
eligible.

July 26
Nichole Giles--Random-ish by
Nichole
Joyce DiPastena--JDP News

July 27
Deanne Blackhurst--Annie Speaks
Her Mind
Tristi Pinkston--*Tristi
Pinkston

July 28
Taffy Lovell--Taffy's Candy
Alison Palmer--Tangled Words
and Dreams

July 29
Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen--The
Write Blocks
C.S. Bezas--For the Love of the
Written Word

July 30
Sheila Stayley--Why Not?
Because I Said So!
LDSWomen's Book Review

August 2
Kerry Blair--Now &
Here
Marsha Ward--Writer in the
Pines

August 3
Kaylee Baldwin--Kaylee
Baldwin
Amy Orton--Amesbury Reads

August 4
Anna del C.--Anna del C. Dye's Blog
Laurie Lewis--A View from
the Other Side

August 5
Valerie Ipson--Of Writerly
Things
Anna Arnett--Insights and Ramblings
from Anna Arnett

August 6
Lynn Parsons
Danyelle Ferguson--Queen of the Clan

Chocolate Roses can be purchased
from Amazon, and of
course your local LDS bookstore.

Escape

2010-07-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

When my grandmother was a little girl, her life seemed perfect on the outside. The caring mother and doctor father, living in an elite neighborhood. They were wealthy. They were well-known. But things were not as perfect behind closed doors. Discord, hurt, frustration, and confusion reigned more than love.

So my grandmother needed to escape.

As a young child, her only mode of escape was to read. She devoured The Wizard of Oz, imagining for a moment that she was Dorothy going to other lands, making new friends. She lost herself in any book she could get her hands on, knowing that for the time she held that book in her hands, she was in a different world than her own.

This is the power of books. This is the power of reading.

The circumstances of my life are not so dramatic, but sometimes I feel the need to escape for a few hours. To fall into the world Green Gables, Jane Austen's England, Forks, 1960s south, and any number of places. To make friends with Anne, Elizabeth, Mary Lennox, Bella, Skeeter, or Katniss. To watch them deal with their own problems and forget mine for a time.

Because the thing about those problems is that they are usually still waiting for you once you put the book down. But at least you had a break.

My grandmother is my hero. I love her so much. It is from her that I get my insatable love of reading. It is from her that my mom learned to love me so wholly and unconditionally. It is from her that I learn more of God and His love for us. And I am grateful everyday that my grandmother could get an break from her young life by reading. I am gratefult that my grandmother had Oz.

Getting published

2010-06-30T10:54:00.001-07:00

My husband, Jeremy, went back to school almost three years ago to get his Master's degree. That meant that after the kids went down to bed at night (only two at this time) I would watch a lot of TV. I got sick of that really quick, so I grabbed the laptop and began writing. I have always loved writing and have written a lot of short stories, but this is my first completed novel... and it began as a short story that went a little wild when I kept thinking: "then, what if this happened?"

I finished the complete novel about a year ago and sent it to a bunch of people in my writers group to read and critique. They gave me great advice... some that I listened to and some that I didn't. I submitted my book to three publishers and by December of '09 I'd been rejected by all three. Bummer.

Luckily, one of the publishers sent me a personalized rejection letter telling me why they didn't accept my book(needed more conflict and stronger themes). This was awesome, because usually publishers only send out form rejection letters.

Feeling more humble now, I pulled out all of those old critiques and really examined what some of them had said I needed to do, and actually did it this time as an experiment to see how the story flowed. I then went through and rewrote the entire story, strengthening the theme and adding a little more conflict. I then had a couple more people read through it, who gave me the green light. It was better this time. They loved it. Send it in.

So, holding my breath, I sent it in to Cedar Fort (the one who had given me the personalized rejection letter). Within I a month I had heard back from them. I had a contract. I got it the day that I got home from girl's camp. I've been dying to talk about it, but we were still in contract negotiations up until yesterday. But now, it is all settled, and I can finally talk about it!!!

They say that it takes anywhere from 8 months to a year before we see my book on the shelves. I should find out within the next week an approximate date (that is just that... approximate, not set in stone by any means). There is a pretty extensive process that a book goes through after it has been accepted for publication, including editing, revisions (if needed), typesetting, marketing, making a cover, title, back cover blurb, sending to the printers, getting out to stores, etc. I'll for sure keep everyone updated. :)

Details about the actual book....I am not sure what the title is going to be. Something I didn't know is that the publishers have the final say on what a book is called. They want to name it something that will appeal to readers. I hate my current title (it took me forever to think of it, and something about it just bugs me) so I hope that they change it.

It is a contemporary (meaning set in current times) christian-lds romance. Cedar Fort is publishing it. Let me get back to you on what it is about!! I will say that it is about a woman who's husband leaves her for another woman. I'll write more about that later!

As I have mentioned before, this has always been my dream, and I am so excited!!!! Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and congrats. I feel so loved and supported. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll try to answer them, but I am new at this, too, so I am just learning as I'm going!

The Sugar

2010-06-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

When I think of a pyramid, what usually comes to my mind is the food pyramid. (I know that the nutritionists have come out with something new, but I grew up in the age of the pyramid.) You've got wheat (the staff of life) on the bottom, followed by fruits/veggies, followed by meats and dairies, followed lastly by one of my favorite things in the entire world: sugar.

We have to have our fill of all the other things on the pyramid before we even think about taking in that sugar, and when we do eat it, it has to be sparingly. In fact, there is no recommended dosage, because, basically it is not recommended that you eat it, but it makes everything taste oh, so good. :)

Recently I learned of a pyramid that a psychologist, Maslow, made in 1943. Maslow studied "exemplary people" like Lincoln and Einstein to name a few, and formulated what he called a "Hierarchy of Needs."

At the bottom are things that we need for absolute survival (air, food, water, etc.)
Then as you go up the pyramid, the next level is security (personal, financial, emotional)
The next level is love, family, friendship.
Next is esteem, confidence, respect of and for others.
And last, at the very tip of the pyramid is creativity, spontaneity, and other forms of self-actualization.

Similar to the food pyramid, the things at the base are absolutely important, and you have to have the basic building blocks of those needs in order to move upward.

This is why, when I feel like I am barely surviving (whether it be emotionally because my children are driving me crazy, or are having health issues, or physically, because I feel so sick myself, or I am at odds with someone I care for, etc) It is really hard for me to sit down and write. My mind does not want to think about what my characters are going to do to survive their problems, but what I am going to do to survive my own problems!

Writing can be a great escape, but I have noticed that I really do have to be in a particular place of health and security for me to allow myself to sit down and write. Some things can be taken care of quickly, others require patience, and yet others require help from someone.

Maslow's Hierarchy is only a theory, but I like that it reminds us that we do need to take care of our basic needs for survival. Everything on this pyramid is a NEED, not a WANT-- including creativity. But when I see Creativity's small little triangle at the very tip of the pyramid, I can't help but think of the sugar on the food pyramid. And I'm reminded that, like sugar, creativity makes everything in life just a little bit better.

Criticism

2010-05-23T19:52:00.001-07:00

The first time someone critiqued something I had written, I cried.

It was a sophomore level creative writing class at my university, and I brought a story that I was nervous to share because it was fictionalized version of something that had really happened to me. We got into critique groups of four people, and I began to read my story to the group, my nerves bubbling into my shaky voice and even shakier hands.

When I finished, they proceeded to tear my story apart. "Not believable," the girl to my right said. "What was the point, again? It seemed like there needed to be more," the grungy guy across from me commented. The last girl left pointed out most of my glaring grammatical errors that a 5th grader at any elementary school could have caught.

I sat there, feeling like they had all taken bats to me and beat me senseless, and then began to defend my story. Of course Grunge Guy didn't like it-- he wrote action/murder stories and this was a romance. Not believable?! It happened to me (I wished later that I hadn't divulged that personal tidbit of information, because then they just felt sorry for me). I had no argument for my grammar, except that Word hadn't underlined the problem areas in green squiggly lines. Pride held my tears in check until I got home a few hours later and finally let it all out. They hated me. They hated my writing. I was the worst writer ever. Why try?

I eventually managed to crawl out of the self-pity mire (with the help of a half-gallon of chocolate ice cream and some really cool roommates) and began my rewrite.

Today I was reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and he said something that made me recall this experience. He was on a football team when he was young and the coach was really hard on the team, him in particular. After one practice, the coach was especially critical of Pausch and how he was playing:
"'Coach Graham rode you pretty hard, didn't he?" the assistant coach said."
" I could barely muster a 'yeah.' "
" 'That's a good thing," the assistant told me. "When you're screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they've given up on you.'"

I love that no one has given up on me.

Since my first experience with being critiqued, I've learned a few lessons.
1. Don't take things personal. They are critiquing that particular piece of writing, not me as a person.
2. Don't defend my work. Just listen. I may not agree, but that's okay.
3. Keep an open mind. Be willing to listen and change the story.
4. Have confidence in my work. Don't assume that just because it is being critiqued, it's horrible.
5. Remember that my critique partners are there to support and help, and they have my best interest in mind.

Now, I anticipate my critique sessions because they have made me a better writer. (Though, a nice, healthy scoop of chocolate ice cream can still help get me through those rewrites that inevitably follow a productive critique session.)

Daughter of Mine Book Review

2010-04-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

Daughter of Mine
By Laura Fabiani
4 stars
PG
Contemporary, mystery, romance

Tiziana Manoretti is shocked when her parents reveal that she was adopted from a small orphanage in Italy. Against her father’s wishes, she decides to travel to Gaeta, Italy to try and find her birth parents. She hopes that the trip will also give her time to sort out how she feels about her best friend, Christopher—whom she has fallen in love with, but worries is still not over his ex-wife. On her first night in Italy, she meets the handsome and charming Gian-Carlo. He befriends her immediately and offers to help her on her quest to find her birth parents. She soon finds, though, that there is someone who wants to keep her from finding out the truth—someone who will go to great lengths to keep a twenty-eight year old secret hidden.

Review:
I enjoyed this novel. Ms. Fabiani describes Gaeta in such vivid detail, that I felt as though I had visited it. Tiziana is someone I would want to be friends with, someone I rooted for as she searched for her birth parents. It is a story that explores choices and consequences, family relationships, and the hope of love, and it kept me wanting to read more.

Check out Laura's website: http://www.laurafabiani.com

Daughter of Mine is available for purchase on Amazon.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

2009-10-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

4 stars
PG-13 (adult themes, intense scenes)
Contemporary, historical

Connie Goodwin, a Harvard student up for Professorship, has to clean up her grandmothers house to sell before the IRS takes it away (her mother hasn't paid taxes on it in over 20 years). While there she discovers an old Bible and a key that gives her the name, Deliverance Dane. Connie, needing a primary source for her doctrinal studies, decides to chase down who Deliverance Dane was.

This story also jumps back in time to the 1600s and the time of the Salem Witch Trials and explores the theory of why there was a mass hysteria toward witchcraft in Salem that year (1692?) and asks the question: What if some of the women really were witches? Eventually the two story lines come together in a surprise that will shake Connie's world.

I have always been interested in the Salem Witch Trials, so this was a very fun, interesting read. The author is actually descendant of two women who were accused of being witches--one who got off and one who was hanged. I also enjoy Ms. Howe's writing style. Once she describes a corner as having a skein of webbing. I loved that and the book is filled with little visual gems.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2009-10-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
5 stars
PG
historical fiction

I can't really say enough good things about this book. It is written as a series of letters from a journalist to a community of people who live on Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands south of the UK. It takes place following WWII and talks about a literary society that was formed on Guernsey while they were under German Occupation during the war.

The characters were well written and likable. I had a hard time putting this book down. I highly recommend it.

The Lost Hours

2009-10-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

by Karen White
4 stars
PG (intensity, adult themes)
mystery, women's fiction

Piper Mills' parents died when she was six and her grandparents raised her. While recovering from an equestrian related accident that leaves her terrified of horses, her grandparents die. Piper remembers an old box she helped her grandfather bury when she was twelve, so she unearths it and finds her grandmother's girlhood scrapbook and returned letters with her grandmother begging for someone named Lilian's forgiveness. Also in this box, there is a key that leads to a secret room in her house. Realizing that she never knew her grandmother, Piper decides to contact Lilian.

Lilian refuses to see Piper, unwilling to dredge up old memories, so Piper visits their horse ranch under a false name. As she begins to research her grandmother's life and get to know the aristocratic 90-year-old Lilian and her grandchildren, Helen and Tucker, she discovers a dark secret that tore three women apart and changed the course of their lives forever.

I stayed up late in the night to finish this book. At the heart of it, is Piper learning how to live again by researching her grandma's life. It made me want to call up my grandma and learn her story before it is too late. It is a happy and hopeful book that I became completely immersed in. I highly recommend this novel.

The House on Tradd Street

2009-10-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

by Karen White
5 stars
PG (action, inuendos)
Romance, Mystery

Melanie Middleton hates old houses, so she is not happy when an old man she barely knows leaves his old Charleston family house to her in hiswill. The will stipulates that she must live in the house for a year before she can sell it. She decides to move in, drawn in in by the house almost against her will. Then she starts to see people who aren't there, including an evil presence that wants her gone.

Jack Trenholm, a handsome writer, contacts her, wanting to write about her house in one of his new books. She agrees to let him, even though his play-boy attitude can get on her nerves. As they begin renovating the house, the discover the mystery of a loving mother who disappeared without a trace. As Jack and Melanie try to figure out what happened to her, they realize that more than one person would like to keep them from finding out, and will stop at nothing to keep them from the truth.

I could not put this book down. I love all of Karen White's books and this one was no exception. It had the perfect blend of romance, mystery, and beautiful prose that really made me feel like I was walking through the house on Tradd Street. I will definitely read it again and recommend it to my friends.

Interrred With Their Bones

2009-10-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

by Jennifer Lee Carrell

4 stars
PG-13 intensity, murders
Mystery, Thriller

Kate Stanely is directing a production of Hamlet in London's famed Globe theatre when her estranged mentor, Rosalind Howard, visits her with a box and the cryptic direction to open it and follow where it leads. That night the Globe is set on fire and Rosalind is found dead, murdered by poision in the same manner as Hamlet's father. Kate then opens the box and discovers a mystery as old as Shakespeare that leads her to chase clues through London, Cambridge, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.

At her heels is a theatric killer, recreating several famous murders from Shakespeare's plays, who will stop at nothing to keep Kate from discovering the secret. With the help of Ben, someone sent to protect her, she explores who Shakespeare really was, clues he left in his plays, and if perhaps he wrote one more play that is hidden to the world.

I really liked this novel. Once the mystery began I had a hard time putting it down. It really gets into Shakespeare and his plays (two things that I love) and effectively intertwines a story that spans history and links to the present. At times it read like a history book and some of the lengthy descriptions of certain historical figures could pull me out of the action. Ms. Carrell gives an intelligent and plausable basis for her mystery and I would highly recommend reading this.

By Love of By Sea Review

2009-09-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

By Love or By Sea by Rachel Rager

4 stars
Rating: PG

Audience: YA, Adult, Women

Genre: Historical Romance

Review of By Love or By Sea

Alice Lind Frank is a happy young woman who is being courted by the most eligible man in town, Clarence Hielott. She enjoys working with her grandparents and anticipates the expected day that Clarence will propose marriage to her.

While walking through her seaside town one morning, Alice Frank sees a sun-bronzed, tattered sailor who resembles Caleb Newman, someone she once loved. She knows that it cannot be him, for his ship went down and he died at sea many years before.

When she finds out that the sailor is indeed the boy she had loved, she is torn between her commitment to Clarence and her yearning for Caleb. Yet, Caleb hurt her once and she is afraid to open her heart up to him again, especially when Clarence unearths a deadly secret from Caleb’s past.

I enjoyed reading By Love or By Sea. My favorite character in this novel was actually the grumpy Betsy Winters, a townswoman that Alice befriends. The plot moved quickly and it made for an easy read. It took a few chapters to get into, but once Alice realized who Caleb was, I didn’t want to put it down. Also, I wanted Alice to show as much spunk to the men chasing her as she did to the cantankerous, old Betsy!

This is a sweet, clean romance that I would recommend to anyone who loves kissing, drama, love triangles, and…pirates!

I had the opportunity to interview Rachel Rager.

Kaylee: Can you tell us a little about yourself, Rachel?
Rachel: I’m the mother of three beautiful young girls. My husband and I have been married for eight and half years. I love to sing and have a degree in vocal performance for opera. I published By Love or By Sea in April 2009 but have seven stories that are complete and five works in progress! I love to read any good, clean romance book, ride my bike, go on picnics with my family, write, sing and bake! (Not usually at the same time, of course!)

Why did you want to be a writer?
I didn’t. I had other ambitions. I wanted to be a mom or a business woman but I never thought I’d be an author. When I was young, I couldn’t spell well and didn’t like to read and I didn’t read well. So, it’s amazing that I ever desired to write a book and see it to fruition.Shortly after my first daughter was born, my mother-in-law gave me A Heavenly Surrender by Marcia Lynn McClure to read. I loved it and eagerly searched out more of Marcia’s books. At the time, she only had three in print, but I devoured them!Then one night I had a dream and when I woke up, I decided to try and write it down. Did I imagine anything might come of it? Of course not. I didn’t even know if I’d have the patience to sit and write all those words! Still, I eagerly wrote down an outline and then timidly told my husband. I will always remember the doubtful look on his face as he said, “Well…I guess if you really want to.” I told no one else! Instead I wrote. After a month of typing during my daughter’s naps and while my husband was in classes, I finished. And it was terrible! But I had done what I set out to do. So I edited and submitted it. (Only then did I tell my mother, who was floored by my revelation.)My first attempt was rejected, but I persisted. I kept rewriting, editing, and even began writing another book. I also broadened my horizons and read tons of books. With each rewrite or book I read, I learned more and more. Finally, after five years, I had written five stories. I submitted my third story and finally got a contract with Cedar Fort, Inc. Six years (almost to the month) after I started writing, I accomplished another goal and held a copy of my book in my hands.

What was your inspiration for Alice and Caleb's story?
By Love or By Sea is the third story I wrote. And Caleb is actually six-years-old in the first story he makes an appearance in, so I had a long time to get to know him. One day I was in the shower and I had an idea to write a story just about Caleb. I was working on something else, but I soon started his story. The journey he takes developed long after I started his story.

What are some of your favorite books?
Since I feel I owe my start to Marcia Lynn McClure, it’s obvious I love anything by her. I thoroughly enjoy books by Jaimey Grant and Joyce DiPastena, along with just about any clean romance novel. I don’t get into science fiction or fantasy much but I love Maria V. Snyder’s books who wrote Poison Study. But one of my all time favorites is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. That was the only book I read in high school or junior high and it remains one of my all time favorites.

Can we look forward to more books from you in the future?
I’m polishing up one with a working title of A Dress to the Heart. I’m also doing some rewrites on The Tiger, Unleashed, and A Cold Heart which is a historical romance based at Platte Bridge Station just outside of Casper, Wyoming. I’m also considering writing a book about Betsy Winter’s journey. I have heard so many things about her. Everyone just loves her! So, I’m thinking about that. I have probably a dozen stories in my head and no time to put them on paper. So I hope that you will see many more books from me in the future!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
If I had to say anything, I’d say if you have the dream, don’t give up! Learn all that you can and keep at it. Don’t let rejection get you down. And make sure you make it fun!

Thank you for this interview, Rachel. I loved the book and look forward to reading more from you!
Thanks, Kaylee! You’re a joy to visit with!

You can visit Rachel Rager at http://rachelrager.blogspot.com/ or at http://www.rachelrager.com/.

Win By Love or By Sea!

2009-09-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

I am a part of a blog tour for Rachel Rager's new book By Love or By Sea.

Starting September 28 there will be daily blog reviews and author interviews for Rachel Rager's By Love or By Sea. If you leave a comment on my review or become a follower on Rachel's blog http://rachelrager.blogspot.com/ you will be entered into a drawing to win an autographed copy of her book. You can comment on more than one review and become a follower of her blog and be entered into the drawing multiple times.

Here is the schedule:

September 28 - Jaimey Grant - http://romanceoldschool.blogspot.com/

September 29 - Kaylee Baldwin - http://kayleeseye.blogspot.com/

September 30 - Cindy Beck - http://www.bythebecks.blogspot.com/

October 1 - Kim Thompson - http://www.scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/

October 2 - Alison Palmer - http://www.alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/

October 3 - JoAnn Arnolds - http://www.authorjoann.blogspot.com/

October 5 - Rebecca Talley - http://www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/

October 6 - Anna Arnett - http://frespafan.blogspot.com/

October 7 - Heather Justensen - http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/

October 8 - Rachelle Christensen - http://www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

October 9 - Joyce DiPastena - http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/

Also doing a review - Liz Adair - http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/

Make sure you check out my review and interview with Rachel Rager on the 29th and make a comment to win her book!