Writer Wednesday: Steven Pressfield

Today's post is a good one for anyone trying to make big changes in their lives and feeling like you're continually hitting an invisible wall. Steven Pressfield's The War of Art is an eye opener and a helpful guide to overcoming the obstacles that get in our way.

Pressfield puts all of life's obstacles into one easy to identify category. He labels it all Resistance. Resistance takes many forms, but the result is progress toward your goals is hindered, halted even. There is only one way to fight Resistance; you have to sit down and put in the work to achieve your goals.

Resistance is that pesky voice telling me not to exercise today because I look tired or the weather is bad. It really doesn't care about me; it simply doesn't want to see me reach my goal of getting healthier.

Resistance also comes in the form of loved ones. Every time I sit down in front of the computer to write someone in my family will have a mini crisis or need to locate something only I seem to have to knowledge of where it could be. There are days when I swear they have all sat down together to create a schedule to make sure that every 15 minutes I am reminded that I have 4 children and a husband who have a bad case of the Mr. Magoos and legs that do not bend at the knee. (Really, you're standing at the fridge with the door open and asking me if we have mustard?)

Besides the form taken, there's not much difference between inner and outer Resistance. Both types don't want change (either consciously or subconsciously), both types do everything to resist it. This is understandable. Humans are mainly creatures of habit and we love residing well within our comfort zones. The thought of change, the idea of propelling myself into the unknown of the publishing world is scary for me, so why wouldn't it be for my loved ones?

Fear is the life line of Resistance. It depends on it; feeds on it. So, how do you stop Resistance? I've been trying to figure this out since my first book was published. Steven Pressfield pulls Resistance, in all its forms, out of the shadows and exposes all of its dirty tricks. He also said something that really resonated with me. Fear is always there, you're never going to find a way to completely remove it, especially when you are truly invested in an idea, project, or life changing venture. He said to stop wasting energy and time trying to stop fear and focus on the work. The person who can sit down and do the work despite the fear changes from an amateur to a professional. Resistance does not like professionals because it has less power over them.

I know that I want to be a professional writer. Yes, I want to be published again, but more so I want to give life to these stories I have piling up in my head; give voice to these characters who have for some unknown reason put their fictional futures in my hands. I am in many ways still an amateur with so much to learn about writing and publishing. After reading The War of Art I know I have the heart of a professional and I know that I can reach my future goals by doing one important thing today... I have to sit down and do the work.

I bought an electronic copy of this book and read it on my iPod. Print additions are also available. Visit Steven Pressfield's website for links and information about more of his work.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kristin : )

Writer Wednesday: Julie Anne Lindsey

I’m a believer

As a little girl, the only thing I wanted to be was a mom. By college, or at least freshman year, I wanted to be a counselor. By graduation, I knew I wanted to work specifically with young girls and women as a motivational speaker. I still carry that dream, but as it turned out, my first wish was granted in a hurry and I’m now a mother of three.

I left the workforce in 2003 to raise and teach my children, and like many mothers, my dreams were benched – temporarily. The truth is, my time was so spoken for that until a couple years ago I hadn’t read a book for fun in more than five years. Sure, I read, but I read ‘how to’ guides and parenting books, and plenty of homeschool materials, nothing that inspired or enchanted me.

Then, it happened. Late one night, I saw a movie about a forbidden love, about a girl and a vampire. Yes. I just heard the collective readership groan and plenty clicked away, but it’s true. I saw Twilight on the movie channel, while bleary eyed and nursing baby number three. The next day, I bought the book and devoured it. That was the day something inside me clicked.

I caught the writing bug. A long lost love of mine, buried under diapers and cheerios and sleepless nights was resurrected. I began to make notes of the stories I’d rolled around in my head for years. (As an only child, I’ve been telling myself stories for three decades, so I have plenty to work with). For the past two years, I’ve been reading and writing and blogging and tweeting. I’ve met fabulous writers, agents, editors and some of my closest friends. It’s true. I’ve unleashed a ‘me’ that was pent up too long.

Though writing has added another task to my already chaotic schedule, it has freed me of things I found simply weren’t that important. It’s given me a place where I am a writer not a mother. I am me. I believe that seeing my passion for writing is giving my children a real and tangible example of the importance in following your dream, against whatever odds. I also believe if we have a desire in our hearts, we must embrace it, chase it, live it. Life is too short to wonder. One day, when one of my manuscripts makes it onto shelves, my children will see that all things are possible for those who believe, and I am a believer.

Bio:
Julie Anne Lindsey was born and raised in rural Ohio, where she lives today with her husband and three small children. She received a BA in psychology from Kent State University, and credits her obsessive interest in people for bringing her into writing. She is a hopeless caffeine addict, and her work is now in the hands of a super-fabulous agent. Julie blogs her journey at: http://blog.juliealindsey.com .

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Thanks for this inspirational story Julie. I hope that you'll come back and share your first book with us once it hits the shelves. Also, thank you to all who took the time to stop by for another great Writer Wednesday.

Happy Writing and Reading,

Kristin : )

Memoir Monday: A Gift From Brittany

A Gift From Brittany by Marjorie Price is a great memoir about an artist, mother, wife, and friend. Although these titles do conflict at times in her life. Her husband, an artist from Paris sweeps Marjorie off her feet and off to the remote countryside village in Brittany, France.

The move from Paris to their run down 1/2 of hamlet (basically a small village in itself) was a hard transition for Marjorie. There was a lot of restoring to do before they would have any of the comforts they were used. Slowly it became clear that her husband demanded the artist spotlight. He expected Marjorie to raise their young daughter and nurture his art career and turn her back on her own lifelong dream of being an artist.

While her relationship weakened between her and her husband another relationship was growing. Marjorie's friendship with a elder neighbor, who seemed to exist completely in the distant past, taught her how to fight for her own future.

I found two main messages in this memoir. 1) You have to follow your heart when it comes to living out your dreams, and 2) Life is a delicate balance between what you want to have and what you must let go of.

Ms. Price works with watercolors mostly, but also showcases some beautiful acrylics. Her artwork is currently on display from April 3 through April 24, 2010, at the

Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center40 South Carroll Street, Frederick, Maryland.

If you would like more information or to take a look at some of her pieces you can stop by her website http://www.marjorieprice.com/ .

Thanks for coming by today's Memoir Monday featuring artist and author Marjorie Price.

Kristin : )

* This memoir was sent to me by a publicist. No money or promise of a positive review was exchanged. All opinions are my own.

Where are Bella and Casey Going Next? To the BEA in NYC!

The 2009 Book Expo America is in New York City. It will run May 28th through May 31st in the Jacob Javits Center. This is my first BEA and I am getting excited. I will be attending as a blogger and an author. As a blogger I was asked if I wanted to list myself in the BEA press category. I said sure, why not? That was back in February. Lately I have been getting so many emails from different publishers and publicists that it's been hard to keep up with all that is going on. Many of the emails have been to invite me to after hours cocktails with authors and other writing professionals. Others have been invitations to visit the different booths and events during the weekend. I have been setting up a schedule and choosing the booths and events that are of interest to me. This is how I came across a new children's book author, thanks to Dori at MTL Communications. She is not only the author of a new, adorable children's book series, but also a very generous person.

There are many, many children's books out today. What makes the Casey and Bella series stand out are four important things; the book is personal, it includes children with a motivational contest, it contributes to education by offering a fundraiser, and it gives back to the community by donating to charities.

What makes the book personal? The characters are based on the author's two dogs. Casey is a Jack Russell Terrier and Bella a Tea Cup Yorkie. These two lovable pups find adventure, friends, and learn life lessons every where they go. The question is, where do Casey and Bella go next?

Jane Lovascio visits many schools, reading her books and asking children where they think Casey and Bella should go next. She received so many creative answers that she decided to start a contest. It is open to all 3rd and 4th graders. This year's winner has been announced, but the next contest is scheduled to begin in September and 4 finalists will be chosen in April of 2010. One winner out of the 4 finalists will receive credit in book as the co-author, a $500.00 cash prize, a plaque, certificate, and the author will visit the student's school to personally award these exciting prizes. So, kids get your pencils out and start writing your 400 word idea and make sure it tells where Casey and Bella go, who they meet, and what life lessons they meet along the way. In the newest book Casey and Bella Go Green thanks to 4th grader author, Autumn.

Here's another way to bring Casey and Bella to your school. Have a fundraiser with them. Your school will receive books and t shirts of these lovable characters. Each one sold will help raise money for your school's activities and expenses. As a mom, I love this idea. I am bored of the catalogs filled with over priced wrapping paper and trinkets and honestly don't need any more baked goods. Schools get the books and t shirts for an incredible discount and there are many options to choose from.

Casey and Bella Go to New York City retails for $15.95 and Casey and Bella Go to Hollywood retails for $14.95. Both are only $8.00 for schools and the character t shirts are only $7.00. The suggested resale price is $13.00 for the books and $9.00 for the shirts. This is a great deal for parents and the schools. Most of the current fundraisers do not bring in as much of a profit as this, and all unsold books are returnable.

All of the above reasons show the author's generosity and willingness to share with children and schools, but then she goes even further. A portion of the proceeds are always donated to nonprofit charities that either benefit children or animals. Her latest book will donate to Autism Speaks, which is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders.

For any of you planning to attend Book Expo America in NYC next week, you can meet the author, Jane Lovascio. She will be at Booth #708 all weekend. On Friday May 29th, you can meet the real life characters, Casey and Bell. They will be doing paw signings at 11:00 AM.

For more information about Casey and Bella, Jane Lovascio, the contest, fundraiser and charities you can follow the link.

http://www.caseyandbella.com/

For more information about all of the events at Book Expo America go to their home page.

http://bookexpoamerica.com

Now for a personal note:

As an author and a mom I love finding other authors and books that not only entertain, but inspire us all to do a little more than is expected. I am inspired by Jane Lovascio's books, contest, fundraiser, and especially her support of nonprofit charities. In fact, I am going to look into donating a portion of my book sales to one myself. I am thinking Amber Alert or another missing children's network since my book includes some missing children among other issues. Although my story is fictional and has a happy ending, my heart breaks for those parents who are faced with the real life devastation of a missing child.

I hope that everyone is inspired to go out and find something they believe in and support it. Support doesn't always have to mean money it can be shown with giving your time and encouragement also.

Thanks so much for stopping by and keep in touch.

Kristin : )

Nice to meet you!

Do you think writing exercises are useful or a waste of time? I'll be honest, I used to think they were a waste. What good is streaming out endless thoughts going to do when I have a million concrete ideas to write about? The longer I write the more I disagree with the beginner writer in me. Writing exercises are a great way to get your thoughts and creativity flowing and you might just be surprised with what you come up with. You could give yourself a subject or just write down whatever comes to mind.

I decided to do a post on this today because of something that caught my attention on Twitter. A literary agent posted a link to her blog that simply invited writers to introduce themselves to her. The catch, you had to do it in the 3rd person and in 100 words. The following is my comment from her blog. I think it introduces what is important to me; family, writing, reading, and humor. What would your 100 word 3rd person introduction be?

She comes to the park everyday with her laptop or a half read book. Her children call out to her while running past, she looks up from her keyboard and smiles. Today she writes, feverishly her fingers fly over keys and I wonder what is going through her mind. It must be something good because her eyes are alive as the words stream out across the screen. I want to approach her, but just like every other day I can not bring myself to disturb the barrier of solitude she encases herself with. I often wonder what her response would be to the question burning in my every thought. Excuse me Miss, do you have any nuts?-as observed by a squirrel

I Got "The Call"

Hello. Hope everyone is doing well and you're still plugging away at your own goals in writing and life. If you are struggling and need a little inspiration I have just the story for you. As I posted shortly after my Virtual Book Tour, I was contacted by a producer. She asked me about my film rights and requested a copy of The Truth Lies in the Dark. Then last Friday she emailed me asking for my home phone number. Well, she called yesterday.

She wants to make my story into a movie!

This is great news and such an honor, but still in the early stages. She still has to pitch the idea to Lifetime and needs to compile a proposal package for the executives to consider. To help with this, I am digging up all of my reviews and my original synopsis to send to her. She has also directed me toward a larger publisher, who has published some of the books she has already made into movies. I will let everyone know how that is going when I know more. It's all a little overwhelming to think of it all at once.

I think the best part of this all, and the part I am so excited to share with everyone, is how this incredible opportunity could happen to anyone. I'm not going to say that writing, editing, publishing, marketing, and promoting are easy, or that everyone will get a film deal. I am still in shock and amazement that my book was even considered. I am saying it's possible; stay positive, try everything, and always, always believe in yourself and your work.


Your writing is the most important thing. If you are happy and can honestly stand behind it you are already doing better than someone who writes to please someone else, like an agent or an editor. Not to say you can't take criticism and make changes, just as long as you believe in the changes you have made. This belief is your backbone that will keep you steady when reviews and opinions start coming, and they are all not going to be as supportive and great as those from family and friends. Some are going to feel like personal attacks on you, like when someone wrote that my main character Amanda was too needy and annoying. At first it bothered me, then I realized that characters, for me anyway, should come alive in a story. For someone to become annoyed with Amanda, they are seeing her as a real life person also. So, that's not such a bad thing. It would be worse to have them say the book and characters did nothing for me at all. I am getting off point now, but you get the idea. Believe in yourself and your writing.

The next important thing is getting your work out there; the more you do the more opportunities you create to be seen. I recommend doing live book tours/signings if you feel comfortable with them and definitely do a Virtual Book Tour. If you're not sure how look in my past posts. I detailed how I did mine, and do I need to remind you of the outcome? :) My sales did not explode, but yours could. You never know who might notice your book. The fact that the producer found my book at all was a fluke.

I did interviews, was a guest, or was reviewed by 18 different book related blogs. Some had many followers and others just a few, but the one the producer noticed my book was all but missed by everyone. The host of the blog had an emergency and did not post my book on the day we had planned. Once she realized, she posted it late, and the producer just happened upon it. If that's not dumb luck or some kind of fate I don't know what it is. But nothing happens out of thin air, luck or fate can't find you if you're not out there. So do whatever you can (within limits of law and self respect of course) to get your writing out there, you never know when or where your big break could come from.

I am excited (and a little nervous) to have this opportunity, but I have to remind myself that whether or not my book actually becomes a movie I am thankful and honored that it is being considered. I hope that sharing this inspires you to keep writing and go after your goals and dreams. Life is too short to think you can't do something. What's the worse they can say?

As always, you're welcome to share your successes or frustrations about writing or life. We all have them. I think the only reason I haven't really freaked out over the movie news is the continued real life drama I live every day. My 11 year old crashed his bike and might have a hairline fracture on his wrist, but is now quickly learning that ouch means his teacher lets him get out of everything he doesn't want to do. Then he miraculously finds the strength to come home and play video games with both hands and try to play dodge ball with his sister. Next, my oldest came home telling us how he had to wrestle a cow to give it medicine (yeah I think that's funny too; he's no farmer). He also came home with a tick burrowed into his back. So we spent the night in surgery, well in the bathroom... three of us, hovering over my son with needles, tweezers, peroxide, etc. I swear, we could go a year without talking to the doctor and then in less than one week they know me by voice on the phone.

I would love to hear from you. Take care and keep in touch.

Kristin : )