The members of CFRW have completed the first week of our 250 Words A Day Challenge, and the results people are posting are impressive. I had a marvelous weekend with time to read, crochet, clean and cook, as well as write. I'm trying to overlook the fact that all that output was fueled by diet soda--backsliding is not something I easily admit.
The thing I like best about challenges is how they, well, challenge me to keep on track. Once you start doing something regularly, like writing, the more loathe you are to break the streak, the more you persist. How else do you get from the beginning to the end?
Happy writing!
Showing posts with label Central Florida Romance Writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Central Florida Romance Writers. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Poetry Day
It was Poetry Day at the June meeting of Central Florida Romance Writers on Saturday. Our speakers were two poets who courted through poetry. Their story was fun and inspiring. Interspersed with readings were several short (5 minutes) writing exercises. Out of three attempts I managed to write one thing I was happy with and thought I'd share. We were talking about food imagry here...
strawberry lips
almond eyes
cherry cheeks
skin smooth as vanilla creme
voice like melted chocolate
what man could resist such a woman?
what woman could resist such a gourmand?
I love stepping outside my comfort zone and being prodded to stretch my creativity. Sometimes it takes a cattle prod...but that's another topic for another day.
Speaking of cattle (I wasn't, really, but play along with me here), rewrites of The Cowboy Way are going swimmingly. Ideas tend to ping-pong around in my head when the writing is going well, so ideas for other projects are bubbling up, too. There's nothing I can do but just go with it. Where fiction is concerned, a flood is always better than a drought.
strawberry lips
almond eyes
cherry cheeks
skin smooth as vanilla creme
voice like melted chocolate
what man could resist such a woman?
what woman could resist such a gourmand?
I love stepping outside my comfort zone and being prodded to stretch my creativity. Sometimes it takes a cattle prod...but that's another topic for another day.
Speaking of cattle (I wasn't, really, but play along with me here), rewrites of The Cowboy Way are going swimmingly. Ideas tend to ping-pong around in my head when the writing is going well, so ideas for other projects are bubbling up, too. There's nothing I can do but just go with it. Where fiction is concerned, a flood is always better than a drought.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Stolen Moments...With a Book
On Saturday, with the announcement that I finalled in Central Florida Romance Writers Touch of Magic contest I've put myself on a rigorous schedule of editing and reworking the manuscript (The Cowboy Way) just in case it's requested by the final round judge.
That same day I stopped by my local library branch to pick up a hold they'd called me about. I thought it was the new Peter Walsh book--he's the world's best (and most down to earth) organizer and has great advice about getting control of clutter.
Not that I have clutter in my house...at least none I'll admit to.
But, ahem, anyway, much to my surprise, the library had THREE books for me. The Peter Walsh, which can wait (much like the clutter I don't have), but also Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks and Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris, which cannot. Can Not. No way.
That's where the stolen moments come in. I started with the Brooks. Have you read her books? Oh, my gosh. What a delicious writer. Read Year of Wonders first. You'll be forever changed.
From the first word, Caleb's Crossing is amazing. The voice is incredible. The descriptions are lyrical. I'm allowing myself only 25 pages a day so that I can keep up with my own writing and still be finished in time to take it back to the library. At some point I know I'll break, and keep on reading, probably well into the night.
Uh oh, I think I just heard the ominous sound of a tiny cracking in my resolve.
Think about cowboys, Karen. Think about cowboys.
I'll let you know how it all works out.
That same day I stopped by my local library branch to pick up a hold they'd called me about. I thought it was the new Peter Walsh book--he's the world's best (and most down to earth) organizer and has great advice about getting control of clutter.
Not that I have clutter in my house...at least none I'll admit to.
But, ahem, anyway, much to my surprise, the library had THREE books for me. The Peter Walsh, which can wait (much like the clutter I don't have), but also Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks and Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris, which cannot. Can Not. No way.
That's where the stolen moments come in. I started with the Brooks. Have you read her books? Oh, my gosh. What a delicious writer. Read Year of Wonders first. You'll be forever changed.
From the first word, Caleb's Crossing is amazing. The voice is incredible. The descriptions are lyrical. I'm allowing myself only 25 pages a day so that I can keep up with my own writing and still be finished in time to take it back to the library. At some point I know I'll break, and keep on reading, probably well into the night.
Uh oh, I think I just heard the ominous sound of a tiny cracking in my resolve.
Think about cowboys, Karen. Think about cowboys.
I'll let you know how it all works out.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I Can Hold My Breath for 2:02:04
Did you see the Derby? Aren't those horses some of the most beautiful creatures on earth? As a Kentucky girl (have I mentioned that before? Oh. Only about a million times? Sorry. It's in the blood) I have vivid memories of driving past horse paddocks, watching the colts gambol around with such charming abandon. I always hold my breath during horse races--mostly from awe, but also in fear that one of the horses will break down or be otherwise injured. When the race is over I cry. Every time. I never cry at NASCAR races or hockey matches. Or T-ball. Or squash. I'm weird like that.
Have another breath-holding experience to report. Touch of Magic contest (Central Florida Romance Writers) finalists were announced at the meeting today and I finalled with my cowboy contemporary, The Cowboy Way. Thrills, chills and excitement! Happy dancing and lots of hugging. Manuscripts go to the final round judges next week. Should hear results mid to late June. If your fingers are not otherwise engaged, please cross them for me.
Have another breath-holding experience to report. Touch of Magic contest (Central Florida Romance Writers) finalists were announced at the meeting today and I finalled with my cowboy contemporary, The Cowboy Way. Thrills, chills and excitement! Happy dancing and lots of hugging. Manuscripts go to the final round judges next week. Should hear results mid to late June. If your fingers are not otherwise engaged, please cross them for me.
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