Little Girl Lost

I'm going through a few transitions in my life. With my writing, my poetry and yes family. Needless to say you may see the results of these transitions in this blog coming soon. I feel the need to stretch my wings.
It is time to spruce the place up a bit.
With that said.... be on the lookout for a new header....a cleaner layout and some general cleanup of the links around here. I've grown weary of the little girl approach and want I am ready for some new digs.

I'm signed up for computer classes on web design. Those start Saturday. As of now I am working on Photoshop and will be learning Dreamweaver as well. Eventually I will be able to plan my own site with flash intro's and the whole works.

I wonder how much progress I will have made in three months?
We shall see.
Just in the seven lessons I have had in the graphics program I am learning by leaps and bounds. I would post an example but the images are in the wrong format for blogger.

ta ta

Yikes, the page is Blank

Yikes. A blank page. What does it want from me?
Have you ever looked at a blank page and been completely filled with terror? I have. I'm working on a project. I cannot seem to motivate myself. That blank page keeps taunting me.
I know I'm not the only one. I see posts about writers struggling to get those first words out all the time. I stumbled across this ditty today about getting started writing.

If you are a serious writer you have probably faced the empty page staring back at you. At least once a week I come across advice from another writer/blogger on how to conquer it.
Weeding through the fluff, I found some of the advice helpful.
For instance.. this article caught my attention. Scott has a decent sense of humor and down to earth writing style. I like the guy.

The next time I am sweating bullets(and facing a deadline) I'll have to keep in mind a few strategies I came across in my reading.

Some suggest:

• do something else for a while as a distraction
• go running
• pull out what is in your old junk pile and give it a good look-see
• writing prompts
• a twenty minute cat nap to freshen the brain cells

Well. I will have to let you know how the empty page looks in the morning.

Blogging Writers Make me Laugh

I admit it. Sometimes when I should be writing I am perusing writer blogs. I love to read what other bloggers have to say on the subject of writing. I find some real jewels out there. Though PaperbackWriter is down south right now she has Tom filling in for her. The post for Monday had me laughing so hard I nearly... well...you know. If you have ever struggled with your protagonist or read a book with a predictable protag you should zip right over to her site and read away. It is a guaranteed laugh.

Apparently television makes for good blogging material as well. I can't count the number of blogs that mentioned *gulp* American Idol (a show I watched a few years ago for one season and cannot understand how this show is surviving season after season). Several blogs (see this post ) at Writer Unboxed. Beth Ann Allens Blog also discuss (at length) the Grey's Anatomy situation. Will Meridith survive?

Why do I mention these? As a writer I am interested in the characters, the way the story unfolds and so much more. Certain things just don't work. You cannot kill off a main character and get away with it. Oh, and.... when there is a serious crisis at a major hospital you don't drag all the doctors away from surgery, the ER etc.... for a dying/possibly dead intern!

uh-- duh.

Needless to say I have been quite amused in blog central this week. Get out there and check out what people have to say.

Giveaway of the Day

Hey,
I have a new item. Giveaway of the day. Yes, I am participating with them to spread the word about programs you can get for FREE. Check out the link to the right. Each day there will be a new program you can try completely free. No strings attached.

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In other news....
I have been writing a lot lately and neglecting my blog. I'm in the revision stage with my chapter book. Once I complete the grammar edits and slight revisions I will be working closely with an illustrator to get exactly what I want for the cover and the six or seven illustrations needed to complete the book. I also need a photograph for the back cover so I have a lot of work to do in the next couple of months. I had no idea there were so many decisions to make. Yikes.
It is a lot of fun and a ton of work to get the book from my mind to the shelves of a bookstore.

Ebook coming out soon as well. I will try to update this blog in the next few days with some organization tips for revising and editing. Look for those!

Ta ta for now.

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HUMBUG To BLOGGER BETA!!!!


Okay I have had it!!!
I'm switchin for real this time. Blogger and Blogger Beta cannot even leave comments for each other. If you want to leave me a comment and you get stuck go to my newly created wordpress blog and leave comments there.

Busy day today.... defrag needs done, hair is so shaggy a cut is long overdue, and my house needs a maid.... (not me) unfortunately I cannot afford a maid so I have to clean it!
Getting the Christmas decorations out of storage too. I'll post a picture as soon as I get the tree up.

I need Strength Today!

Man I wish I could crawl under something. I'm prepping for a colonoscopy today. YUCK!

I have to stay on a clear liquid diet all day. No real food, just green jello and chicken broth. I found this Tarot card test at Beth Ann Allen's Blog

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Nano Begins!

Well, I made a decision. I just cannot do Nanowrimo. Uggh! I've decided to do the Blog version instead. My health has been a serious factor.
I spentMonday night and Tuesdaymorning in the Emergency Room. It wasn't pleasant.
I have another kidney infection and that kicked in another bout of colitis. I must say that morphine by IV does help with colon pain. I was so out of it yesterday I don't remember much except the evening.

Wanting

Photo credit http://wynnwhitephoto.com/triangular_rocks_c.jpg

Last night I fought sleep. Why? I found myself wanting. I want my blog to be more. I want to be accepted into the community at large as an accredited writer. I've spent the last nineteen years writing my heart out on bits of paper. Poems, stories, chunks of life I've savored. All of these adding up to major wantings.
Well most writers do something. I've been submitting to small press and contests. The hard part is waiting to hear back. I want people to know I exist.

Favorite Writing Sites

Whether you write for yourself or to blog, or you are a part/fulltime freelance writer, there are a lot of helpful sites on the Internet. I've also found a lot of sites that just want to sell you a product. If someone has a great pitch and there is a price tag at the bottom, keep moving. Most anything you really need, you can find for free. Dictionary sites, poetry, freelance help and even writing markets can be found for free or next to nothing. Don't throw away a lot of money for this e-book or that get rich scheme. Ask your friends what sites they frequent. Most of them will be honest with you. Use Google. I do.

Some of my favorites:
Writer's Digest -- A great magazine and resource
Absolute Write --Jenna Glatzer's Site -- She knows everything. WAHM.
Content Done Better - Go there!
Write 101-- Useful tips etc.
Writer's Weekly -- Get the newsletter.
Writing.com -- a writers retreat and playground (if you join, mention olelady)
Families.com --family oriented articles
Lifetips -- I heard about this site from a friend.
The Dollar Stretcher --I really like the newsletter. :)
Ezine Articles --plenty to read. I got lost for 8 hours one day. LOL.
Gosh there are zillions more but I will update them soon.