Christmas is over. I spent a few hours writing yesterday. It felt good to see the words appearing on the page. I hope that you have had a chance to write this year. This is the time I lean toward goal setting. I hope that you began to think about next year's goals.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
My Christmas Prayer
Lord, help us.
Open our eyes.
We are not alone.
No one is forgotten.
Good triumphs over all evil.
Hope waits around the corner.
A day comes when no one cries anymore.
A day comes when death is swallowed up by life.
A day comes when families are back together again.
Until then, fill us up with anchoring words.
Faith, love, hope, long suffering, kindness.
Lead us beside those quiet waters.
Create in us new vision.
Flood us with peace.
Surprise us with joy.
Fill us with hope.
Lord, save us.
Amen.
Good things to you and yours in these days. Remember the power of God's light.
Open our eyes.
We are not alone.
No one is forgotten.
Good triumphs over all evil.
Hope waits around the corner.
A day comes when no one cries anymore.
A day comes when death is swallowed up by life.
A day comes when families are back together again.
Until then, fill us up with anchoring words.
Faith, love, hope, long suffering, kindness.
Lead us beside those quiet waters.
Create in us new vision.
Flood us with peace.
Surprise us with joy.
Fill us with hope.
Lord, save us.
Amen.
Good things to you and yours in these days. Remember the power of God's light.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Endurance
Wow, Friday is almost over and I have not blogged a word. I've been writing passages and am finally coming up for air. My oldest son shipped this week. Yes, this mild mannered children's writer is a Marine recruit mom. Semper Fi!
I'm going to take a moment to talk about endurance. How do we take that next step when we are tired, when so many people have said no, and so many doors have slapped shut in our face that ears are ringing? A few things help me.
First, the pattern supports me. The very shape of my life keeps me on track. I've made room for writing. I honor my work and don't think of it as something I'm going to do, but something that I am doing.
Next, I have many friends that are in the same boat with me. It's easier to row if you know that there are lots of people in the boat. The industry of the rowers help me feel that success will come my way.
I stay aware of the beauty of small things: a scene, a letter, a poem. Each brushstoke is important to me. I don't have to think about the next book I will write. It's just one more word. It's one more snippet of story.
I understand the power of a reasonable goal. It's just the best feeling -- the words flowing on to the paper. I don't get into the end result. I dwell in this moment, in the revealing that needs to happen now. It's a powerful rush.
Try letting go of all the voices and just flow with the journey. Joy in it. Prevail. Let me know how it goes.
I believe that man will not merely endure. He will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.
William Faulkner
.
I'm going to take a moment to talk about endurance. How do we take that next step when we are tired, when so many people have said no, and so many doors have slapped shut in our face that ears are ringing? A few things help me.
First, the pattern supports me. The very shape of my life keeps me on track. I've made room for writing. I honor my work and don't think of it as something I'm going to do, but something that I am doing.
Next, I have many friends that are in the same boat with me. It's easier to row if you know that there are lots of people in the boat. The industry of the rowers help me feel that success will come my way.
I stay aware of the beauty of small things: a scene, a letter, a poem. Each brushstoke is important to me. I don't have to think about the next book I will write. It's just one more word. It's one more snippet of story.
I understand the power of a reasonable goal. It's just the best feeling -- the words flowing on to the paper. I don't get into the end result. I dwell in this moment, in the revealing that needs to happen now. It's a powerful rush.
Try letting go of all the voices and just flow with the journey. Joy in it. Prevail. Let me know how it goes.
I believe that man will not merely endure. He will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.
William Faulkner
.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Bits and Pieces
The Golden Coffee Cup is over. The winners have been announced. Now it's time to slip back into my week to week mode. I generally post on Fridays. Welcome to the post.
First up, sketches of my new book arrived; I've done my research and signed off on the pages. You can pre-0rder my new book, Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs , on Amazon. I've seen the sketches and they are truly brilliant. Here is an early peek at the cover.
There's more up. Here are the covers of my new Picture Window Books. Very jazzy too.
I'm writing passages again for Trillium Publishing. This stuff is fun. Writing these short snapshots of story hones my skills. I also like the influx of Christmas cash.
I have a page included in this ebook: Wish Someone Had Told Me That! 64 Successful Children's Authors Give You The Advice They Wish Someone Had Given Them. Children Book Insider. 2007. Follow this link to buy it: http://write4kids.com/wishbook.html. Good advice for beginning children's writers.
I'm nursing my aching SI joint (hip bone connects to the spine bones). I fell during a freak ice storm a few weeks ago and I am very slowly mending.
The eggs are silent. Waahh! Not even a jiggle. Waaah! Waaah!
That's the bits and pieces. I'm off to bake pies and work on the revision.
First up, sketches of my new book arrived; I've done my research and signed off on the pages. You can pre-0rder my new book, Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs , on Amazon. I've seen the sketches and they are truly brilliant. Here is an early peek at the cover.
There's more up. Here are the covers of my new Picture Window Books. Very jazzy too.
I'm writing passages again for Trillium Publishing. This stuff is fun. Writing these short snapshots of story hones my skills. I also like the influx of Christmas cash.
I have a page included in this ebook: Wish Someone Had Told Me That! 64 Successful Children's Authors Give You The Advice They Wish Someone Had Given Them. Children Book Insider. 2007. Follow this link to buy it: http://write4kids.com/wishbook.html. Good advice for beginning children's writers.
I'm nursing my aching SI joint (hip bone connects to the spine bones). I fell during a freak ice storm a few weeks ago and I am very slowly mending.
The eggs are silent. Waahh! Not even a jiggle. Waaah! Waaah!
That's the bits and pieces. I'm off to bake pies and work on the revision.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Winners of the 2007 Golden Coffee Cup!
Wow, it was hard to pick the winners. I thank everyone who participated! It was oodles of fun. I always feel like the world is just a little wider after a big push like this. I'm so thrilled to have been on this journey with you.
The official winners of the 2007 Golden Coffee cup are :
Susan Greenway. No one should be rejected within minutes of a submission!
Christina Wilsdon. 2 out of 3 is pretty good. Lice is not nice! Also, a successful children's party is almost impossible.
Susan "will write for coffee". You really took your journey to heart!
Chris Eboch, because it's NOT YOUR FAULT and because you managed to stay sane!
So. snap, snap, snap! OK winners, send you mailing addresses to molly.blaisdell@verizon.net. And for hot coffee also indicate Starbucks, Peets, Tullys or Surprise me in the email. If you want your encouraging Golden Coffee Cup graphic, please send your email address.
All Best, Molly:)
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