Shaking Organs

In this path to publishing there are some definite moments when my internal organs begin to quake. I'm a relatively brave girl, but there's something about sending out my precious ideas into the cold calculating hands of complete strangers that makes me sick to my stomach. On the outside of course I am a rock of confidence as I carefully research each agent and prepare the query letter. And then the moment comes to click the ominous little 'send' button and I wonder what I have done.

The first round of querries was exciting--full of possiblities. The second round of suggested agents proved promising with a request to read my chapters. Then the rejections came and the promise only made the fall harder to bear.

So this time as I sent out yet another selective round of querries to some of the top agents in the country, my stomach began to clench and I found that I was gritting my teeth. When my jaw began to ache, I called it quits. Now I'm waiting for the replies and I'm cursing the auto-replies in my inbox that two of the agents were out of town for the weekend and returned on Monday only to be silent so far this week.
Just remember that walking a lonely trail comes with moments of quiet joy and then the moments when your internal organs begin to quiver like they are preparing to burst forth in a gruesome show.
I plan to keep on moving until I get back to the next quiet moment of joy.

The Sham or the Real Deal

We are traveling to Four Corners. Here is my question: Since the recent discovery that the precise location of the states' boundaries are actually two miles off, do I travel there? Do I take my children to the tourist attraction, which is now a sham, and let them do the crab walk in four different states? Does it matter that now they are not in four states? I did it as a kid, and have the pictures to prove it. Millions of people, American and otherwise, have traveled those dusty roads to be in four places at once. And now we all have to make the trip again. Will the government build a new road? Will they transport the platform and all the Navajo stalls? Half of the coolness factor at Four Corners is the stalls. I’m looking forward to picking up some turquoise jewelry . . .

So maybe we’ll just go and take pictures of the sham, knowing it’s a sham, and still love our time there.

Is Anyone Else Tired Of...

The Trilogy?!?!

I know, some of the best books out there are trilogies and publishers probably couldn't survive if they put out huge thousand page novels for first-time authors blah blah blah. But, really? It seems like everywhere I go, I have to pay three times for the same story. Why is this?

Okay, I'm done complaining. I'm going to take this moment to direct your attention to the above lefthand corner of your screen so you can witness for yourself the delightful news. Yes, I was last week's winner in the "War of the Words". (Don't worry. You didn't miss anything. I just made that title up). I do this, not to boast (haha!), but to bask in my glory days while they last. I'm pretty sure they will be over on Friday at midnight.

Story Time

Harry Potter 6 is opening on Wednesday. Kids around the U.S. are trembling in anticipation for this popular book to be brought to life on the big screen. With our writing challenge starting and thoughts of Harry Potter circling through my mind, I begin to wonder what makes a really GREAT story? The kind that makes kids dream and adults want to read.

I think the world J.K. Rowling created is genius and I applaud her. There is a little something for everyone in her Harry Potter series and she truly captured something special. Now the question is, how do we capture that special something to pass on to our future readers?

Deja vu

I experienced deja vu this week. I was sitting on the floor in my son's room playing with him and I looked up at the little tent canopy over his bunk bed and very clearly recalled a dream I had with the same scene in it.

I'm curious what everyone's theories are about deja vu. I think it could be the basis of a good thriller. I personally can't recall at the moment reading any books or seeing any movies with that premise, but I'm sure there are many out there. Anyone know of a good one? I know there is a Denzel Washington movie called Deja Vu, but I never saw it.

Time Clutter

Life is busy enough just with profession and family. But have you noticed how much "time clutter" creeps into our lives? I just canceled my facebook account this week partly for this reason: there are enough great things to do in life that letting the inconsequential and tedious events and activities share any of the limelight is just plain silly. I've been taking a hard look at my time and where it is spent. I noticed that just like a cluttered household, my time was strewn with things that took time but gave nothing in return.

But now I think I've gotten rid of the clutter, and things sure feel great. I know my kids and wife think so.

Calling ALL Writers

I'm going to go out on a limb here and just put the challenge out there. Since The Scarlet Tart introduced the idea of a writing challenge, we have been discussing it. Now all the contributors here at Inking Cap have taken the plunge. We are writing. How much are we writing? How can you participate? Good questions.

Under fear of persecution I cannot divulge the first answer because we are doing a blind contest. YEP. No one is telling what their word counts are until the end of each week. At which time we will email them to our group and the winner of the week will be crowned. So stay tuned to find out which Inker is the Grand Inker of the Week. A title that has much prestige and power.

That brings us to question two. How can you participate? It's easy. There are two simple steps ready.

Step 1 Pull up a chair.





Step 2 Write.












If you would like to share your totals for the week on Friday with us, we would love to see them. OR just check in and tell us how you are doing with the awe inspiring difficult steps 1 and 2.
The challenge started Monday, July 6 and will go for four weeks ending on Friday, July 31. Good luck.

A thought for you to ponder as you begin.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working," Pablo Picasso.