Stuff

I exercised tonight. I try, oh I try, to exercise at least four nights a week. But sometimes work drains me too much and I just want to flop down in the recliner with a good book or the tv. But tonight, it felt good. I listened to Fleetwood Mac Live on CD and cried at some of the songs. Silver Springs, which reminds me of Barbara Samuel's writing. And Landslide, which reminds me of being very, very young and naive.

And I thought of loneliness, and how awful it can feel. That's when I realized my heroine in my WIP is at her core a lonely person, though she's learned not to deal with it. I made myself a note to make sure and deal with that in the book, and went back to the exercise.

American Idol

Well, I'm hooked on American Idol. Once again, fourth year in a row. Gosh, it doesn't seem so long. But then, nothing does, the older I get. I love this show!! Me, the non-tv person. I don't miss it for anything. I fall in love with the contestants, root for them, agree or disagree with the judges, and have fun.

How brave they are. Think about that - pursuing their dream so publically. At least when we writers get rejected, the only people who know are our agent (if we have one) and the friends we choose to tell. But 110 million people watch this show -that's a lot of people!

Ten more minutes and the 12 women semi-finalists are on. The men were last night - I'm voting for a rocker Idol this year (go Beau and Constantine!)

We'll see who comes out best on the women.

Sundays

I have a love/hate relationship with Sundays. I love to sleep late (okay, 9am - but late for me!) I love to read the Sunday paper, cook a big breakfast, hang out around the house. Yet somehow on Sundays, the day seems to fly by and suddenly it's late afternoon - nearly over. Monday looms - another work week, starting another daily grind. Uggh!

Today was one of those kind of pretend-Spring days we sometimes get in late February. Temps in the mid-eighties, sunny, beautiful. I tried to work on my book but only managed four pages. Kept getting pulled away by birdsong and my Schnauzers romping out in the backyard. In homage to a coming spring, we grilled T-bones and cooked baked potatoes and fresh asparagus, then walked two miles outside to walk it off. I did some internet shopping (the only way I seem to shop these days) and checked email. Soon it'll be time to put another weekend to bed.

I've been saving a new book to read, one of the few hardcovers I buy these days. Letting the anticipation build, watching it, eying it, imagining the wonderful power of the words inside. The author is one of my favs (and worth the price of hardcover) because of her skill with painting beauty in words.

See ya tomorrow!

Musing

Saturday, chilly and gloomy, and I've got a tinge of a headache. No, not from too many peach bellini's (I wish), just from thinking too hard.

I got up early (at 7 - early for a Saturday) to work on a mss that's due March 1st I'm not sure I'm going to make it. But struggling to put words on paper, I got to wondering how people like Nora do it. It's rumored she does 25 pages a day minimum.

Does she allow herself to write a bad first draft, then go back and correct it? Or is she so experienced now (after I don't know how many books), that each words is like a pearl, already perfectly polished? We should all be so lucky! And she'd probably laugh her head off to read this.

But I remember before I tried writing, I had this vague idea all writers simply sat down, typed their story (no sweat, no tears) as it came to them, finished up, printed, sent it to NY, and it appeared a few months later in a pretty little books. I never wondered about plotting, characterization, word choice, or grammer. I never imagined how difficult it can be.

Once on a family vacation, I emerged from my travel trailer after having abandoned the group for two hours to write. I walked up to my husband and proudly offered "I got six pages done!"
My sister in law looked at me and said "That's not very many." Again, the perception of antying up to the keyboard and virtually spewing a book!

Speaking of which, I'd better get back to it.

My first day and first post

Wow - so now I have a blog. I've been looking at them for weeks, wondering if I should try it. Having a blog seems a lot like keeping a personal diary - except that the entire world can read it! Kind of scary - but kind of fun too.

This is my test post. Dipping my toes in the water, so to speak.

But hey, it's Friday. It's been a very long day at my day job (insurance agency), and I'm ready for five o'clock. Heading home and then out to eat with my hubby. Tonight we're having Italian and I really need that Peach Bellini!

`Til next time!

Welcome!

Welcome to Karen Whiddon's web log!