Winter Weather in Cherry Hill

When I created Cherry Hill, Georgia, it came with all the winter weather I grew up with and this winter has been a particularly cold and snowy season. Here are some pictures from last week. This week will be in the 70s several days.

As the saying goes: if you don't like Georgia's weather, stick around three days, it will change. ;-)

Enjoy the photos.

First Baptist Temple through the cherry limbs

Icy roads with ice and snow covered trees

Nandina berries

Cherry limb coated in ice and layered with snow

FRIENDLY FIRE Update: I'm still plugging along, averaging a chapter a day. On I go to a complete draft by the end of March...I hope. ;-)

Blog Blitz! (and an Update on FRIENDLY FIRE)

DL Hammons has created one of the most intriguing and ongoing blog blitzes ever. Click on the link below the Blog Blitz badge to see the most amazing way to spread good cheer and encouragement among bloggers. Remember, we're all in this together.

Blog Blitz

Since March 11, 2013, DL and his merry band of blitzers have spread support, condolences, and shared in joys. There's no better way to tell your fellow bloggers that what they do really matters.

Join our band and help us reach 500 blog blitzers team members. You know you could use a random drive-by blitz. I know I could and I've been thrilled to do it for others. ;-)

FRIENDLY FIRE Update: I'm working back through the entire manuscript, seeking out rough places and holes. So far, I've had to do major surgery on two chapters and minor surgery on all the others. Eight down, fifty-seven to go. ;-)

Another Way to Connect

Writers in this day and age of social media are encouraged to create platforms were they can interact with readers. It's a bit daunting when you're 58 and learning how to connect through all the new forms of media. I mean, Twitter anyone? I've just scratched the surface and I'm still very lost. ;-)

I've been blogging here at In the Shade of the Cherry Tree for nearly five years. I don't have the biggest following, but I do enjoy the comments.

Facebook hasn't stretched me too far. If you haven't checked out my author page yet, try this LINK.

I'm very new to Twitter, though. I've been tweeting about a week and a half. The limits of 140 characters is still constraining. Add all the @ and #, and I'm a babe in the woods. Here's where I am-- @ZanMarieS. Have any of you got a simplified way to explain it all? ;-)

And now the newest one of all--I have a Goodreads Author Page.  I've only had it up since Saturday.

So if you can't find me one place, surely I'll be somewhere. Just tweet, fb me, comment on the blog, and say hello. ;-)

And one more thing. Have you noticed the new background picture? It's the actual cherry tree in my yard that inspired the name of my blog and is part of the setting on my novels. How's that for inspiration? ;-)

The Rules of Writing

You know you have to sit and stay to write. But so many things call you away--the clothes dryer buzzer, the timer on the stove, the phone ringing, that annoying beep that sounds when you have another post on Facebook, etc. etc. etc.


Source


So how do you stay put and do the job, the words, the edits, that writing requires? Is it a to-do list, accountability partner, a critique partner who demands to see what you're working on now, or is it just sheer determination?

What motivates you to write? The story? The characters? The theme? I'll admit to all of these. My Cherry Hill books are about family, pain, loss, abuse, wounds, and how people cope with them. Without the people of Cherry Hill, I wouldn't have a story. Once I learned who they were, the themes jumped out and grabbed me. Research has expanded my compassion for those in the same situations. Writing has made me a better person.

So back to you. What makes you Sit! and Stay! for the job? How do you keep working on your WIP?

Besides if all else fails, try this option
How I Stopped Procrastinating
LOL! I'll try the rules, thank you. ;-)

Announcement! My buddy Elle Druskin got me on Twitter. Check out the neat message for AN EASTER WALK she posted HERE. You can follow me on Twitter @ZanMarieS.

Write-A-Thin Check In

 

 

One month. One goal. That's the plan at least. The Women's Fiction Writers Association sets aside January to focus on one goal--rewriting, revising, editing, writing. Whatever the member needs to do, we all fall in to help and congratulate each other on achieving that goal.

 

My goal is to add rough, new words to the nine known holes in Part 2 of FRIENDLY FIRE.

Here's my initial list and where I've gotten on it.

1. A Few Days Later
2. Meeting with Manuel Nunez to talk about Samantha's abuse--First pass has been done. There's notes on what to do with it later
3. Rosemary on Samantha and Eric
4. Cassie Attacks--first pass has been done
5. Need general life with Samantha, maybe folded into Violent Violet and Comfort foods, etc.--First pass has been done.
6. Birds and Bees after X-rated and New Year's Eve--first pass has been done with notes on what to do with it later
7. Laura Grace's birthday? This is a possible cut
8. Getting out of the hospital
9. Paying to Parent/Possible cut or image folded into another place--folded into Violent Violet and first pass done.

 

I'm also one of the Program Coordinators for this year's Write-A-Thin. Along with my partner Cathy Vignolini, we have been keeping everyone on track. We have eleven days to go. ;-)

 

 

If my plans work, I hope to announce that I have a complete draft of FRIENDLY FIRE sometime in March to mark the sixth anniversary of the idea that have become, not only my current focus work-in-progress, but the start of a series of stories about a family and town who live in my mind. Cross your fingers. ;-)

Squeeeeeee!

Time out for a fan girl moment!

If you know nothing about Diana Gabaldon's epic series OUTLANDER, I have a treat for you...

And if you do know OUTLANDER, I have a wondrous event for you...

Announcing the first official trailer for the STARZ production of OUTLANDER due to premier this summer.

And if you want to know more, check out THIS for more info, pictures of the spot-on perfect casting, and videos of Diana and Ron Moore the Executive Producer talking about staying true to the story and adapting well-beloved books to the screen.

Another squeeeee-worthy announcement is that Diana's newest Jamie and Claire book (the 8th) WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART'S BLOOD will be published June 10. If you haven't ever read Diana's work, you need to now before all the excitement breaks out. You'll be glad you did.

I'm just saying that if there ever was a time to go book shopping, this is it! ;-)

Happy New Year and...

...Happy Birthday to me! 

Yep, today is my birthday. As the years pile up, gifts become less and less important to me, but this year, I have two that take the cake.

• My dearest John bought me a Kindle Paperwhite to replace my Kindle 3. He did buy it in November, but I knew it was my birthday gift. ;-)
• My good blogging buddy, Charlotte Rains Dixon, writing teacher, coach, and author, gifted me with a 25 page critique. It's due to her today. And I'm excited to get her feedback.

BTW, if you haven't read Charlotte's EMMA JEAN'S BAD BEHAVIOR, you should check it out.  Also check out my interview of Charlotte HERE.

January is a busy month. Not only am I trying to fill in all the last holes in FRIENDLY FIRE, but I'm also a co-Program Coordinator for the Write-A-Thin at Women's Fiction Writers Association.

I hope your new year is going well. May all your resolutions be achieved and may you be happy, healthy, and rested. ;-)

And brrrrr! It's only 5 this morning here in Georgia--the coldest it's been in decades. Bundle up, folks!

Announcement!!!!

 

A CHRISTMAS WALK, DEVOTIONS FOR ADVENT and AN EASTER WALK are now available as ebooks at Amazon
Check this out. And this.
Needless to say, I'm excited. ;-)

What's On Your Shelf?

It's nearly 2014. The clock is ticking and tomorrow we'll be in a brand new year. Many writers will begin the year with a new goal--finishing the rough draft (that's me), or revising their novel, sending out queries, or some other goal related to their stories.

What about picking a craft book to read? Have you ever made that a resolution?

I am. Besides finally finishing FRIENDLY FIRE (I promise I will! Honest!), I'm going to try to use the books sitting on my shelf to learn more about making my book better.

I have books of inspiration and craft. My inspiration list are well read.

• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
• On Writing by Stephen King
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

I've talked about these before and I still refer to them and their message often. When I'm stuck I remind myself that it's all resistance (Pressfield), and to keep writing every day (Lamott) or any of several truths I learned from King and Cameron.

But when it comes to craft books, I don't have such a good track record. The shelf is full of them, but I haven't finished many. In fact, I haven't started quite a few of them. ;-)

Here's a sampling of what I have on my shelf:

•   The Fire in Fiction and Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass--I know all the reasons to read these two, but tried to before I was a third of the way into FF. I think these will click when I finish goal one (see above).
• The Writer's Little Helper by James V. Smith--This is my first craft book. It's more of a checklist than anything else. It'll be good to click through after goal one is accomplished.
• Write in Style by Bobbie  Christmas and Don't Sabotage Your Submissions by Chris Roerden are much like the Smith with added expertise from the authors--both have professional editing experience. I'll be back for them later.
• Make a Scene by Jordan E. Rosenfeld--This is another early buy. I floundered on the descriptions of scene types. Now I have a clue about them from experience writing and critiquing and I'll be back to read this one later.
• The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler--This is another well-regarded craft book, but it doesn't fit my genre. I'll give it another look if and when I ever get back to my long-worked-on and long-delayed SF trilogy.
• Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell--This is a recent acquisition. I'm over halfway through it. It's hitting the spot as a helpful book probably because I was already 85% done with FF when I got it.

Two new books on my shelf are Writing Subtext by Elizabeth Lyon and Wired for Story by Lisa Cron. Both come highly recommended. I'll get into them when goal one is done. And I have one on order--Nail Your Novel by Roz Morris.This is recommended for its info on emotional beats.

There's a pattern here--Either I tried to read the book way early in my novel, or I've just haven't had time to read them. I foresee more time when goal one is done and FF is out with my beta readers.

Now it's your turn. What's your favorite craft book? Any I don't have yet? ;-)