Cherry Hill's Autum Finery and An Annoucement

As the nights turn chilly, the plants and trees start the process of bedding down for the winter. Cherry Hill's trees are fast on the way to their brief moment of glory, dressing out in gold, orange, scarlet, burgundy, and yellow. The bushes are sharing their berries and the squirrels scurry to collect the acorns and pecans for those long winter months.


Pear

Ginko



Maple




Nandina





May your fall be bright and your winter cozy.











Check my new job: WFWA Write-A-Thin Program Coordinator
I'll be working with Catherine Vignolini to help WFWA members to keep working. The main push will be in January. Do you have any writing tips or great quotes to share? We'll need one a day. ;-)

Sorry About That...

I had planned to do more author interviews, but real life and my writing have gotten in the way. I plan to get back to them later. Meanwhile, I'll try to put together another list of mini-reviews soon.

It's also been limiting my visits to other blogs. I miss reading all of your lovely posts. :-(

There are a lot of meaningful goings on in my writing life at the moment. Among them are:

• New critique group--In late September I took part in one of WFWA's workshops. This one was all about Critique Groups. The express purpose of the workshop was to get us all on the same page when it came to critiquing and assigning us to groups. Now I get the excitement of reading three new friends' work. Check out Kristena Tunstall, Jeannine Everett, and Jess Ferguson's blogs.

• Editing of FRIENDLY FIRE--And as always, I'm working on getting a complete manuscript together for my WIP FRIENDLY FIRE. Currently, I'm working on a huge hole in Part 2. Send good vibes my way, why don't you?

So, if you've got some spare time to lend me, I'll jump on it. ;-)

It's Getting Colder...

It's getting colder and the leaves are starting to turn. My doggies are cuddling up to they mommy and daddy more and more. I love it! What better excuse is there to wrap up and read a good book...or three. ;-)

My babies, Casey and Max, agree wholeheartedly.

Maybe we need to sit with daddy...

Or maybe my blankie will be enough...

Ah. Mommy's lap is just right. ;-)







But if you're like me, you need no excuses to read. Though if you have to convince someone else that you aren't wasting time, try the Benefits of Reading for some new reasons to read. I thought you might like them as much as I do.

Once the Book is Written...

Every time one of my friends asks how the book is going and I say I'm closing in on a complete draft, they inevitably say, "Oooh! When will I be able to buy it?" (sigh) And I have to explain to them that it doesn't work that way. But for some reason, their eyes glazed over after I explain the differences in macro and micro edits. How long it can take to find an agent, writing loglines, queries, synopses, etc. All on the top of producing a complete and polished final (if there is such a thing) draft...And so it goes. I'm still at the tiniest of first steps--I'm nearly done with a rough draft.

There are other writers who have explained that so well and one of them is my fellow WFWA member, Kerry Ann Morgan. Check out her latest blog post--I've Entered the Fight...er...Submission Club. She tells the truth with such comedic flair!

Also check out this announcement. The Bookshelf Muse has moved to Writers Helping Writers and celebrating with a great give away.

FRIENDLY FIRE Update:
Part 1--Dreams is now in complete rough draft stage. Currently it's being read by some fabulous writers and non-writers to see if it makes sense to anyone else but me. ;-) John has read 3 chapters and only stumbled on one sentence. Guess what? He was right, it needed moved. (Have I reminded you lately that I love that man?)

And I have a potential logline or one sentence that sets up the story's beginning.
When a retired, childless widow meets a troubled foster child and steps into the breach, she realizes abuse is rampant in her home town—and she’s at ground zero.

Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh

Sometimes you find truth and sometimes you find TRUTH! This is the latter. (My favorite truths are # 1, 5, 12, 23, and especially 31.)

Enjoy. ; )

33 Untold Truths Writers Know All Too Well

I'm taking a workshop at WFWA and loving the give and take. I'm so glad I found that group. If you write Women's Fiction, come an join us at Women's Fiction Writers Association.

Obstacles

You know that feeling you get when you read something that really turns your head, makes you see your life and stories in a new light, and realize you've been looking at everything the wrong way? Well, I'm having that feeling since I read Kathryn Craft's post at Writers in the Storm. Check out Turning Whine into Gold: Surmounting Obstacles. It's opened up a new theme in my WIP FRIENDLY FIRE.

In FF's original form--MOTHER'S DAY--was all about Laura Grace and her childlessness.  Every part of the story at that time was about how and why Laura Grace became a mother. In fact, Samantha was little more than a placeholder child. That was until I couldn't keep from learning more and more about Samantha's story and the idea of abuse being friendly fire, that those closest to us inflict our deepest wounds. Child abuse is a prime example since the great majority of victims are abused by people in their families and neighborhoods--those who should be protecting the child, not preying on them. That new focus forced LG's motherhood into the background.

But after reading Craft's post, I realized that both themes need to run parallel lines in the story. LG has a deep well of motherhood that was not allowed expression in the normal journey most people take. She is childless after 30+ years of happy marriage and a career of teaching has only touched the tip of the iceberg of what she has buried inside. The obstacles to motherhood looked insurmountable. Then Samantha, a child with needs so deep that only a mother with an endless reserve to call on can provide the mothering she needs. And a match made in Heaven was created.

Needless to say, I'm trilled. I've already begun to add this new insight into my WIP, so if you think I'm a bit distracted, I might be. ; )

Get Ready!



October will be here next week and with it will come ocean-deep skies to get lost in, crisp cool mornings, and the skittering of dry leaves across the ground. The birds and animals know what to do--they're preparing for winter. Squirrels hide innumerable nuts, the butterflies are sucking in nectar and laying eggs, and the birds are eating us out of house and home at the feeders. All of them know they have to be ready for the change that is coming.



copyright Zan Marie Steadham 2013

Writing is no different. A lot of us are preparing for the annual marathon of NaNoWriMo. Not me.  I know my limits and how slowly I write, but I do try to ride on the coattails of my buddies who do push to put up as many words as possible every year. I find that if I've prepared, I can add a lot of words to my manuscript. October is the perfect prep month. I'm going to try to get my soggy middle to stop darting all over the place like a bucket of minnows. If I'm really lucky, one of those darting ideas will pan out to be a tasty way to go to tighten the story and fill in the holes my summer reread found.

Wish me luck! And good luck to all of you who are planning to attempt 50,000 words during November.

Debut Books

All writers want to know the feeling of having their debut novel finally out in the world.  Can you imagine the feeling of seeing your long hard work finally available for others to read? Of course there have to be a few nerves, too. Imaging wondering about how your baby will be received. Someday I hope all of this is more than just my imagination. Someday I hope to join the list below. If you're hunting a good read, try some of these. ;-)

Jessica Topper debuts with LOUDER THAN LOVE today. I haven't read Jessica's debut yet, but it's intriguing.

The rest of these are all great books and I do hope you take the time to check them out.

And a great review of THE GLASS WIVES that explores THE GLASS WIVES meets THE GODFATHER. How provocative can you get! I interviewed Amy Sue Nathan about her debut novel on May 21, 2013

If you're interested in Historical fiction, try Lori Benton's BURNING SKY (interviewed on August 20, 2013) or Kerry Lynne's PIRATE CAPTAIN (interview on March 12, 2013). Check out the review of THE PIRATE CAPTAIN by the Historical Novel Society.

Or if you're more into Romance, try Amara Royce's NEVER TOO LATE (interviews on May 14, 2013).

A Women's Fiction debut I'm sure you'll love is Charlotte Rains Dixon's EMMA JEAN'S BAD BEHAVIOR (interview on February 19, 2013).

And coming soon: Lara Lacombe's DEADLY CONTACT debuting on November 1. I can't wait. Check out the review at RT Book Reviews.

FRIENDLY FIRE update: I'm still moving dirt to fill in the holes my reread in July revealed. All in all, I'm very pleased with my progress. (Off to "dirty my hands" a bit more. ;-)