Revising With Passion

While what seems like the rest of the writing world participates in National Novel Writing Month, and the pup attempts to disembowel an un-stuffed plush squirrel (the head was the first to go), I will be revising another novel, called Grace & Chocolate. I have received delicious, stomach butterfly-inducing feedback from my loverly friend from the Great White North, Kimberly Vanderhorst, and after getting some "have-to's" out of the way, I can now open up her edits and re-work the raw into the submission-worthy. I hope.
Because this novel means a lot to me. They all do in their own way, but this one is a little more personal for me.
The story was inspired by my mom. It isn't biographical. It's not based on a true story. But my mom is a survivor. Her sisters and brothers are survivors. My mom was the oldest of five children in a house where alcohol turned a gentle, charismatic athlete, a friend and a father, into the embodiment of hatred, fear, and anger. Rage. He couldn't fight the demons of World War II alone. He would try. I love my grandpa. He slowed the drinking as I grew up, and finally stopped. He was goofy, could make us laugh so easily. And then they found the cancer. He always told us how much he loved us. I'm so glad he did, because when he died two months before my daughter, his first grandchild, was born, it was easy to imagine how much he would have loved her. Considering my mom's upbringing, that is an amazing gift.
But my mom was a fighter.
And so is Jill Parish.

Grace & Chocolate
Jillian Parish works at a busy publishing house in Portland, Oregon, is writing the novel of a lifetime, and goes home alone every day to a little dog, a spotless apartment, and a piece of 70% cacao and sugar. Her life is described in four words. Escape and stay busy. She has the second part down. The first one is getting more and more difficult as people from her past keep reminding her of what she has fled, and how dangerous it has become.
When Scott Gentry moves to town and spots Jillian at church, he learns her reputation as a lost cause. But something compels him to get Sister Parish's attention, no matter how difficult that may prove. As Scott stumbles, crashes, and falls, he finds himself with more attention than he bargained for, and more willing to do anything he can for the woman who is not made of stone, but of strength.
And she'll need it, because Jillian Parish's protective boundaries are about to be shaken. They're about to explode.

I hope I can make this one work. Man, I love being an author. All of it.
Good luck to all you Nanowrimers!

Something's Burning

You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you.  And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke.  ~Arthur Polotnik

 I'm almost done reading through my REMNANT ms after being away from it for many months. As I edit, I am keeping my readers in mind, wondering what they might think of this next idea, curious as to what suggestions they will make, what they loved and hated. My stomach tightens at the thought, as always.

As soon as I'm done with that, I'll be going over The Orchard, due for release in Spring/2011, again for the first time in months. I'm anxious to look at it, see what I've learned since it was last submitted, go over it with a fine-toothed comb before my editor sinks her teeth into it. (Am I mixing my metaphors? Combs have teeth, right?) I have until the end of August. Then things may get moving, for reals. Maybe. I hope!

A lot of my friends ask about this publishing time line, expressing shock at how long it takes to put a book on a shelf (or, as I prefer, in my hot little hands), but at this point in the process, while I am anxious for all of it, I just want the fire to show through the smoke. My fire. The one fueling my hot little hands as they run over my keyboard. The one fueling these stories in my head.

I hope my readers feel the burn.

Is your fire showing?

Thursday Authorial: Inspiring People

I don't mean this is a post on how to inspire people. This is a post on people who inspire. People who feel a desire, an urge, a prompting they can't let go of, and act on it with full heart. With passion.

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” Mitch Albom

There's so much discussion about aspiring authors who feel the urge to write something important, but they don't follow it through. Excuses can be valid, I know, but if you feel such a pull, feel you might have what it takes, feel your idea or dream would be something special if you only... Well, why do you feel that way? Is that for nothing? Or is it for something?

These people are some examples to me, to follow my dream with passion.

Jessica McComas at I Am What I Do

I have the blessed fortune to have known this woman since her birth. Jess is my cousin and we share the same shy giggle and dimple. When I hear myself on a home video, sometimes I hear her. It makes me smile.
Several years ago, Jess was touched by the story of babies in China in desperate need of homes. To Jess, they are in need of love, and I think she'd give just about anything to supply it to all of them. Her story is an incredible journey of passion. And it's not over.

Stephanie Nielsen at NieNie Dialogues

I don't know Stephanie personally, but it almost feels that way. Whether you think her decision to stay or go was right or wrong, she has followed her prompting, no holds barred, as much as she is capable, with full purpose of heart, fighting every inch of the day, loving.
And lives are touched many times over because of it.

Shelli Larson at HAPPY GIRL

This lovely would ask why in the world she is on this list. I don't care, I'm the big sister and I'm putting her on here. She's been through a lot of the same crap the rest of us have, and she is one of my biggest inspirations in living this life.
She may or may not mind that I am telling you that at 38 years this week (Happy Birthday, Shell!), my sister is one heckuva tennis player. She played in high school, loved it, but then she got busy with college, marriage, 4 kids, an assortment of animals, jobs, moves, etc... and then about 3 years ago she picked up a racket again, because she remembered how much she loved it. She took a class, and was persuaded to join a team. Now she's in championship games all over the Northwest. She rocks. She's my rock. She's grounded, compassionate, wise, and will cry with you or laugh her cute little butt off. Passion.

So, we worry about priorities and the value of time and effort. But if what you haven't recognized as passion is culminating into one thought, one urgent desire to manifest some semblance of creation by your hands, your power, isn't it worth something to see where it could take you? It might be worth more than you ever imagined. Or maybe you have imagined.

Find your passion. Make it for something.