Inspiration

I want to enter a short story in my publisher’s call for submissions for a Christmas anthology, and even though that desire is there, I was struggling to find an idea, one that could develop into a ten thousand word story, and that I could write quickly. 

So I went to my favorite place for inspiration, Pinterest, and looked through the board (okay, three boards) that I have for Christmas.  And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a picture I didn’t remember pinning.  All of a sudden I had a male character, his occupation, and why he was out in a snowy forest with his dog.  A few clicks later, and I had a female character that will bring him no end of trouble and exasperation. Et voilà, a story is born!

Authors find inspiration in so many places.  Just a kernel can spark an idea, which can set off firecrackers in our brains. 

For me, I’ve had characters spring to life, then I have to write the perfect story for them.  Well, one in which they go through all kinds of turmoil to get their happy ever after.  Other story ideas have come to life with a setting, a scene idea, even a phrase or a headline.  Two songs have sparked ideas for stories, so totally different they are worlds apart.  This picture of a frozen lighthouse is what sparked the idea for a story yet to be written. 

How to THRIVE not Just Survive!

Kat's 5 Step Plan to THRIVE - Not Just Survive

Surviving

Did you notice that this year we didn't hear much talk about New Year’s resolutions? Could it be that people are already maxed out, carrying enough burdens? It seems to me, a lot of us are barely coping with life as it is. For many people the goal for next year is simply survival.

Surviving is something I’m very familiar with.

I spent much of my life in survival mode; surviving a lifelong battle with my weak immune system, the death of my mother when I was not yet fourteen, a difficult home life after that. After I got married I had multiple miscarriages, and we have a son with severe illness. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. I know how to survive.

As writers many of us face nearly impossible deadlines and a rigorous appearance and social media schedule. It’s easy to lose our balance and slip into survival mode. But I want to do more than just survive – I want to THRIVE.

THRIVE

But how do we switch from survival mode to THRIVE-AL mode (new word)? How can we thrive amidst all the stress and busyness of our high-octane lifestyle?

.@VickiBatman - Measuring Time: tick-tock #MFRWorg #RLFblog #milestone

Tick-tock

I reached a milestone in Jazzercise this month: I’ve been working out for 32 years. (Yes, I know this admission ages me. Feel free to go on thinking I look younger than I am. Lol.)

Milestone:

I have been writing for ten years.

I have a momentous birthday.

Handsome’s company is 23 years old.

My #1 son has a significant birthday.

When my sons began school, I found time was measured by holidays--school starts in mid-August, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, back to school, Valentine’s Day, Spring Break, April Fool’s Day, Memorial Day, school is out.

Every year was the same for a long time. And did it ever fly by.

# My True Love Story by Phyllis Middleton

Thirteen years ago yesterday – February 16^th – I met my future husband for the first time. We both knew before we saw each other that we were destined to be husband and wife.  And you ask, “How did you know that?”  Well, it’s like this….

Frank and I both joined the Christian matchmaking site – eHarmony the year before.  We were one of the first to join the service and answered 29 separate sections with a total of 500 questions.  It took a while, but on November 27^th, 2001, the computer matched us together.

We communicated through the site email at first and then exchanged personal emails.  Since he was in the Dallas, TX area and I was in western Kentucky caring for my mother at the time, emails were the best way at the time.  Then we decided to stop communicating until after the holidays. I was very busy making costumes and acting in the church Christmas play and he was equally active. So we set a time in the first week of January to continue our ‘talks’.  I finally agreed to give him my phone number and when he called on that Saturday, January 5^th, 2002, we talked for about four hours.

For the next month, we talked by phone just about every night and sent emails to each other.  We asked and answered the hard questions.  Discussions included every topic, money, work, sex, hobbies, pets, children, etc.  

We found that we were both on the same page.  Literally.

#PlottingPrincesses host author Anne Conley What are her Best Laid Plans? #MFRWorg #RLFblog #romance

The Plotting Princesses welcome Anne Conley! Let's get to know Anne:

Anne has written her entire life and has the boxes of angst-filled journals and poetry to prove it. She's been writing for public consumption for the last four years.  She lives in rural East Texas with her husband and children in her own private oasis, where she prides herself in her complete lack of social skills, choosing instead to live with the people inside her head.

Speed Round:

Favorite movie:  Dead Poet’s Societ 
Favorite book:  Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See 
Last book read:  Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda by Tara Lee Reed 
Favorite color: Blue Stilettos or flip-flops:  flip-flops 
Coffee or tea:  Coffee 
E-book or paperback:  E-book 

@kellyleefiction - Romance and sad love stories #sadlovestories #tissueworthy

The other day, my husband and I were driving down the road listening to the radio, and I heard a music lyric...."I hope you fall in love, and it hurts so bad." 

At first blush, you'd think, Gee, that's not very nice.  But in context, the song was about doing and experiencing literally everything, and wishing someone a full-to-bursting life. '

I paused to think for a moment, and some of the rawest, most profound emotional moments of my life weren't just the moments I was happiest, like my wedding, or the birth of my children.  They were also moments where I thought my chest would literally cave in from the gaping wound inflicted from a traumatic heartbreak. Sometimes, even the purest, most passionate love stories don't end happily. The guy doesn't always get the girl. Or the girl gets the guy, and guess what? Life happens. Tragedy strikes.
In the world of romance, everyone loves a happy ending. But are they always satisfying? Some of my favorite romances don't have "guy gets girl, lives happily ever after" endings. 

Like Untamed Heart, where our strong, quiet hero with the baboon heart (spoiler alert) DIES at the end!

And Titanic...my GAWD, the tears that flowed at the end of that love story!!



Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 5-O and Kindle Fire Giveaway

Ever since childhood I have loved the opening scene from the TV show Hawaii 5-O.  Seriously, hula dancers, surfers, beaches, and good looking heroes. All grown up, I added the memorial for the USS Arizona to my Hawaii must-see list.

When not long ago I had a chance to visit Kona on the Big Island, I made plans to 'stop' in Honolulu.  So starting at 5am was the mad dash to pay my respects and then time permitting check out those famed TV show opening scenes.

Fortunately for this night owl, five o'clock in the morning is around ten am back home so a crack of dawn tour of Pearl Harbor was no problem.  I was able to explore the submarine Bowfin and then the battleship Missouri where the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed. But the Arizona Memorial was the star of my day. I learned so much about the ship, the servicemen aboard her, and the people who visit her.  Finally getting a chance to share a bit of this with my readers in my new release the Look of Love was especially dear to me.

Groundhog Day -- Six More Weeks of Winter or Spring?

GroundHog Day
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania 2005

Yesterday was Groundhog Day and in our area, the sun shone brightly, so we will see six more weeks of winter weather. Since I’m in Texas our winters are usually not that bad and this year we’ve been very lucky. So far, knock on wood, no snow or ice.

But how did this custom get started? According to Wikipedia, a diary entry dated February 4, 1841 is the first documented American recording of this German custom.

In Scotland, the Poem: 

If Candle-mas Day is bright and clear,

There’ll be two winters in the year.

If Candle mas be fair and bright,

Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

And yes, there are three different spellings of Candlemas.