A Confession (even though I'm Jewish)

       It's been three, almost four months since my last post. It was never my intent to go MIA. Sometimes life events just get the best of us and a hiatus becomes important. Since June I've had a few wonderful ups but a few intense downs. The combination became overwhelming. Thus my "disappearance." 

      I took time to contemplate, analyze, be sad, be glad, regroup and now recommit to blogging, to supporters, to the craft of writing, and to forward motion. [no political innuendo intended]

      I think in the Catholic church, after a confession, there's a form of penitence or contrition. This time of year, in Judaism, we are approaching the Day of Atonement, otherwise known as Yom Kippur. On this day, while in synagogue, we recite a series of prayers confessing our sins ( and a whole bunch extra just in case we've forgotten some). So I guess I'll need to say about three "Al Chates"  [that's 'ch' as in the sound you make when coughing something up]. And lest you think that's not enough, keep in mind we are fasting 24 hours on this holiday-no food or liquid- and I'll be about 12 hours into it!!                                                                        

Disclaimer: I tried six times to get "The Rules" section to line up correctly and it JUST. WON'T. Not very stylish, I know. Sorry. GH

                                   For Me?

One of my blogger buddies awarded me the "Stylish Blogger Award" and like many awards in the blogosphere, it comes with rules.



                    The Rules 
1. Thank the person who nominated you and link to that person's blog. 
2. Share seven things about yourself.                                                                                                  3. Pass on the award to seven deserving blogs.
4. Contact those who you have nominated and congratulate them.

Thank you, Susanne Drazic!
 You are a faithful follower and always leave comments; I appreciate you!

Now for my 7 things about me.

1. I have a thing about the texture of the food I eat. I can't eat "gloppy" stuff without gagging. (This would include things like hot cereal, oatmeal, grits)

2. I love musical theater!

3. I'm participating in Highlights Foundation's Chautauqua workshop this July and I'm thrilled!

4. I had a fantasy, as a kid, of becoming a dancer in a Broadway musical- never had a dancer's body, but I could dream. :-) 

5. I channeled that dream into taking ballroom dancing lessons in my 20's and actually won a few awards, including a 1st place trophy in cha-cha. Okay, so it's not the mirror-ball trophy on Dancing With the Stars, but I did learn to do some of the same fancy steps.

6. I can't swim....I've taken lessons several times as a kid but water bigger than a bathtub or maybe a swimming pool puts me in a panic. And while I can't swim, I do love going to the beach. Go figure.

7.Bad swimmer = good drown er. I almost drowned- for real- once in Hawaii. I had visions of washing up on shore in California. Actually, I probably would have been shark food long before then. 

Now to pass on the award to some stylin' bloggers I know (and who are just plain inspiring to me).

Lisa and Laura Roecker

Laurel Snyder

Vicky Alvear Shecter

Cathy C Hall

Doraine Bennett

Irene Latham

Pat Weaver

Hugs to all these women for being who they are, writing from their hearts, and inspiring me to keep working at my own writing.

Write From the Soul

Happy New Year Everyone!!!   

Now that we've made it through the holiday season, it's time to settle back into a calmer pattern of "normalcy." Well, maybe normal isn't the perfect word for it, but it is time to move onward.

Heading into January often includes those dreaded resolutions for the new year. Some of them seem to find their way onto the list every year (lose weight, exercise more, organize the house) because we want to do them. Yet somehow, they never get done, or we fall short of the goal. I don't know about you, but that just has a way of making me feel bad about myself rather than helping me improve. So this year, I'm only writing things that either: A) I know I can accomplish and WILL accomplish, or B) are reasonable and purposeful even if I only accomplish a portion of them. 

Here we go. Oh, and the reason for announcing them publicly? 
It keeps me from weaseling out of doing them- I'm good at the rationalizing and avoidance thing- and I firmly believe in the power of positive expression. Putting positive thoughts out in the Universe brings that positivity back to you. And I'm a big fan of positivity as a means to Heal the World.

So, the list. 
1. Blog more regularly. 
If I want to stay connected to the kidlitosphere, I need to participate in it. Blogging is the simplest form of that. This also includes responding more to comments left on my blog- sorry I'm not so good at that.
2.  Go to at least one writers' conference and try to attend one I've never been to before.
3. Begin and hopefully finish at least 2 writing projects. 
That means 1st draft, working it through critique groups, and revisions. I'm thinking a picture book and a middle grades book.

Seeing a trend here? Lots of goals for writing, yes, but also do-able. Okay back tot he list...

4. Read at least 4 writers' craft books. These could be books on developing plot, writing query letters to agents, creating better dialog, or promoting yourself and your writing.
5. Enter a manuscript in a contest. 
I really shy away from this because I'm sure I'll never win or place. Not. A. Positive. Attitude. This year, I send one in.
6. Send a dozen query letters out to agents. 
I'd really like to find a literary agent this year. But in keeping with my statement about making resolutions purposeful and do-able, sending out those queries is the means to the end. Without querying, the agent is never obtained.

Okay, that's plenty for the writing side. Now for the more personal goals.

1. Eat healthier with the goal of lowering my A1C number.  
This is the diabetes indicator and I was classified as "pre-diabetic" for 2 years then had a period of time this past year when I became diabetic. Hate. It. I'm back down into the 'pre' category but would like to get down into the No-diabetes category......and soon.
2. Make a new friend. 
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing icky about the friends I have! But, for me, when I make a new friend- and I mean when you really develop that connection with someone- it feels like my heart grows a little bigger. I find that connection to others extremely life affirming for me and that's the kind of positivity I want surrounding me.
3.Find an additional way to help others. 
There are some mini and small scale things I do with regularity that help others, but the largest ways I helped out others have gone by the wayside. Service to others feeds my soul and I'm feeling a little less 'soulful' than I like to be. I'm hoping something will strike me this year. (Well, not literally strike me!)

I actually have a couple more resolutions, but they are extremely personal and I'm not willing to share them with the world just yet. I think for now, they will just stay quietly on the edge of my brain.


So, what's on your resolution list? Anything you want to share? Looking forward to connecting with all of you this new year.
 

Write From The Soul

Okay, so I'm doing my typical, writerly thing, I'm blog reading. Have to keep up to speed with my blog-sisters and blog-brothers. Well, on of my favorite blogs to follow is Lisa and Laura Write-  2 real life sisters who write together. Now if you're a blog reader, you'll know that we are always trying to increase the number of followers we have (which basically means we want more people to read our blogs and we're willing to beg, pled, offer prizes, and a few more things to get readers to sign up as followers!) Lisa and Laura- known amongst bloggers as LiLa, have just hit 500 followers- a mega accomplishment in my book since I'm still trying to reach 50! In oder to celebrate, they are offering some wonderful prize packages, especially for people who enjoy reading YA books, love chocolate, and appreciate author swag!!! In order to be eligible for the prize drawing, you must:

• be one of their followers
• comment on their contest post
• blog or Tweet or Facebook about the contest- and earn an extra entry

Sooooooooo, I am now officially eligible because I loyally follow them- they are hilarious, commented, and have now blogged.

Keep your fingers crossed for me. The winners will be announced next Wed, April 14th!

P.S.  Here's the link to their blog post:

    http://lisa-laura.blogspot.com/2010/04/lilas-totally-epic-500-follower-contest.html