Friday 30 September 2011

Finally Comfortable Enough

Yesterday after work I went to have my photograph taken professionally for PR purposes -- how exciting is that for you?  You'll get to see what I look like.  You see, when this whole thing started, the idea of having my picture plastered all over the internet and in other places made me a bit nervous... Okay, a lot nervous, that's why you only see my cover everywhere, except one (and I'm not telling which one).  Why is that you ask?  I'm not sure, I think it was a combination of the fact that I was still shy about being an author, I take horrible pictures and I still wanted an air of mystery.

Well that's all about to change, I'm finally comfortable enough in the knowledge that it isn't just me who thinks Absolute Obsession is a good book and I'm proud to have my name and face attached to it -- look for it next week. Double yikes!

Have a great day and a great weekend.

Thursday 29 September 2011

Opening the Floodgates

As November, 2011, draws ever so near, I find myself thinking about November, 2009, and how it had changed my life.

At first, when my writing journey began, getting published wasn't even a twinkle in my mind's eye, the only thing that was in the forefront was their story, it being, at least at that moment, a onetime thing, how wrong was I?  Halfway through, Michael and Rose could be heard in two different places.  The first, of course, the continuation of Absolute Obsession, the second was a whispering from behind the curtain of the sequel, pretty much confirming what I had thought all along...I was crazy. Yikes!

Now when the third of the Absolute series was revealed, I thought for sure that would be the end of it, but nooooo!  It seems that Michael and Rose have opened the floodgates for other characters to appear and they wait in the wings to be heard.  So far, two more stories (not part of the Absolute trilogy), have come to light, needing  to be told and when they can get a word in edgewise, they tell it to me just as Rose and Michael have...backwards.

Two more endings with titles have been added to the mix and their characters  waiting patiently to take me on their journey, back to the beginning.  Hold on, I think we're in for a ride.

Have a great day.
 

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Where Have all the Flowers Gone?

Well today I find myself somewhat melancholy because it's that time of year here in St. Albert, that we start to dump all the flower pots, cut down the flower beds and get everything ready for winter. I must admit I don't like Fall/Autumn, to me everything is dying, the orange, red, and burgundy leaves don't intrigue me, they are simply a reminder of what is yet to come...winter.  Snow, winds, learning to drive on ice again, trying to be patient with the drivers around me who think it's still summer. 

Sometimes I wonder why I live here, but then with the first snow fall, I'm quickly reminded.  There is nothing more beautiful than a landscape freshly dusted in white, making the nights sparkle, I love the fragrance of the crisp air as it wafts around my nose in the wee morning hours and I love watching my breath pass my lips to dance with the breeze, the days will grow shorter and we will all reconnect warming by the fire.  Besides it won't be too long before the buds of the trees and flowers, that lay cold under the snow, will be reborn again, our grass will turn green and stay that way as the sun shines for eighteen hours -- yes you heard me correctly, eighteen hours of daylight for us here in the summer -- that's when all our igloos melt.  We northern types may not like all of the seasons -- but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Have a great day.

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Yielding to a Writer

There is probably only one thing that every writer has in common and that is, we find ourselves, quite often, torn between everyday life, family, events, etc. and our writing.

As you know, every writer has a different approach.  Some can set a chapter goal for each day and write it. Some won't go on to the next paragraph until the one their working on is perfect and no edits will be required. Then there's me, who has no set time, nor strategy to get it done, because I write when I hear voices (the good voices).

I bring this up because it's not only me that struggles with it, my family does as well, except they're on the other side. They now know when I nod and smile, it's simply to appease them, me not  really there at all.  Just last night my youngest daughter was asking me questions and I heard them, then answered -- she promptly came and kissed me on the cheek.  Now if you were to ask me what it was that we said, answering honestly, the only thing I can remember out of it all, is when she kissed me (and I'm not certain she did that either) she giggled and said "You're so in the zone, aren't you?" I remember nodding.

My family yields to me regardless of how I write, if they didn't, I  wouldn't be as successful as I am -- they are, by far, my biggest successes and they believe in me -- a writer couldn't ask for more than that.

Have a great day.

http://www.celizabeth.ca/

Monday 26 September 2011

Another Lesson Learned

This weekend felt like nothing got accomplished, though I did get a lot done, it somehow feels like I didn't and I know exactly why -- not one paragraph was written and it's driving me crazy (yes a little more crazy than my usual).

The book signing on Saturday seemed, at first, not to go very well, having only sold one copy but something else happened that by rights I should have understood a long time ago and didn't, gaging the success of Absolute's signings by how many paperbacks I sold on the spot.  You see, prior to Saturday, I never gave much thought to how many bookmarks and business cards I had given away at those events and what effect they had on the sales, until someone asked me if my book was online and my response, of course, was yes.  It was then that I realized how silly it was for me to think of only the paperbacks sold at those events, when in reality the amount of books sold is almost impossible to decipher, because Rose and Michael will be coming to life in the minds of those who read from ereaders.  It was a lesson that made me smile.

Have a great day.

C. Elizabeth

Friday 23 September 2011

Who Do You See?

First of all just a reminder that I will be having a book signing on Saturday, September 24, 2011, at Chapters Book Store, West Edmonton Mall from noon till 4:00 p.m..

The other day I was asked who I saw playing Michael if Absolute became a movie.  Honestly, I didn't know, but it was during that conversation that it occurred to me just how explicit my mind pictures what all my characters look like.  I don't know why, but I never gave much thought about how other people would see them, I guess I simply assumed they saw them exactly how I did -- how silly am I?  It was interesting... One of the ladies said that while reading Absolute, she envisioned Robert Pattinson as Michael (I choked, Michael doesn't look anything like him),  another said that it wasn't a movie star she envisioned, it was someone that she built from scratch.

Who do you see Michael as?  For me, Michael will always have a wisp of jet black bangs softly laying on his forehead with his perfect smile and body, Rose will always have long brown hair that she has to straightened with her beautiful green eyes and petite frame.  They will never change, they are forever in my mind as my Michael and my Rose.


Have a great day and weekend.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

The Battle

The past few or more weeks has been a battle of wits.  Real life has taken up most of my attention and it's been difficult only being able to write little bits and pieces here and there, not fully focusing on it.

The reason I'm whining about it, is because I have a fear that I'll forget where I left off, or even worse Michael, Rose and the gang won't come back to me.  This has never happened, but it's still a legitimate fear. 

Writing their story isn't a chore, actually it's quite the opposite, it's my place to escape the everyday life.  So when I'm unable to get to it for long stretches, I miss it, I miss being in their world and listening to them yatter on and on, making me laugh, making me angry, and so on.  The last couple of days have been especially hard, they've played very heavy on my mind and unfortunately, it looks like it will be another few days before I can sit down and pay full attention to them -- I can't wait.

Have a great day.

Tuesday 20 September 2011

What's in it for Me?

When I found out that Absolute was going to be published it was a feeling that one can't describe (I know! Me saying something can't be described).  Well, in all fairness, I probably could, but it would end up being a two part mini-series blog.

As time went on, more and more people would ask if I knew how many sales I had made.  Of course there was no way of knowing until I got that first quarterly report.  But what struck me, was some would mention the royalties and how my getting published probably wouldn't completely sink in, until I saw that first cheque -- not so much.  Honestly, when the first quarterly report came in, I don't even think I read the whole thing. Actually I remember looking at the numbers, not the dollar figures, but how many minds Michael and Rose were coming to life in.

The thought of the royalties never once entered my mind until someone mentioned it to me, after the fact and I thought "hmm, that's a bonus."  How do you put a monetary amount on something that is a piece of you, of who you are?  I don't gage my success on how big my bank account gets, for me, I'm already successful.  I've  been given a gift and have found the passion for it, something that makes me happy every time I sit at the computer and whip out my thesaurus, besides if anything were to gage my success in writing -- it would be you, my readers.

Have a great day.

Monday 19 September 2011

Writing a Picture: A Writer Reflects on the Art

Article first published as Writing a Picture: A Writer Reflects on the Art on Blogcritics.

A painter tells their story on a canvas, actors tell theirs on a stage, both of which, as with many others, induce different emotions depending on the audience.

When a story presents itself in the mind of a writer, all five senses engage so as to be in tune with the characters and their world. Colors come to life, so do the bumble bees as they dance on the head of a flower, a quiet spoken word from a passerby will whisper on the breeze, the grass will tickle between our toes with each step we take, and the bitter sweet taste of red wine will flow over our tongues.

We also feel the fear walking through the dark alley as someone follows, we feel the pain of a lover’s loss and the elation of a lover found – we as writers embark on a journey that is just as uncertain for us, as it will be for you when you turn the pages.

However, a writer doesn’t get the use of taste, touch, smell, visual or verbal to arouse those emotions in you. How do we show you what is embedded in our mind so as to bring you along with us on every twist and turn? How do we make you cry, laugh, giggle, hurt, love, lust, be afraid, when using those other senses is an impossibility to persuade you to follow?

Taking you on our journey is not an easy task. It all has to be presented in such a way that you feel as we feel, see what we see, including all the little details that explode on the scene to make it real… The beat of the heart as it pulses against our heroine’s ribs, the taste of salt in a tear as it slides down the hero’s face, as well as the ache that, at first, is a slow burn, only to explode into every crevasse of his body. However, when it comes to scenery, we can’t go on and on with so much detail that it becomes boring, leaving nothing to the imagination.

We’ve all seen pictures of famous paintings, people, and the like, none of which really trigger grandiose excitement. However, to stand in front of the original is a whole different story.

That’s one of the wonderful things about being a writer, we don’t depend on the five senses to spark self-indulgence, we have a fairly simple tool that is powerful enough to stimulate not only those senses, but every emotion there is under the sun – it’s called words. They bring our characters and their world to life in your mind, igniting the imagination.

Our words have the same effect whether they’re read on computer, Kindle or novel. They pack the same punch wherever they are, however they are read and you, the reader…always have an original in hand.

Have a great day.

Friday 16 September 2011

A Younger Generation

In past blogs I have shared with you how my writing had inspired a few younger writers, which of course pleases me beyond belief and have wanted to take that to the next level. I had thought about how to approach it, such that, should I hold my own workshop (that would not be a pretty sight), maybe do something with the St. Albert Public Library (who by the way does have a copy of Absolute Obsession for your reading pleasure) or...well I didn't know.

However, I have set some wheels in motion. I've contacted both school boards in St. Albert and Edmonton and am on the path, fingers crossed, of perhaps encouraging some young minds to listen to their inner self.  This I am extremely excited about, because even if one finds that passion or maybe one discovers a dream they never knew they had, then me being a writer is exactly where I am supposed to be -- regardless of how I got here.

Have a great day and weekend.

Thursday 15 September 2011

What Simply comes to Mind

Yesterday I was struggling to find a quote to go at the beginning of a chapter.  The words had to be just right and I knew what I wanted it to say, or at least what the spirit of it was to be. However, nothing seemed to fit.

For me, quotes hold hidden meanings, a small treasure if you will. Now that hidden meaning will be something completely different for everyone. But don't you think that by finding that meaning, whatever it may be, finds the spirit in which those quotes are written and perhaps a glimpse into the writer's psyche.

My dilemma was such, that I wasn't able to find a quote with the proper hidden message, that would make you go "hmm, interesting" and eventually gave up to write my own.
A dream you once were, a dream of all my realities.
A dream that I can no longer strive for
In the wake of my manly betrayals


It's got ya thinkin, don't it?

Have a great day.

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Where Does It Come From?

Inspiration.  I've touched on this before but never really delved into it. It's been asked of me on numerous occasions where my inspiration comes from and for the most part I don't have an answer.  There isn't one specific thing that inspires me, it's a world of little things. Such as, maybe a corny commercial or something someone says, it can be anything, anywhere. All I know is that whenever it happens, it makes what I write worthwhile. If it can happen to me with such little things, then it can happen to you too with whatever endeavour you may embark on.

It gives new meaning to the phrase "It's the little things in life that count."

Have a great day

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Can Love Conquer All?

This is the question that I am asking right now. I find myself at a crossroads and this question keeps popping up.  Somehow I'm struggling with what Michael and Rose are telling me and the real world. For some strange reason it's got me over thinking it and has me perplexed.

We all know that there are some pretty wild stories of love out there, some that could be considered farfetched, but real nonetheless. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if what Michael and Rose are telling me could happen in real life, even if it is way out there, in essence, questioning their realism.

Now in questioning the validity of such a notion, I have left Rose sitting on one end of the stage, Michael on the other, both tapping their foot on the ground waiting for me to give the cue for them to run into each other's arms and kiss.

Now this whole scenario propagatesa few other questions.  Who do I think I am? Where exactly do I fit in this situation? Whose story is it?

All right, fine! As the author I lose.  Go on, get it over with, kiss already!

Question answered.

Have a great day.

http://www.celizabeth.ca/

Monday 12 September 2011

The Journey keeps getting better and better

This weekend my first article was pubished on Blogcritics. I am now a writer for an online magazine.  Please enjoy and don't forget to take a look at their site, there a lot of great reviews and articles to get your day started.  Go to this link and please feel free to leave a comment:

Find the Passion, and Put it on Paper
Have a great day.

Friday 9 September 2011

Writing

Well folks, I have been accepted to write for an online magazine known as Blogcritics and am supposed to have an article posted with the editor within 72 hours of their acceptance, so they can get a taste of my writing ability.  Yikes!!!!!  Why do I do this to myself? Oh ya, I'm a glutton for punishment.

I'm working like crazy on the final of the Michael and Rose series, creating these wonderful inspirational blogs for you and in between that, I'm marketing Absolute. Then I apply with Blogcritics. What is wrong with me? What do I write?  It has to be something original, nothing that I've posted on my blog or anywhere else and they want my personality to shine through. Help! What do I write? Ideas anyone?

Have a great day and weekend.

Thursday 8 September 2011

Time Travel

How many times have you been in a conversation and just when you were going to make your point, the word you were looking for danced elusively on the end of your tongue, just out of reach, while you struggle because your mouth is no longer attached to your brain? If you're anything like me -- often. Nothing is more frustrating than to finish that conversation and as you walk away, that perfect work pops back into your head.

That's one of the fun things about writing, unlike a physical conversation, the perfect words that dance on the end of your characters' tongues are never lost. You can always go back and make it right when that elusive word comes back to you, giving you the ability, as the author, to go back in time.


Have a great day
http://www.celizabeth.ca/

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Real Life

Yesterday was one of those days where I wished I could have hid away and wrote.  Yup it was just one of those days were scenarios and plots ran through my mind continuously as Michael and Rose relayed them to me, and not being able to put it all down on paper I, in essence, ignored them.

Then the paralegal part of my day was at an end and I was excited to get home and write down what I managed to retain of their story.  That wasn't going to happen -- instead real life happened.  A friend dropped by for a short visit, hubby was in need of my attention and  wanted to talk about his day, etc., etc.. At first I was irritated, because all I wanted to do was pay attention to the words rattling around in my brain.  But as the evening came to a close, I realized there was a good reason why that part of their story wasn't going to be written (not yesterday anyway).  I was looking for an escape, finding a reason in every situation that presented itself, not to write, why?  Because what I have to write puts me at odds -- remember I'm Michael when he hurts and I'm also Rose when she hurts...

Have a great day. 

http://www.celizabeth.ca/