Battle Wounds

It's been a hectic couple of weeks, my battle wounds are fresh. Are you wondering what I'm talking about? Let me explain.  When Absolute was written, all I had to do was focus on writing, there was no blogs, websites, marketing, PR, none of that had to be done, Michael and Rose had my full attention.

These past couple of weeks, I found myself spinning my wheels trying to keep up with it all and still write Saydi's and Nathanael's story, it wasn't working, so I made an executive decision -- I had to focus on them and them only, letting everything else fall behind.  In other words, my battle wounds.  I'm paying for it now trying to get things caught up, but I will tell you, they were worth it. I'm excited for them to have you read their story.

Have a great day.

A Mind Change

First off let me apologize, I know the blog has been quite sporadic lately, you can blame Saydi and Nathanael. Now, having said that...

As I was going through another round of edits, there was a scene that was bothering me, so I changed it... Argg! What was I thinking?  Changing a scene after a book is completed is like going back in time and changing your mind. Think about it... if you made a different decision and went a different way, what happens? Everything after that moment changes and that's essentially what I did. With the small scene change, emotions were different, the outcome of certain things switched, peoples' attitudes towards each other went from good to bad or depending on who they were, bad to good. Some fighting stopped, others escalated. The list goes on and on... Not my brightest moment, though I do like the scene better.

Then last night I couldn't help but think how close to real life changing that scene was -- how a simple decision could have such a different impact on your life. Here's hoping we always make the right ones.

Have a great day.

Tis the Season

How many of you have all your Christmas decorations up? I'm not one of you, but this weekend is slated just for that.

However, I noticed some people had their trees up by the middle of November and have you noticed how the stores start playing Christmas music and have their decorations up practically the day after Halloween?

I love Christmas as much as the next person, but it seems to me with all the running around, buying gifts, food, all in preparation for the season, sometimes we lose sight of what it's truly about.  Not that we do it on purpose, but sometimes the meaning gets lost in the shopping cart that is overflowing with gifts.  For me, I'm going to try extra hard this year to remember -- it's about giving, not of material gifts, but of one's self.

Have a great day

The Genre

As you know Absolute Obsession was my debut novel and you know that I've been working on the sequels to it, and that novel branded me a Romance writer (which is fine by me), however how often does a writer jump over to a completely different genre?

I don't know why, but for some reason I was thinking about that. Nathanael and Saydi are a romance novel (keeping  fingers & toes crossed, when I submit the query to Wings, they want to see the whole thing), but with a surprisingly different audience base, it would be categorized as a young adult, super natural romance -- yup you heard right, they came from the complete opposite side of the spectrum.  So I wonder... How often do writers stray from their "genre"? Is it common or is it a no, no? This I don't know, all I know is, for me, whichever characters enter the stage that are loud enough for me to hear them, their story will be told,  regardless of their background or what their story will be branded.

Have a great day. 

The Dread

We all have at least one nemesis in our lives, some have more, some less.  I'm sure I have more than one, but right now, my biggest one is rearing its ugly head... The Query Letter. Yikes!

Yes, Nathanael and Saydi are getting to the point where I'm going to have to hunker down and write the most dreaded thing in world -- my nemesis, the query.

It's been in the back of my mind all weekend and every time it pops up, my stomach tightens and a shiver runs up my spine.  How is it that I can write a whole novel in a month or less? But the query is my biggest mental challenge and always manages to detach my brain from any capability to form a sentence.

Here's my plan, I've got about sixty more pages of edits, then I'll tackle the query... keyboard key indents in forehead, then I'll go back over Saydi and Nathanael with fresh eyes. 

See, I have a plan, now if only my fingers could focus instead of shake in fear.

Have a great day.

Hello, My Old Friend

As you know I've come to the editing of Nathanael and Saydi and guess what? As of last night, I'm at the point that I can  break it out again... I'm so excited! I'm huggin my thesaurus, welcome back my ole friend.

I'm working on an exceptionally difficult scene to write and I'm surrounded by all my papers that have words you can use instead of other words, my list of action words, feeling words, sensual words... Ohhh! It's too exciting.

Did I mention I love words. :)

Have a great day

Happy Monday - Yuck!

Well it's Monday, that day of the week that most people dread, including me. Honestly, I would love to be at home writing. 

I got through the first round of edits of Nathanael and Saydi this weekend, there is still more to do, but it's getting there.

How did your weekend go? Do you ever wish that the weekends and work days were reversed? I do. Don't get me wrong I love my job, but I love writing more, being in that other world, being someone else. To me, that is the ultimate time spent.

Well, I must go now, regular duties call and the day will move along slowly, only because I'm dying to be at home writing.

Have a great one.

The New Kids in Town

Well I've been working away on the new novel and the first draft is finished. It took three weeks. Now I'm working on the edits which there will be a lot, but it's a very interesting story that has captured my attention completely.

I'm not ignoring you, but the sooner I get Saydi and Nathanael finished, the sooner Michael and Rose can return to the stage. They've being gracious allowing these young pups to complete their story first.

Have a great day

It's Not All Rose and Michael

My tour takes me to Wakela's World for a book review, here's hoping it was better than yesterdays.

This site, on a whole, has been dedicated to the series of Absolute Obsession.  However, as you know, Rose and Michael have been jockeying lately for attention and you also know, there's a new gang in town.

I will forever be grateful for Michael and Rose, they pushed their way through showing me how to be a writer, how to listen, how to pay attention and because of their persistence, I have become a published author. However because of that, they have opened the flood gates for new and aspiring characters that want their voices heard.

Though I may be focused elsewhere, Michael and Rose still have my attention and will until it's time for them to depart the stage permanently and bid adu.  For me they will always play a part in every voice I write, their luv, their understanding and their words, will forever echo in the background of each new scene written.  The seed they planted will flourish.

No, their story isn't finished yet and until it is, I will hold on tight.

Have a great day.

It's that Time of Year

Today my virtual tour takes you to Colloquium for a book review. Please check it out.

Well my youngest daughter reminded me yesterday how quickly Christmas is coming, something should have clued me in on Saturday when I was out and about and everything was busy, including traffic. Anyway she came home from work and bounced into the house, asking if she could do some Christmas shopping for me and of course I replied "yes" just as excited as her.  So she took the one Christmas list I have from my oldest granddaughter and off she went.

Why am I telling you this, because it panicked me after she left, when I realized how close it really was and all the things that I still needed to get. But it also reminded me of something else, none of my children have given me their Christmas lists.  So, as with every other year, I will have to hound them so I can empty my bank account to buy them presents.  Somethings wrong with that picture.

Have a great day

Who We Write For

Today my virtual tour takes us on an interview at As the Plot Thickens, check it out and leave a comment or like. :)

I've talked a lot about listening to my characters and writing their stories as they tell it, but it isn't really as easy as that. Let me give you an example: You're telling your friends about something that happened to you and while you're telling them about the sequence of events, your hands are moving, your facial expression always explain more than we know and even your body language helps the listener to feel the horrific or wonderful  event that happened in your life.  Now take that same story and tell it to someone who cannot see and still get across all those emotions, without the body language, hand gestures or facial expressions.  That's storytelling at its best.

We listen to and see our characters in each scene, our job is to watch their facial expressions, hand movements, and body language and get it down in words. We as writers, write for everyone who cannot see what we see... That is the reader.

Have a  great day

Striving to be you

There was a mix up on my tour so I have to be in two places at once today as yesterdays stop was well... Let's not go there. So I'll leave the same blog post but send you to the two spots, hopefully I'll get there. Yikes! Busy day.

My first stop is a guest blog at Cocktails and Books, it's a little bit of a racey site, so enter at your own risk.

My other is an interview at Blogcritics (I'm running late on this one, will get to it soon).

Have you ever really wondered who you are? I don't mean are you a nice person, are you kind to others, do you gossip, are you one to rant and rave at other drivers... Not that kind of stuff. Have you ever truly looked beyond the above ground emotions, your abilities, accomplishments, failures? Someone's perception is a broad spectrum -- if you were to write a book with a character exactly as you are, would that character show their flaws (your flaws) or would that character always come out shining above the rest -- that would be your perception of yourself. Now, if someone else was to write a character exactly like you, I can guarantee that character wouldn't be someone you would recognized. The perception you have of yourself is, nine times out of ten, completely different that how other people see you. I ask, could you write a character in a true light of yourself?

Have a great day.

It Snowed

Today I am guest blogging at Colloquium, it's entitled Why I Write. Please stop by.

Well yesterday we finally had our first snow fall.  We've been very blessed this year, usually by this time we've already shovelled our walks and driveways a dozen or more times, but it held off until yesterday. And...it being the first snowfall meant everyone forgot how to drive. People were slip sliding away but yet there were those who didn't think anything of it, and would blow past me like it was summer, of course they're the accidents waiting to happen and there wasn't a shortage of those yesterday going home.

Here's hoping today will be better, because it's most frustrating sitting in traffic when characters are babbling on and on -- see, told you, even Nathanael and Saydi love to talk at most inopportune time. argg!

Have a great day.

Patience is a Virtue

Today for my tour I am at Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews, drop by and take a peek.

It's been difficult focusing on what to write in the Blog these days and it's only because I have been completely over run by new characters. The book is coming along fabulously and I was hoping to finish up the first draft this past weekend, unfortunately it didn't happen, but I am happy with the progress.  Anyway, I am asking for your patience if the blog is not updated everyday, for some reason I can't get mind off this bunch and they're making it difficult to shift gears and write something else (Don't Michael and Rose are still there, but they've finally learned patience themselves).  Just to let you know it'll be neat when you meet Saydi and Nathanael, you're going to freak.

Have a great day

Remembering

Hi all, I won't be changing the blog this week, but I will keep you informed of my virtual tour stops. Today you can meet Michael Terrance of Absolute Obsession at Reader Girls Blogspot and tomorrow, November 11, 2011, Readers Girls will review Absolute Obsession, don't forget to stop by. Remember our soldiers.
                                              No More Darkness
There is no more darkness, the light I see is not of the sun,
The thunder has awakened, the night sky alights with a gun,
There is no time to think of our day, there is no time to think of our night,
All we can think about is saving our life.

Peace is a desire, not a guarantee,
I made my choice, it’s not about me,
The lives I save are worth the toll,
And the peace I find is within my soul.

There is no more darkness, the light I see is not of the sun,
The gates have all opened, there’s no reason to run,
I am embraced in a love, that no mortal knows,
Until he is lying among the poppy rows.

By C. Elizabeth
Always in my prayers.

Virtual Tour Continues

Today I'm being interviewed at Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews come take a look. It'll be fun.

Have a great day.

 

C. Elizabeth

It's Always a Rollercoaster

Today my tour takes you to a book review from Cafe of Dreams.  It made me cry, she wrote beautiful words.

You've heard me talk many times about the ups and downs of trying to get published, the continuous rejections and having to grow a very thick skin.  It's no different after being published, it's no longer query rejections, it's opinions about your work, your love, your baby, also known as reviews. They can bring on happy tears and sad tears, sometimes outright anger, making your hands ball up in fists and then there's the one's  we truly celebrate because someone else totally got what you were trying to write down.

It takes a thick skin to be an author, but it would still be nice if everyone understood that the name on the cover of the book is a person.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Who Are You? How Did You Get Here?

Today my tour stop is a review by Live to Read.
Come take a peek (after you read my blog of course.)

The above is a fairly loaded question, it can be answered in many different ways. However, what I'm trying to ask is... How often do you reflect on how you became who you are? Do you know which were the defining moments in your life that carved that certain piece of you? Most of us probably couldn't pin point any of those moments and most of us would more than likely say "I have no regrets".

However, would you change something in the past and if so, what part of you, as a person, would be different? That question only brings more questions. If you changed that part of your past, doesn't that mean you wouldn't be who you are today? And then, does that mean you don't like who you are now?

Hmm, I could sit here all day and ask questions revolving around this very topic, so I'll leave you with my advice... Love who are, live for the moment, the past doesn't define you, your present actions do.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Over the Rainbow: Are You Willing as a Writer to Reach Out

Today I have a guest blog at Thoughts in Progress, come take a look and leavea  comment or a "like", it was fun.

Below is my Article published on Blogcritics, please take a moment and read it, I believe it might be quite inspiring.

 Article first published as Over the Rainbow: Are You Willing as a Writer to Reach Out? on Blogcritics.

When we hear the phrase “over the rainbow” it automatically summons the thought of somewhere unreachable, perhaps even untouchable, yet we all hope it exists, some even believe that it does. What if “over the rainbow” did exist? What if it wasn’t a mere fabrication from a song, but an inspiration for reality? If that’s true, we must look at the phrase in a completely different light.

To be able to fly, we must grow wings and to grow wings, we must listen carefully to that which can take us there – our intuition. When we’re young, we have intuition abound, then as we grow up, we’re constantly told, taught and advised to use our brain, not to listen to that little voice that has our gut rolling.

We all find contentment in our lives as time goes on, never questioning, nor doubting and settle into our lives as we know it, in other words a routine, regardless of who we are or what walk of life we come from, our lives are...our lives. However the difference between the average and the movers and shakers, is the ability to feel outside that life. The question is, are you willing?

Can you step out of that comfort zone to challenge your normal? Are you willing to take the other road to find the dream, even though at that moment, it’s the unknown to you?

If you can, I will guarantee that you'll throw your world off kilter and in a moment, it may seem dire to all who are in your life and to the ones you love. Yet if you have patience and understanding on your side, the rocks, dust and stones will slowly disappear, leaving behind a smooth path, where you can tug on the hands of those you love, enticing them to follow and eventually you won’t need to wish upon a star to fly over the rainbow.

Have a great day.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/over-the-rainbow-are-you-willing/#ixzz1cVfkb2a9

Online Tour Begins

Today my online book tour begins with Pump up Your Books. My first stop will be a review from Mad Moose Mama. It wasn't posted yet when I did this, so keep checking back. Thanks.  Fingers and toes crossed that it will be a good one.  Yikes!

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Happy Halloween

Tonight will be the night of little ghouls, ghosts, goblins, and witches, so on and so forth. My message today is simple: Be careful, watch out for all the little ones who are so excited about the candy from the house next door, that they're not paying attention to the possible cars that will be driving down the road -- Let's all have a safe and happy Halloween.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Family First

This week has been one of reflection and reconnection.  I have a blended family; step-mother, step-father, step-siblings, half-siblings, plain ole sisters, brothers, you catch my drift.  We all know what those titles mean within the family unit, however, do the people who have those titles warrant less or more of your attention?

Though we all may not keep in touch on a regular basis and we may not phone as often as we should -- I love them.  I may not like them sometimes, just as they may not like me sometimes, we may lead completely different lives -- but to me they're not step-anything, they're not half-anything, they are the true and originals -- I have three sisters and one brother.  We may not all be blood related, but they are my brother and sisters, whatever title society gives them... They're my family.

Have a great day and week-end.
C. Elizabeth

I'm Off and Running

The other day I talked about new people entering the stage and right on cue, some have.  A whole new cast of characters have stepped forward, who are loud and adamant that their story be told.  However, this bunch hadn't been waiting in the wings, they simply showed up, out of the blue and have put everyone else, including the edits on Rose and Michael, backstage.

Their voices are strong and are giving my typing fingers a run for their money while I try to keep up with them. One by one they are coming forward and telling me how each of their lives fit into the others.  That's about all I can say about it at this point, but I will tell you this:  Hang on, this bunch is going to take us another wild journey.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Amazon, Fictionwise -- Kindle, Nook...Oh my!

We as writers would love to have our novels number one and I believe I've touched on this subject before. It's human nature to watch the ratings on the websites that sell our books, like Amazon and Fictionwise.  We wait with anticipation to see where it will end up from week to week and give ourselves a big woohoo when we aren't last, sometimes our novels reach the first or second pages as bestsellers -- that deserves a huge, huge woohoo!

Yet, I wonder why we do it to ourselves, especially when there is no way to decipher how the book rankings work. Example:  Last week I was number 4 on Fictionwise, under Wings ePress Inc., Mainstream category -- an excellent number. I was also number 23, under Wings ePress Inc., Romance category and number 47 out of all books sold by Wings ePress Inc. on that site. An incredibly wonderful week.  This week, I'm number 7 under Wings ePress Inc., Mainstream category, a very good number. However I'm hovering between middle and bottom on the other two and I say hovering because if you're not in the top sellers, your book will jump around and can go from 243 to 1123 in an hour, then the next hour it can go back down to 93 (remember the lower the number the better, working its way to number 1).  It's confusing I know, but you get what I'm saying.

Watching the numbers individually all the time will drive you crazy (well crazier than we already are), wondering why one minute you can be in the top 25 and the next, your almost at the bottom -- we'll never know how they rank the books.  My advice --look at the bigger picture.  If Absolute Obsession holds its own and continues to sell one or two and doesn't drop out of the rankings completely (meaning absolute last) then I'm happy, someone is bringing Michael and Rose alive in their minds -- that was my goal and I have accomplished it. Now that doesn't mean that I won't brag and celebrate when it moves back up in the ranks, it's human nature.

Having said all that, I want to congratulate my friend, Laura Burks the author of  the YA novel, Altered, for ranking number one this week on Fictionwise, under Wings ePress Inc., Romance category and number one, under all the books Wings ePress Inc. sell there. Congrats Laura.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Excitement That's Sad

Well the first draft of the last novel in the Absolute Obsession series is finished, with a beginning, a middle and an end. There is still many more edits that need to be done, which I am now knee deep in making and until then, it won't be considered anywhere near a completed work.

When the last word was written, excitement was the first emotion, then sadness, making it a bitter, sweet moment. Even though I'll be revisiting them quite often doing the edits, their story is told.  What started two years ago is complete for them, their lives are now on paper as they wanted it.  And as Rose, Michael and the gang slowly leave the stage one by one, new characters are taking their place, gathering, waiting for their story to be told.

You may think it's crazy, but it's going to be difficult to say good-bye to the gang. They have become a very big part of my life, not to mention that they started me on this wonderful journey of self-discovery -- I can't help but to feel a wicked empty nest syndrome coming on.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Story Telling: How It Comes To Pass

Below is my article that was published on Blogcritics

Article first published as Story Telling: How It Comes to Pass on Blogcritics.

A writer, for all intents and purposes, is and must be a storyteller. I’ve had the great pleasure to have readers tell me that, while reading a novel, they often wonder how the author ever came up with such an idea for a book. To understand where those stories come from, one needs to know a little about the source.

To watch a writer, published or not, go about their daily business, working, tending to family matters, running errands, you wouldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. There is no sign with an arrow above their head saying “I’m a writer”, though I’m certain there are a few who wouldn’t mind such a display — they’re as normal as anyone else. Yet there is one decidedly different twist to them. It’s not something you can see, nor is it something you can touch and you will never know that distinction is there until you hold the pages of their book in your hands – it’s what is going on inside their minds. A writer can mentally multi-task, with the ability to stay focused on regular everyday things, as well as allow ideas to flow while doing it.

Extravagant, earth-shaking confrontations are not the norm to produce an idea for a writer. No, it’s mostly the world around them, maybe an encounter with a stranger who reveals a goofy quirk or a shift in the atmospheric barometer — okay, maybe not that – or perhaps seeing the tender moment between two people. Ideas come from everywhere, but it is usually the simplest things the writer takes and brings to life, building places, times, cities, and most of all the beloved characters, developing them as each word is written – unfolding the story so as to take you on a journey.

So if you’re one of those readers who often wonder where the ideas come from, remember while you’re out, you may be in the presence of a writer and you’ll never know if something you do or say will inspire a novel.

Have a great day
C. Elizabeth

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/story-telling-how-it-comes-to/#ixzz1besM6teB

The Math Equation

Today I'm going to go off on a rampage. Why you ask? Well, because something has been bothering me for years off and on and yesterday someone reminded me how much. I think and this is only my opinion, that kids aren't required to use their brains in school anymore with all the electronics out there.  The one subject that comes to mind is math.

When my kids went to school they weren't allowed to have a calculator until grade ten, now a calculator is manditory on school supplies lists as early as grade three.  The sad thing is, the kids never learn the art of doing math in their heads and as far as I'm concerned, you should be able to, at least, know your basic times table, or be able to calculate how much money you'll save if an item is 10% off and also be able to subtract that amount from the original price.

I see it every day, even with my own kids, they rely so much on electronics to do the work for them, their minds are lazy.  It really isn't their fault, that's how they were taught -- I wish the schools would turn back time, if only to the time when they  actually wanted our kids to be smart.

Nuff said, thanks for listening.

Have a great day and weekend.
C. Elizabeth

The Pictures

Well the verdict is in about which pictures to use for around the internet -- I've decided to use all of them, intermittently for all the different sites I have.  Every so often I'll change them just to keep things fresh.

Thank you for helping me to decide -- I will let you know the 4/5 and 10/11 came out on top, in a tie. I also want to thank Jill, at J. Shantz Photography for doing the pictures, she did an excellent job making me beautiful. If you need any photography done in the St. Albert/Edmonton area you definately have to check her out. She has excellent prices too.

I have removed the slideshow and again thanks guys. Luv ya.
(I know, I'm not fooling you, what a cop out on today's blog eh?)

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Book Review: Altered by Laura Burks

Jenna Larson is an eighteen year old, who tends to leave typical teenage trouble to the other teenagers, relying on her sweet and fun-loving side to get through most days.  She's looking forward to spending the summer in a small town with her grandfather, who is also known as Pops.  When Jenna's curious, high spirited side, discovers a mysterious book filled with blank pages, she thinks nothing of it.  Until words begin to appear, bringing with them a curse from another time and putting the whole town and her Pops in danger. Yet, it also brings with it a budding love. Can she alter the curse to save her Pops and her new love?

There were times when the anticipation of what would happen next had my stomach tight with fear, other times a laugh out loud and a few crying spells along the way too.  Ms. Burks' ability to bring you into this novel is nothing short of amazing. Her writing style and finesse have you transfixed on Jenna's world, not just wanting, but needing to encounter whatever it was that Jenna was about to face, cheering her on.

This is a wonderful novel that will appeal to both the young adult as well as the cross over to adult. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I tip my hat to Ms. Burk for her fine showmanship of her writing skills in her debut novel.

I can't wait to read the next...sequel, perhaps?????C. Elizabeth

Why Do I Write

The above question was posed to me yesterday and I found myself tripping over my tongue trying to give an answer. So of course, I pondered it all day, thinking about all my blogs, things that I've talked about, things the way I see it... Looking for the answer in one or all of it. Then I moved on to the next big question -- is there actually one answer? No, there isn't.

As with most things subjective, the answer will be different for every writer. As for me -- why do I write? I write for the same reason you read. To delve into a different world, to meet new people, to embark on a journey, to maybe go to a place where I can be alone, or have a sword fight with a horde of pirates (no, I'm not writing a book about pirates), but most of all, find a place that is mine and mine alone, if only for a moment, before life is real again.

Have a great day. 
C. Elizabeth

The Hazards of Writing

As I've said before, our job as writers is to show you the story, explaining things in such a way that you can see everything as we do, unfortunately sometimes that's one of the hazards of being a writer. Our visuals of a scene or world can get in the way of the words.  Allow me to explain (I hope).

As the author, we go back numerous, numerous times and re-read, most times our words will rebuild the scene in our mind exactly as you would see it. Yet on a few occasions, with a re-read, I've scratched my head, truly wondering what in the H.E. double tooth picks I was thinking when those words were put down -- in those cases, nine times out of ten it was because I was so focused on the visual of the scene, that I missed the mark for the words. At the time of writing it, it makes sense because I had a vivid picture in my mind's eye, but when I read it later, as the reader, it makes no sense at all, the words not building the scene as it should, also sometimes me forgetting completely, what the scene was in the first place. Wouldn't you call that a huge hazard, when a whole scene doesn't make sense to the writer and they don't even know what they were trying to portray in the first place? Yikes! I'll never confess when that happens, truly I won't.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is this: Remember to take the time to re-read your work no matter how long it takes, because if there is so much as a paragraph that a reader is unable to understand and gets confused, they'll put the book down, never to return and  never mind the word of mouth review.

Does this make any sense?  Well it does to me... Maybe I'll just quit while I'm ahead.

Happy Monday and have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

A Daily Peace

Again I have discovered something, (I know, I know!). I've said  before that writing gives me peace, how much wasn't really known until my discovery yesterday as I wrote. 

As you all know the summer and the past weeks have been a drivel and a dabble of writing for me, only squeezing it in where I could. Well this past week I've been on holidays and at first my days were getting filled with appointments and errands, until at the last minute I decided to clear my whole schedule to write.

My discovery -- I have to write every day. It's as much a necessity for me as my full-time job, eating, and sleeping.  Why?  Because when I write, I am in tune with my whole heart and whole soul, no outside elements matter at that moment, the only thing real are my inner emotions and the story going on within me. How many of us can say that we have delved so deep within ourselves, that we actually immerse ourselves in peace, allowing us to discover without fear -- to me that is writing. With such peace, I fear nothing for which I will discover of myself.

Have a great day and weekend. 
C. Elizabeth

Running out of Hours

There are 24 hours in a day and out of that we need to take away at least 7 for sleep and that's stretching it. Then we take away 8 for work, another 1 for commuting to and from work (and that's being generous it's more like one and a half hours), say another 2 for meals, on average 1 on errands, maybe 2 at the gym, at least 2 on marketing Absolute Obsession (writing the blogs, articles, etc.) and then time to be with the family.  This is an average work day for most people, the things that have to be done may be different, but it's a pretty good assessment.

If this is how we run our days, where is the time for us to do things simply for ourselves? All of our days are scheduled around doing what needs to be done or has to be done. Is that living or just simply existing?

Today, make an hour just for you, to do as you want, no one telling you what to do, where you need to be, no schedule. Take it, after all, it was yours to begin with before life got in the way.

Have a great day

C. Elizabeth

Trying to Get There

They've done it again. They revealed a scene a couple of months ago that has been in the back of mind and which belongs to the third of the Absolute Trilogy -- it being the scene that sets up the end.  However, that scene needed all the defining factors to come into play before it could been written out at all.

It is also a scene that I luv and am extremely excited to write.  So much so, that I find myself wanting to get to it so badly, I'm hurrying through most of the prior story, leaving out details and emotions, simply writing down the skeleton. The plan  is to go back and fill in those very, very important elements, but until my masterpiece part is written, it will stay a skeleton. That's not to say that the gang isn't telling me what those details are as I hurry through -- there are many small pieces of paper, piled in a specific spot, that will eventually complete Rose and Michael's finale'.

Have a great day. 
C. Elizabeth

Writing and Reaction: A Turn of the Tide

It was a wonderful weekend, I hope you all had a good one as well.  My article was published on Blogcritics this past weekend, please have a look and leave a comment if you like, or like it on facebook. The link is below.

Writing and Reaction: A Turn of the Tide

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Thanksgiving

Well it is thanksgiving this weekend for us Canadians so I'm taking today off from writing something inspirational or goofy or...well you know.  Have a safe and happy weekend.  I'll see you on Tuesday.

C. Elizabeth

When Things are put into Perspective

Yesterday, through inadvertence, an email that landed in my inbox reminded me of why I write. 

You've heard me say it before and I'm saying it again, the royalties are simply a bonus to this writing thing, no matter the denomination. It's the number of books sold, sitting beside that amount, that appeal to me.

For me, Michael and Rose being alive in your mind is, by far, the most exciting, you being in their world, in the way your mind's eye sees it. Yet in some scenes, you could quite possibly see it the same as I did when I wrote it. All I ask is that you don't ever forget that I'm there with you, in each word you read, each tear you cry, each angry outburst you throw out into the wind -- if you listen closely as you read, somewhere in the scene you might hear the scribbling of the words "I was here."

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

Feeling Lost

As of late I've been feeling a bit lost. No I don't mean lost in another world -- darn it! I'm lost in the real world, trying to find my way back to my other world. Only us writers can say that and not have the white coats take us away.

All kidding aside, that's how I have been feeling and even though there had been some good writing episodes this past summer, they were mostly for the second in the Absolute series, getting the rewrites into Wings ePress.  The third, I have to finally admit, didn't get a lot of attention these past months.  In my defence I tried, getting bits and pieces done, but never really able to sit down with it, uninterrupted and listen to them, life kept getting in the way.  I'm not complaining (well maybe I am a little bit), but my head was full of words, as were the feelings and truth be told, it was driving me nuts.  Never mind! I know you're asking "but isn't that the norm?"

Fingers and toes crossed that this past weekend was the turning point -- it feels like it. I've written some exceptionally solid things that I feel really good about (even though they took me through one heck of an emotional rollercoaster ride) and have managed to continue to stay focused. So much so, that I've walked through the dark patches and am now writing the outcome from that lead scene I was talking about. There's still heartache and pain, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, when before, it was pitch black.

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

The Lead

When we hear the word "lead" in reference to a book, we tend to automatically think about the hero or heroine, aka the lead character.  However, it's not only them that lead a novel, so do some specific scenes.

Few scenes can be considered the lead, those are the ones that will keep you interested, the ones that may tie all the previous chapters together, or will bring something to light that may have escaped you, or maybe it will begin a whole new journey that may not make sense at that moment, but will gobsmack you when all the puzzle pieces fit together. These scenes can be as short as a paragraph or two and as long as two or three chapters, depending on which road our characters decide to take us on. Either way, it can set you up to wait for the next shoe to drop, or give you a shiver or even have you scream out loud, "Noooo!".

I bring this up because that's where I was this past weekend. Two days of writing and each was completely absorbed in this one scene.  Why? Because it is the biggest lead I've ever written, it has every emotion flowing through it (it was a very emotional weekend for me... I cried a lot), it pulls it all together up to that point, yet adds another incredible dynamic, leaving you wondering and wanting to find out "how the hell that could  happen to Rose and Michael."

Have a great day.
C. Elizabeth

The Author Article

Blogcritics has published another article I wrote.  Please take a peek and leave a comment;
The Author:  The Master of Mind Reading

Have a gret day.

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.

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.

http://www.celizabeth.ca/

 

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.

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/

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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/

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.

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.

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/

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/

This is fun

come on in, sit down and throw a question at me.