New Challenge

Okay, I know it's not November, the month that NaNoBIAM usually occurs, but November is so busy for me with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner. So, I decided to do the BIAM in June. And I'm off to a good start with 4438 words already down. I cheated a little because this is what I accomplished in April.
I am using Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D book to help me. She suggests getting one of these each time you do the BIAM to help you stay on track.

It is really neat. It has stickers in the back so you can put your working title on the spine and tips on how to keep going even when you have to change something. You can footnote it and keep writing.

So how am I doing? Tune in tomorrow for results.

This is day two of June so there is still time if you want to join me. Send in your word count, daily or weekly or whenever you can. If you did outline or research, brainstorming, revision- instead of actual word count that's great too. It all counts for getting your novel done.

Got to go now and get my wip moving forward.

Moving On

This is the picture of happiness! Finally through with college and out on her own. She is an amazing and beautiful young woman and I'm proud to call her mine.

Next up will be Kendall. He will graduate Friday night. And tomorrow I finally get to take my pill and get back on my meds. It will be time to make up for lost time.

Upcoming events you need to aware of:
next weekend is the regatta at MSSC on the TN river. Come out and enjoy the races.

For you writers out there; this will give you a chance to interviews sailors. It would be interesting if a female captain won this year wouldn't it?

Also for you writers is the AWC conference in Huntsville, AL taking place July 15-17. Follow this link to find out more about it.

www.alabamawritersconclave.org

Life goes and goes and goes

I'm am so far behind on blogging but life does go on. I have had surgery and gone off meds and on meds and off again in the hopes to get best treatment for thyroid cancer. Since mine is not well differentiated other opinions were needed to see what would be the best route to go. In this picture we were able to catch a rare moment when we could all be together. I have one more week to be on low iodine diet (LID) and off thyroid meds. Rachel has graduated from University of South Carolina and next up will be Kendall graduating from High School.
This is Kendall and Eddie, Rachel and Amber and me and Ken. A great looking family if I say so myself. And yes, we are very proud of all of them.

Women, Art History and Poetry

This was the title of the event that was held at the Florence-Lauderdale Public library. Being the history lover that I am I was thrilled to learn how Irene created poetry from pictures (art) and from historical events about women.

I loved the one about Einsteins' daughter, maybe because it spoke to me on a scientific level too.

Irene handed out three notecards we were too look at a picture of art and write out first thought about it on one card. Then on the next we were to maybe what was happening or what memory it brought to mind and then on the third we were to think about the emotion it evoked.

Then she put all of them together and the whole class wrote a beautiful poem. Incredible! She made it seem so easy.

Now if I could only do that again???

Nuggets of Gold Discovered

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom 8:18.

I may be taking this completely the wrong way, but this morning this verse is telling me that nothing can be so bad as what heaven won't outshine for us. In other words it is giving me strength to prepare me for what I am going to have to endure with my radiation treatment.

Rom 8:25 says that if we hope for what we can't see, then we wait with patience. I am learning to be patient. Facing the unknown is scary. I visited the ThyCa.org web site and learned a lot about my cancer and that pretty much, everyone responds differently.

So then I think about what should I pray for? Or hope for? and verse 26-27 says not to worry about it because when all we can do is cry, Jesus takes our wants and needs to Father himself and intercedes. Roman's chapter 8 ends on a positive note: There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.

I hope this inpires you in some way too, with whatever battle you may be facing. Rmember there is no job too small or too that God can't handle.

TAKING A DETOUR

Sometimes the best laid plans must be put on hold. I'm a goal oriented person. I love to make lists and track my progress. Sometimes the rug gets pulled out from under you and you come to a screeching halt, like maybe a hurricane or earthquake or cancer.

Mine came in the form of cancer this week. I had found a knot on my throat but wasn't concerned "It was just a goiter" or so I thought. I have no cancer risks and none in my family. So I went and had the necessary tests which was inconclusive and a thyroid ectomy was performed this past Tuesday. the result was follicular thyroid cancer. I guess I can count myself lucky as this is not a life threatening cancer. It's just the idea of something growing in you and you have no idea it is there. There were no symptoms, no problems of any kind. My body is learning to adapt and so am I. God has been merciful and good. I am so blessed. I have a great and wonderful close knit family for which I am grateful for. An awesome church family and I am also blessed with wonderful friends, many of which I have met at writing conference and co-workers.

I want to thank everyone for the prayers offered for me. They mean more than I can say.

Keep me in your prayers as the ground steadies once more and I'm up and running again.

HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING

I think I must have adult hyperactivity or attention deficient when it comes to writing daily. So I have been researching some ways to overcome this and hopefully it will help you too.

In a supplement of The Writer magazine, David Taylor suggests putting yourself on a timer and put butt in chair for 45 minutes. This is to help train yourself to get in the habit of writing daily.

Barbara Seuling in her book, How to Write a Children's Book and Get It Published, says in Chapter 6 to try writing 15 minutes a day every day. Just to get yourself in the habit of sitting down and writing something, anything. Until it becomes a habit.

She described me to a "T" when she talked about how you go answer the phone and on your way you see something that needs to be done and go from one room to the next.

Well that's me and before I know it, it is time for me to get ready for work.

So this is my challenge to myself this week, sit for 15 minutes without getting up. Turn the phone off and forget everything else and just work on my work in progress.