This blog is my participation in The Author’s Blog Chain. Christina Carson tagged me on her blog. I have the honor of being Christina’s friend for many a year, having been introduced by her husband Bert Carson, whom I had met a few years before. He said we would like “talking” to each other. How right you were Bert … and Bert is one of my author’s I am tagging, so check his link below.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading what Christina writes, here’s where you will find her. Take the time to visit. You will be delighted you did so.
The Author’s Blog Chain requires me to answer four questions about my writing life, so here goes:
- What am I currently working on
I have been writing what I call spiritual self-help books, based on perception and what is Reality, for the past 25 plus years, so I decided that I was ready to try my hand at a fiction book. I am enjoying the process of following characters and a story line. I wrote the core of the book during the month of November when thousands of us tried to complete a novel in one month. Of course, that doesn’t mean the novel is finished because now it needs to make sense, and that is where I am now with it. What made me laugh as I was writing it was the awareness that I am still writing about perception and the question of reality.
- How does my work differ from others’ in the same genre?
It’s my point of view, and the way I express myself that makes the difference. I have a strong point of view about possibilities, spirituality, and Reality, and even when I think I have stepped away from it, I am always expressing it. Yes, others who may have the same point of view, but I know their life experiences and what they did with it, are different from mine. Isn’t this what we are all working on; finding our own voice?
- Why do I write what I write?
I can’t help it. My guess is that most writers can’t help it. My first published book. A Woman’s ABC’s of Life is a simple advice book. I still love that book, and find it relevant 20 years after I wrote it. It wasn’t that hard to write. I discovered I was full of advice, about everything, and all I had to do was think of a scenario and I knew what I would advise someone about it. Doesn’t mean I am always right – heavens no – just that I always have an opinion, as much as I sometimes wish I didn’t.
My second published book, Living In Grace: The Shift To Spiritual Perception was the hardest one to write, because it felt (still feels) as if it was the book I had to write. It may sound silly, but if felt like a life contract and I had to keep my agreement to fulfill it. It took over six years of first teaching the idea in seminars, and another almost nine years to write it, and my last dollars to get it published, but it when it was done, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.
Now I write because I still have more to say, I still want to make some ideas in my head clear to myself and others, I still have advice, and I still want to share and make a difference in the world.
- How does my writing process work?
It is based on trust. Trust that if I listen, I will hear an idea hanging out waiting to be put on paper. Trust that it will happen if I just sit down and start writing. Trust that on a walk, or in the shower, or watching TV an idea will pop, and if I hurry and write it down, it will be perfect to write about sometime. Trust that if I keep writing, I will get better and better at it.
I have a writing document where I keep ideas that haven’t fully developed into either an essay or a book. Some sit there for years until one day something prompts me to use it, or marry it with a new idea.
I write best on deadlines. Self-imposed usually. I call it the “curtain going up” deadline. If I have said I will have the Ezine ready, the page finished, or the book ready, then by dang, I will. I don’t like not keeping my word. That is even more uncomfortable then getting myself to sit down and write.
I used to think I could only write certain times of the day, but once my schedule was too mixed up to keep a standard writing time, I discovered that sitting down at the computer with writing on my mind at any time of the day or night worked.
Often, I can feel myself resist writing. Isn’t that funny? I love to write, and yet I resist the sitting down and doing it. That’s when I have to pull up a deadline, and just start to type.
Not editing as I am writing works the best for me. I follow the idea or the characters and let them take the story where it is going. After everything is down on paper, I really enjoy the editing process of bringing clarity, taking out words that aren’t necessary, cleaning up sentences. It’s as much fun as the original writing for me. I like order and simplicity and that is probably why I like that process too.
Tag – Your Next – The Next Three Writers
I know you will enjoy these three writers – everyone different, everyone with a wonderful point of view to share with you.
Bert Carson
To prepare for this, I wanted to figure out how long I have known Bert. We met on line, probably around the year 2000. We were both advertising on Google Ads. I realized that we were using the same “key word” because we kept on trading the same spot on the Google ad pages.
I wanted to know someone who was using the word “spirituality” as his key word too, so I wrote to him, and he answered, that’s Bert for you!
For a few years Del and I received the amazing little booklet that Bert and Christina printed, I think I have mine saved somewhere, they were stunning!
Every year I am more convinced that following that little Angel Ideas has reaped rewards far beyond my expectations. If you don’t know Bert already, here’s your chance to jump on his bandwagon. He’ll take you to some awesome places!
You can read his blog here and find all his books here!
He is just finishing up a NEW book, and recording it too! Check out info on the book Lessons Learned here.
Here’s what he is about:
I was born in Birmingham, Alabama, 71 years ago. Currently I live in Huntsville, Alabama, which is a little over 100 miles north of Birmingham.
I have lived in Trussville, Mentone, Childersburg, and Mobile, Alabama; Palatka and Jacksonville, Florida; Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Laurel (Mississippi), Memphis, Tennessee and Vietnam.
I’ve been a construction worker, soldier, corporate manager, car dealer, minister, professional speaker, small business owner, and writer. I’ve been married four times, bankrupt twice, homeless once, and a millionaire once.
I live, very happily, with my wife, Christina, whose CV is as long (or longer) than mine. Christina is also a writer.
I love to read and write. Amazon facilitates both of those passions.
Alana Woods
Alana lives where I would live in an alternative Universe. Alana and I have just recently met through our common affiliation in a Triberr writer’s group.
Once I met her I started reading her book Automation. This is seriously one of those books that I have to time myself reading, and make myself put down so I can get some work done. I know when I finish this one, I will start on the next!
I am so glad she said yes when I asked her to play; it is wonderful to meet new writer friends, and introduce them to others.
Get to know her and her work, I am positive you will be glad you did!
Here’s what she is about:
I was born in England but moved to Australia with my family when I was three and I’ve been an Aussie in heart and soul ever since. Love the place.
As a writer I took to heart the maxim ‘Write what you know’.
My two published thrillers, suspense intrigue thrillers, were sparked by jobs I’ve held: AUTOMATON by five years in court reporting and IMBROGLIO after several years at a weapons research facility.
I’m working on a third, DRAGLINE, corporate legal suspense, building on insider knowledge gained while working with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Once that’s published I’m off in to the great unknown, writing-wise, with an idea that’s right outside my present comfort zone and I’m looking forward to getting cracking!
Read Alana’s Blog
You can find her books here.
Cynthia Dagnal-Myron
I met Cynthia through the Story Cartel writers community, and started reading her blogs. THEN, I read her book, The Keka Connection and fell under her spell. If you haven’t discovered her writing, here is your chance to get to know her!
Here’s is what Cynthia is about:
Cynthia Dagnal-Myron is an award-winning former reporter for both the Chicago Sun Times and Arizona Daily Star and a current Huffington Post blogger whose articles have appeared in Rolling Stone, Salon, Working Mother, Orion and many others.
During her Sun Times years, she sat desk to desk with mentor and friend, the late Roger Ebert, and traveled with, interviewed and reviewed rockers like Kiss, Queen, the Who, Aerosmith, and Led Zeppelin.
She also interviewed film stars like John Travolta, Kirk Douglas, Richard Pryor and the then unknown cast of Star Wars–and dated Arnold Schwarzenegger. Once.
And then one day…she walked away from all of it. And never looked back.
The Keka Collection, a compilation of Open Salon blog posts, is a both a remembrance of those wild years and a reflection on the new life she found in the Southwest, where she married a prominent Hopi artist and became a PR consultant for the Hopi Tribal government and public school administrator before moving to Tucson, where the adventure continues.
The Keka Collection can be found here: And her blogs can be found here: Open Salon and Huffington Post
BECA LEWIS coaches, teaches, writes blogs and books, plays with art, and is addicted to reading. She lives in Ohio with her husband and has kids and grandkids scattered across the country.
