A Not-So-Quiet Adventure in Writing

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Saturday, I took my three younger children to the public library. It was quite an adventure. The definition of "quiet at the library" has changed for me now that I am a mom. Really, any public library that has an interactive children's section can't expect the same kind of "quiet" like the musty university library of my younger years where a talk above a whisper was a no-no.

No.

"Library quiet" is more of a "not-roaring (sometimes, depending on the puppet show), non-shouting-

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at-your-sibling" kinda hush.

Let's fast-forward to later that day when I gave myself permission to write in the chaos of my own home. A feat I had long since thrown off as typical in my writing life.

For some reason this past year I told myself a lie: That I could only write with peace and quiet, no interruptions, and preferably with the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop just beyond my laptop. With four kids, two dogs, and a husband, you can imagine how much writing I have accomplished this past year with this type of expectation. Throw in a little life drama....okay...let's say heavy on the side of spice with no sweetener about... and I have myself a few hundred blank pages.

Back to the chaos of my own home this past Saturday...I plopped myself on the couch with my daughter singing and dancing to Max and Ruby, my sons battling it out on Minecraft and inviting the neighborhood in for a peek at their "worlds", and I made myself WRITE. Even just a sentence every five minutes, or between snacks, or after breaking up a fist fight (no joke)...I actually got in a groove.

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(What I hope my boys are aspiring for when they fight in my living room.)

Crazy.

But in a library with the children's section not so secluded and the volume level unexpectedly high, there were still stories in books waiting to be read and stories being read by readers (even if they were slightly annoyed with the noise). And in the crazy life I live, there is still a story to be told amidst the chaos, and even if the story being written by a writer who is slightly (or more so) annoyed with the little beasts running about, it is at least being written. Let's just say, when the book is finally finished, it will all be quite the adventure worth having!

What is your biggest distraction to settle into a writing groove?

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**all photos found on www.freedigitalphotos.net

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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written five Historical Romance novels, has a Historical underway, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets, selling Jamberry Nail Wraps, and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check out her author page at www.facebook.com/dicken.angie and her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com 

The Alley Weekend Round Up

I've have the wants! I want to write. I want to paint. I want to be a landscaper and get my yard beautiful enough to house a Yard-of-the-Month sign. I want to learn to new recipes and be a great cook. I want to decorate my home to look like Karen Schravemade's home. I want so much. But you know...I cannot do it all. I can focus on what God puts before me today and do it to the best of the ability He has given me. That's all we can do...use out gifts and talents to bring glory to Him. No, it may not be beautiful like the kind of beauty Karen can make, but it will be the kind of beautiful that God has created me to make. We all make our own kind of beautiful...and that is a great thing. So as you go through your week and write the words of your story, know that God is using you to create something of worth. And while you are at it, stop by the Alley and take in all the awesome posts we have lined up for you! Wow...it's gonna be a good week.

The Alley Weekly Line Up

Monday - Pepper has been slaving away, writing a couple of synopsis to send out, so she is well prepared to give us some great pointers in doing the "dreaded synopsis".
Tuesday - Laurie begins her role as an Alley Cat telling us "How To Be A Good Guest In Your Promotional Journey (And How To Get Invited Back). How's that for a great first post?!?!
Wednesday - Mary is going to teach you "How To Entice Readers To Turn The Page".
Thursday - Krista's got you covered..."Cool, Calm and Covered".
Friday - Casey has the question that many of us are asking..."Should You Go To Writing Conferences When You Aren't Writing?"

Alley Cat Spotlight

We are spotlighting Angie Dicken! She loves to write historical romance and has been a winner and finalist is quite a few writing contests. She is a mother of four and keeps busy doing "mom" things and other fun stuff such as...Jamberry Nails! Angie just launched her start as a consultant for them and has been selling the coolest nail wraps I've ever seen. (You can check out the ones I bought here.) You can check out her Facebook page here. Angie also is a master at creating One Sheets for your manuscripts and even won the Mile High One Sheet Contest in 2011. You can find out more here and here. Angie is an amazing person and we are so blessed to have her here at The Writer's Alley.

The Awesome Link Round Up

Self-Publishing Is Real (Now What?) (The Passive Voice)

Be Careful Where You Look For Glory (Storyline Blog)

How To Maintain Focus When Writing (WritetoDone)

Creativity and Story (Ransomed Heart)

Reflections on Things Heard At RWA 2014 (Scott Eagan)

Link Love: Synonym Finders, Marketing on Goodreads, etc (Go Teen Writer)

Writing Contests - August Update (Seekerville)

New Kindle Feature (hahaha!!!) (Passive Voice)

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE ALLEY CATS!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL

THE ALLEY CATS: Angie, Ashley, Casey,

Cindy, Julia , Karen, Krista, Mary, Pepper,

and Sherrinda!!!!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6, KJV

What's Up the Street For Next Week? CONFERENCE EDITION

Look at this great pic of The Alley Cats (Wendy, Mary, Casey, Sarah, Angie, Pepper) who attended ACFW (we truly missed our sister cats Sherrinda, Cindy, Julia, &, Krista). What a crew ;-)

Pepper, Mary, and Casey here.

Are you ready for more conference pics?

Well, we have them for you!

And here's a wonderful pic of Casey, Angie, and Mary. Aren't they cute?!?











Drumroll here... Pepper got to meet RUTH LOGAN HERNE!! YAY! Ruthy is even cuter and snarkier in person than she is online at Seekerville - so Pepper met the people she wanted to meet MOST OF ALL (except Liz Curtis Higgs....but there's always tomorrow!)

What can be better that Christian writing friends meeting, chatting, reacquainting, learning, networking, critting, staying up late to do blogs, writing, rewriting, writing, rewriting....in cyberspace or at a conference?

Have a super day writing--we'll post more from the conference tomorrow.

Feature:  THE GALA BANQUET!!