Writing For the Love.... of Communtiy

Pepper, Mary, Casey, Angie, Sarah, Wendy

 I have been inspired lately--just by witnessing the fruit of other writers. It's easy to get caught up in this writing life and only be in it for "me", but when I open up and give a little encouragement, prayer, time, to those around me, the blessings overflow in a whole new way. Hope this post that I wrote last year inspires you, and also gets you geared up for the upcoming ACFW conference!

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Yes, folks. We're sometimes considered to be hermits, scribbling away in our writing caves, sipping on the upteenth cup of coffee, hunched over desks, frantically pouring out words as we listen to the voices in our heads...just typing that makes me want to go find a cozy spot and begin to create! BUT, God has taught me so much this past year, and by placing people in my life as I delved into the writer's community, I know that this craft is not a lonely one. It offers some of the most wonderful friendships I have come across, and I want to share with you all how the conference shed light on my variation of the old African proverb...“It takes a village, to raise a writer.”

It morphed based on three experiences I had at the conference: AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIPS, FACE TO FACE HONESTY, WORSHIP AS ONE BODY

AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIPS

Pepper and Ashley Clark

You can tell when someone is authentic. When they are showing you their true self and what their mouth speaks is genuine. Yes, we are all professionals trying to “sell” our books, but if you lose that authenticity, you lose what makes you YOU. I was surrounded by women ( Alley Cats, crit partners, new author friends, blog friends...) who were authentic, who didn't put on airs, who allowed their hearts to be worn smack dab on top of their neatly pressed blouses.
And I walked away knowing that I have a giant support system of which I wouldn't have realized if I chose to continue my hermitage (is that a word?)...I have friends out there who understand the passion I am driven by, and accept the humanness that causes me to stumble. When I was REAL, and others around me were REAL, God's light and providence was all the more evident.

FACE TO FACE HONESTY
I had the opportunity to sit with three editors and three agents this year. Yes, I was one of those who checked the board and snatched up appointments when someone I hoped to talk to was available. I have a harder time just striking up a conversation with an editor or agent in the hallway, so the designated appointments were gold to me.
I had some nibbles, but believe it or not, the ones that blessed me most were the “rejections”... particularly when an editor gave me a concrete example of how my story could improve... can I tell you I sat behind my computer and applied her criticism, and came up with a whole new layer of character development, a strong foundation for my novel's theme. Had I not been willing to crawl out of my writer's cave and expose myself to “the village” I would never be in the know of what people (the BIG people, the I-want-to-impress-you people) want to know!

WORSHIP AS ONE BODY

Angie and Melanie Brasher

There is a humility to know that every person in the room can cast off the cares of the same dream at the same time and fully submit to their Savior. And, to find hope when a successful author (Jenny B. Jones) blesses us with words from scripture, to share her experiences as a new writer, and know how much God has blessed her in this journey, was worth the trip to ST. Louis. To hear the testimonies of so many who are on this same path, fills a writer's heart and encourages us continue. Gather your pots, friends, God is willing and able to fill them with precious oils overflowing.

So, have you had any experiences with workshops, conferences, writing groups that help encourage and mature you as a writer?

Come meet Karen Schravemade - newest AlleyCat

I love bringing about good news - especially when it involves a new friend.

And that's exactly what I get to do today - introduce you to a new friend. I met Karen Schravemade at the 2011 ACFW conference in St. Louis. She was absolutely lovely - both inside and out. As a fellow Genesis finalist, mom of boys, and lover of Jesus - we had a lot to chat about. God was so good that He even allowed Karen and I to 'Providentially' meet up in the airport on our flights back home. SUPER COOL! Not only that - but Karen and I both started the writing journey when we were SIX! (long-term dreamers, right Karen?)

So, here at the Alley we decided to interview Karen so you all could get to know her too :-)

Sit back and welcome our new AlleyCat - you'll love her accent :-)

If you weren't a writer, what would be your dream career?

It would definitely still have to be something creative. I think it would be fun to be an interior designer for one of those TV shows where they makeover people’s houses as a surprise. I’d have a team of spunky handymen to do my bidding and an unlimited budget to spend on gorgeous furnishings and décor.

Then in my spare time I’d freelance as an illustrator for children’s books, pottering around in a light-filled art studio beside the sea.

What is your favorite writing attire?

Oh, I’m extremely glamorous. When I get up early to write, I wear my PJ’s. On days when the kids go to daycare and I’m not teaching, I go to the library to write, so I have to be a little more respectable. I try to remember to wear shoes on those occasions.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Definitely the library. We have an awesome local library with soaring ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass windows down its length, so it’s flooded with natural light. There’s a coffee shop stocked with tasty treats, and there’s free Wi-Fi (for writing research, of course – I would never check Facebook on a writing day! Ahem). Besides which, there’s something deliciously inspiring about being surrounded by books in every direction.

What items do you need by your side when you write? 

I’m very low-maintenance. I need my laptop, of course (love my MacBook Pro) and I always have a water bottle at my elbow. Other than that, all I require is to *not* have children clambering all over me and screaming for attention. That part is easier said than done.

Who is your favourite male character (book or movie) and what makes him so fantastic?

This may sound a little odd, but I loved the character of Patrick played by Heath Ledger in “Ten Things I Hate About You.” (Remember back that far?) Patrick was totally not the sort of guy I ever would have been attracted to in real life – a rebel and borderline delinquent with long hair and an attitude. But there was something kinda adorable about his cheekiness. Maybe it was that cute dimple. Maybe it was because he had a good heart; he was just misunderstood.

Oh, heck, who am I kidding, I just liked looking at him. J Didn’t hurt that Heath was an Aussie, either.

Tell us something we probably don’t know about life in Australia.

We speak a different language over here. For years I couldn’t work out why those crazy Americans ate cookies with gravy, or spread Jell-O on their toast. (We call cookies “biscuits”, and spread “jam” on a slice of bread – for us, jelly’s the quivery stuff you set in the fridge.)

We also have lots of other expressions that I never realised were uniquely Australian until I joined an American critique group and began baffling them with my odd vocabulary. For instance, our cars have bonnets and boots (hoods and trunks). Oh, and we drive on the other side of the road.

In fact, there’s probably lots of things we do that seem upside-down and back-to-front. For us, Christmas falls in summer, so it means seafood on the BBQ and loads of fresh salads, cricket in the backyard, and a nap in the air-conditioning after lunch.

Australia is a very beautiful country, but it took me years to appreciate that fact. I grew up on a diet of Enid Blyton and other English authors, and craved after lush green fields and fairy rings in the woods and snow at Christmas. You can drive for endless miles in Australia and see nothing but the same khaki-coloured bush and glaring blue skies. The beauty of this country is stark and wild and raw, but once you learn to see it, it’s a beauty that gets under your skin. There’s a famous Australian poem by Dorothea Mackellar that says it much better than I can:

“I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror –

The wide brown land for me!”

(Pepper here, lovely Karen. :-) AND I know for sure you have two Brit-speak lovers in the Alley Cat group, so we totally get the biscuits, chips, mushy peas, and jam thing. Love it!)

What is your favorite thing about living in Australia?"

We have the most amazing, unspoilt beaches in the world. It's also a very safe and peaceful place to live.

What does an average day for you look like?

I’m a (mostly) stay-home Mum to two little boys age 3 and 2, and I think the daily routine of Mums with small kids is probably much the same wherever you live.

Our home backs onto bush, so I wake to the sounds of white cockatoos screeching and kookaburras laughing. We go to the gym most mornings, where the kids play in the crèche while I do a workout (yoga being my favourite, because we get to lie on the floor at the end and do nothing at all. I have been known to fall asleep at this point. No doubt I drool, too.) Then we go to playgroup, or have a play-date with a friend who also has small kids. Home for lunch and a nap (I’m pregnant, so sleep features prominently in my schedule - LOL), then we usually spend the afternoon at home, doing craft or playing in the backyard until Daddy gets home from work.

Hmmm… sounds quite idyllic! Of course, that’s in between stopping fights, drying tears, wiping sticky fingers, changing nappies (oops, diapers), dealing with tantrums and trying to find the time to clean the kitchen and fold some laundry.

(Pepper again: Oh dear, loving the lingo, Karen. I'm pretty sure most of us don't hear kookaburras or let our kids play in a creche - but I think the nappies and kips are a staple :-)

How has your writing style evolved from your very first WIP?

My first novel was a Young Adult urban fantasy that I wrote at the age of 23. My current novel is Women’s Fiction. My writing style has grown with me. Although I’m working in a completely different genre now, the same themes still run through my writing – the search for meaning and the journey to find God. I think my writing still has the same flavour, too. I like my novels dark and dramatic.

How did you manage the time change when you came for ACFW conference? Was it harder to adjust here, or going back?

Okay, so I’ve already mentioned that I like my sleep. Overcoming jet-lag was tough for me. Switching day and night is quite an adjustment to begin with, and with all the adrenalin and nerves thrown in, the first two nights I didn’t sleep a wink. If you met me and thought I seemed unusually doughy, it was probably because I was having a body-detached-from-brain experience. I even missed my first editor appointment – got the time completely wrong. (YIKES!!!) Thankfully he was very gracious about it. And of course the whole conference was totally worthwhile. I caught up on sleep once I got home. J 

I’ll give you three items and a genre, and you have to come up with a brief plot for the book, giving back-cover-copy length synopsis and having the 3 things be significant in the plot.

1.)    Chinese Money

2.)    Toe-nail clippings

3.)    A Princess

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Holy cow. Okay! (*Furtively Googles “Regency Romance” to disguise her utter lack of knowledge of this time period*) Ahem…

Lady Patience Lamb has always had trouble living up to her name. Feisty and free-spirited, she dreams of seeing the world, but her mother’s only concern is to find her an appropriate match. Desperate to escape the stifling confines of London society, Patience disguises her title in order to act as a governess to the spoilt young Princess Henrietta, who is about to embark on a three-month trip abroad. 

But when her young charge vanishes in Constantinople after a row with the governess, Patience worries that the disappearance could be her fault. Enlisting the help of the dashing Duke of Ware to help track down the princess, the two uncover a bizarre trail of clues including an envelope of toenail clippings and a purse of Chinese coins. The Duke suspects the worst – that the princess has been abducted by a Chinese acrobat with odd habits of personal hygiene.

As their journey carries them across the continent and closer to the truth, Patience finds herself falling for the adventurous Duke, but social convention will never allow him to court a governess. Should she reveal her true identity and forfeit the position that has opened up the world of adventure she’s always craved? Or remain silent and risk losing the one man she has ever dared to love?   

 (LOL - Pepper here, did she do a great job with Krista's challenge or WHAT!)

Thanks for having me – I’m so excited to be a part of The Writers Alley.
To learn more about Karen check out her BEAUTIFUL webpage!

What to Expect After You Submit to the Genesis ;-)

Tis the season for the Genesis. In fact, we’re down to the last few days of possible entries.


Have you entered?

Coming from a previous entrant, I thought I might share a little bit of ‘what happens next’.

Are you ready?

1. You try your very best to forget about when the semi-finals will be announced. In fact, you may go to great lengths to erase the finals announcement (May 28th in case you’re trying to forget it ;-) from your memory.

2. While you try very hard to forget May 28th – you wait. Waiting might include many activities. Your regular routine will most likely continue, with only a few hundred reminders per day that May 28th is getting closer. As you wait, some suggestions distractions might be:

         a. Watching movies, especially those similar to your novel

         b. Eat chocolate

          c. Walk, fast and furiously, for…er…28 minutes?

          d. Eat more chocolate

         e. Email other entrants within your close circle and gripe about how hard waiting is.

         f. Find a new hobby - Paper mache, Origami, and plate spinning are a few.

3. Strange side effects may begin to form. Things such as excessive nail biting, a preoccupation with calendars- particularly those months of April & May, a sudden compulsion to reread the book of Genesis....

4. Sometime in April (around April 9th – if you want to make sure not to check your calendars), semi-finalists will be notified. I hadn’t forgotten this date quite well enough and as soon as a phone number popped up on my cell with a weird area code last year I grabbed it.

Remember, being a semi-finalist is a big deal. It means your work landed in the top 20% of entrants. That alone is winning information.

5. Six weeks later, finalists are announced. This actually came as a surprise call to me. My fellow Alley Cats had to remind me of the day. (Life gets busy, okay)

(side note: Entering this contest is an example of a winner too. Just entering - because that means you've made it beyond the writing-infancy stage)

Recommendations to cope with the wait:

1. Find other authors who will commiserate with you :-) Actually, the Alley Cats are the best encouragers EVER! Several of them entered this year, so it will be a DELIGHT to cheer them on.

2. Eat chocolate to dull the despair of waiting.

3. Keep busy. There’s nothing worse than waiting around for something. Time goes by faster when you keep yourself busy :-)

4. Keep writing. Finish the manuscript you entered, or move on to something new. If you final, then you’ll have even more stories to pitch to agents and editors at conference.

5. Pray for patie…er…God’s will. The very thougth of praying for patience means you get suffering. Suffering + Genesis finals does not sound good, does it? :-) In all seriousness, don’t forget God’s loving hands are even in the middle of writing contests. He’s here – and He has a plan. One that includes the stories we write, but (more importantly) the one HE is writing in Us.

What are you doing to pass the time while you wait for…that date that will not be mentioned?


Any tips you can share?

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Pepper Basham is a Blue Ridge Mountains’ native, mom of five, pastor’s wife, and university instructor. She writes in various fictional genres but spices them all with grace and humor. She is a 2011 Genesis double-finalist and can be found causing mischeif at The Writers Alley, on her personal blog- www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com, or in her imaginary world. Company always welcome.

What's Up The Street For Next Week?

Photo credit

Sometimes the time comes to say goodbye. We have to expect it in a way, because it's the cyle of life. We either have to move on or priorities need to be rearranged.

And while we are sorry to make this announcement, we wish our fellow Alley Cat, Wendy the very best in her writing life. In the plans God has for her. Plans of good and not of harm to give her a hope and a future.

So, please leave a comment wishing Wendy well and know we will be watching for monumental success from you, Wendy!! ;-) She'll be back once in a while for a guest post, so we aren't completely losing her.

Wishing you the BEST, Wendy!

New year, new week on the Alley. What's up??

It's the contest season and Angie has guest Naomie Rawlings on the Genesis contest. Check back on Monday.

Prayer is an intricate part of the writing life. Julia brings this topic to the blog on Tuesday.


Sarah brings tips on how to be a better blogger on Wednesday.


Thursday will be Wendy's final post for the Writer's Alley.

Cindy explains how to make a scene truly magical, by breaking down specific elements on Friday.

Sidewalk Talk

You can keep up with Wendy on her blog: Thoughts that Move, Twitter and Facebook.

You can now email the gals at the Writer's Alley and hear back directly from one of us! (not that we think ourselves celebrities or anything...) AND if you have a question, do share at this email: thewritersalleys(@)gmail(.)com We have some fun surprises in store for the questions you send, so don't be shy. ;-)

Hang in with us, we're still the same blog and will be proactively looking to bring in a new face as God leads.

Twelve Ways of this Business

If you’ve been running a mile a minute like I have, then you likely feel this way…we need a little humor right this very minute.

I’m here to deliver. (Here’s to hoping this gets a laugh out of you.)

The Twelve Ways of this Business

On the first day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

partridge (partial title of one of my novels) in a contract…wee! (Just playin’. No big announcements to share.)

On the second day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

new platform love & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the third day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the fourth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the fifth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

six tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the seventh day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

seven mochas brewing, six tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the eighth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

eight pencils breaking, seven mochas brewing, six tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the ninth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

nine chapters prancing, eight pencils breaking, seven mochas brewing, tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the tenth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

ten verbs-a-sleepin’, nine chapters prancing, eight pencils breaking, seven mochas brewing, six tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

eleven editors Skyping, ten verbs-a-sleepin’, nine chapters prancing, eight pencils breaking, seven mochas brewing, six tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love, & partridge in a contract…wee!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my agent gave to me…

twelve bloggers blogging, eleven editors Skyping, ten verbs-a-sleepin’, nine chapters prancing, eight pencils breaking, seven mochas brewing, six tweets-a-sayin’, five cell phone rings, four stalling words, three agency friends, new platform love & partridge in a contract…wee!

Merry Merry!
And to all a good night!

*photo from Flickr

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Wendy Paine Miller writes women’s fiction, crafting stories with the hope of poking brains and moving thoughts. She graduated with a BA in English from Wittenberg University, where she earned an Honor of Distinction for her accrued knowledge of literature. Wendy feels most alive when she’s speeding in a boat, reading, writing, refurbishing furniture, running, and trusting God. To interact with her, visit http://thoughtsthatmove.blogspot.com/

So Thankful

We Alley Cats have gathered together

To Ask the Lord's Blessings

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;

So from the beginning the fight we were winning;

Thou, Lord, wast at our side- all glory be Thine

2nd verse We Gather Together a Netherlands Folk Hymn

Angie

I am thankful for my husband! He has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone in so many parts of my life ... Which always seems to find me closer to God once I muster up the courage and listen. If it wasn't for my husband, I would never have joined ACFW, and I wouldn't have a clue what this is all about!

Casey

When I think “thanksgiving” (and I’m not really talking the holiday right now) several things immediately come to mind.

First is family. I really, honestly, truly could not do what I do without my family.

Second is my writing. I love to write. I feel blessed to be able to create every day. Don’t always LIKE to create everyday, but I wouldn’t live without it.

Third, my friends. Wow, what friends I have been blessed with. I almost cry to think about it.

Fourth (do I really have to number these, I better not), I couldn’t live this life without my Savior. The author of Thanks, the Giver of all of my blessing and the reason I smile everyday.

Cindy

I am thankful for my family. We had a new addition this year and she's been such a wonderful blessing, rounding out a family I can't say enough wonderful things about. God has been so faithful to us, and been the rock we needed to get through a challenging year.

Julia

I'm thankful for God's loving guidance through all circumstances.

Krista

I’m thankful for God’s steadfast love and strength regardless of our circumstances. I’m thankful to a family who gave my daughter life in their time of unimaginable sorrow. I’m thankful for a publishing house that took a chance on a fledging author like myself. I’m thankful for a family who loves me despite my narcotic ways and uncountable failings. I’m thankful for Alley Cats who stand by each other during thick and thin, good posts and “holy crap what do I write” posts, even when life gets the best of us. I’m just one blessed, thankful woman, what can I say!

Mary

I am thankful for words. God’s Word, my family’s words, my friend’s words, Alley Cat words, words that tell the Gospel, words that entertain, words that make me laugh, and words that encourage. Words that teach, and yeah, I guess words that correct. I’m thankful for words hiding in my heart waiting to be said—or kept secret. I am thankful that: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word is God. Without words…

Pepper

God always dreams big for His kids - and this year, as in every year, I'm so thankful He calls me His kid. I'm overwhelmed by His great love in giving me my beautiful family and I can't express the joy in His callings on my life. It's been a very tough year because the Thanksgiving table will be missing quite a few in my family this year, but I'm thankful they've just moved up to God's table and are waiting for me to join them :-)

It's remarkable where God's brought this group of dreamers and believers known as the Alley Cats. You guys have been such a beautiful part of my year and I thank God for you all. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Sarah

I'm thankful that God always walks one step ahead of us and guides our path--both in writing and in life.

Sherrinda

I am thankful for the love of a godly man, a beautiful family who loves to laugh together, and for a new job with more pay and less stress. I am thankful for my friends, both online and offline, who encourage and urge me on in whatever I put my hand to. But I am most thankful for a God who gently leads and loving pushes me to do the hard thing, developing the character I need in order to be useful in His service.

Wendy

I'm thankful to be raising three remarkably individual girls—thankful for God entrusting me and my husband with them.

 I attached a pic it was our little getaway during the power outage storm (it was my sanity)!


Would you like to join us by sharing your thanksgiving?

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Image by: Freedigitalphotos.net

This blog post by Mary Vee

Mary lives in Montana with her husband and loves to hear from her three college kids. She writes Christian young adult fiction (pirate tales, missionary and Bible adventure stories).

She thinks of writing as: Stepping into Someone Else's World.

To learn more about Mary, visit her blog http://www.mimaryvee.blogspot.com/

When Joy Spills Over - Celebrating Your Friend's Success

Hi everyone. Pepper here and I'm filling in for Wendy whose family is dealing with the first snowstorm of the season (which means no power) AND her family can't even go home yet. So I'm sure she'd appreciate your prayers as they transition and wait.

Yesterday Melanie Dickerson sent me a sweet thank you note for celebrating her upcoming release, The Merchant's Daughter, and posting about it on FB. (Isn't that a fabulous cover!!) Her gratitude warmed my heart and reminded me about why it's so important to celebrate our writing friends's sucesses because eventually the joy spills over on us.

We live in a dog eat dog world – or so I’m told. Gone are the days of ‘good will toward men’ or a random act of kindness. Some say true gentlemen are extinct and the majority rule is ‘look out for number 1’.


Besides the fact that if I only looked out for ‘number 1’ there would be a whole lot more car accidents, greater job openings (because loads of people would be fired), more homeless children, a higher divorce rate, and hospitals full of patients who have nobody to care for them, the world would be a emotionally parched place.

We’re surrounded by other people. Unless we’re hermits in the Himalayas, people are going to be a part of our lives whether we like it or not. Even in the Himalayas there might be an occasional ‘lost hiker’ :-)

And as writers in an increasingly competitive profession, it’s pretty easy to become stingy with our congratulations and celebrating. Envy, jealousy, or hurt feelings can pull us from our focus and send us spiraling into a pouting place.

But as Christians we have a few secret weapons in this battle. God has given us His spirit of generosity and He also helps us to cultivate a thankful heart. Left up to us, we’d be pretty helpless and doing this, but because God knows we’re woefully unprepared, His Spirit gives us the strength to do what we can’t on our own.

So – how do we celebrate with others? How do we allow their joy to spill over on us?

1. Remind yourself of God’s great love for you – Hebrew 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

2. Remind yourself of the calling He’s put on your life (not just the call to love others, but the call to write. Ephesians 1:18 -19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

3. Remind yourself of God’s perfect plan in His perfect time – Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose

4. Remind yourself to be thankful – Colossians 2:6 -7 - So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness

5. Remember to pray for others, because in doing so you are opening up God’s joy to spill out on your heart through prayer. We’re getting our minds off of ourselves.

Life is more wonderful when we fill it with good things – and that especially includes our thoughts.

What an honor to celebrate with our friends? To find the joy in the moment with them.

Even if we still have to fight the ‘green eyed monster’ from my last post, we have to weapons to fight it. Weapons straight from the Joy-Author himself.

Next time you're tempted, let the joy spill over on you. Celebrate with those writers. Dance with them. Shout with them.

And some day – in God’s good timing, they can celebrate with us.

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This blog post by
Pepper D. Basham

 
 
Photos courtesy of:
http://thisisnotabout.me/
 
http://www.hydratedliving.com/

Writing Fun with Nursery Rhymes

To market to market, to build a platform: Home again, home again, nice and warm.
~
Oh where, oh where has my little plot gone? Oh where, oh were could it be? With its conflict cut short and its description cut long, oh where, oh where could it be?
~
Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey; along came an agent, who sat down beside her and she frightened the agent away.
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Old Mother Goose, when she wanted to wander, would ride through her fiction, with very fine diction.
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Little Bo-Peep has lost her sleep and can’t tell where to find it; leave it alone, and the characters will come home, wagging their tails behind them.
~
Jack and Jill sold novels up the hill to fetch a right good number; Jack’s numbers fell down and broke his pride, and Jill came tumbling after.
~
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, she had so many story ideas she didn’t know what to do; she gave them some time without any pages; she kissed them all soundly and put them to bed.
~
This little piggie went to market, this little piggie wrote alone, this little piggie had many tweets, this little piggie had none, and this little piggie cried tweet-tweet-tweet, all the way home.
~
Star light, star bright, first book on my TBR pile I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, read the book I pick tonight.
~
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, upstairs and downstairs like a muse, a clown, knocking at the window, crying at the boys in the basement, are your characters out of their beds, for now it’s eight o’clock?
~
Humpty Dumpty wrote on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty’s bad handwriting together again.
~
There was a little girl, and she had a little curl right in the middle of her novel; when her endings were good they were very very good, but when they were bad they were horrid.
~
Monday’s child is fair of pace, Tuesday’s child is full of grace, Wednesday’s child is full of woe, Thursday’s child has far to go, Friday’s child is a newbie at weaving , Saturday’s child works hard for its living, but the child that writes on the Sabbath day is devoted and decided, and good and paid.

*photo from Flickr

What's Up The Street For Next Week?

Here at the Alley we like to celebrate. And lately the Alley Cats have been exceedingly blessed on their writing journey. They have taken their work seriously, worked hard, perfected their craft and now we get to shine the spotlight on some of their successes.

AND we get to celebrate ANOTHER success this weekend! Last weekend it was Wendy's agent news and...

THIS WEEK

It's SARAH'S AGENT NEWS!!

Sarah is now the proud client of Books and Such literary agent, Mary Keeley!!!!

Pass on your kudos in the comments section, we are SO PROUD of our Alley Cats here!! : D

Coming up...

You're headed to that conference. Big or small. And there are editors you want to meet, agents you want to chat with and friends to bump into. Angie has a great post on networking at a conference on Monday


Middles are so easy to get stuck in. On Tuesday, Julia will share her post on moving past that troublesome sticking place in our manuscripts.


Sarah continues into Part 2 of her series on pitching at a conference on Wednesday.


Bring that troublesome ending on Thursday, newly agented Wendy will have tips for us.


Writers love to read books they love, but can you strengthen your writing by books you don't? Cindy discusses this topic on the blog this Friday.

*~*~NewsStand:~*~*

To celebrate the Alley's 400 followers (YOU!) and so much agent news going on around here, leave a comment and I'll draw two names to pick a book from my swap list.

See the Alley notice on the right hand side bar?? THREE of our Alley cats are now agented!! Big news for our blog AND these writers! It's only a matter of time now before a first sale. I just know it.  ;-)

BE SURE and check out the Seekerville Weekend Edition tomorrow (Sunday) for some exciting news!

Pepper has a conference series of tips from authors all this coming week on her blog. Don't miss it!

Casey has Julie Lessman on her blog with a giveaway of Julie's very latest release,  A Heart Revealed. Hurry, giveaway ends soon!

Celebrate in Wendy's big news on her blog post from this Friday!!

Did ya miss it? Here is SARAH'S big news post on her blog.

Going to the ACFW conference? Check out this check list from Camy Tang for all that should be in your bag.

Courtesy of discountpartyshop.co.uk

What's Up the Street For Next Week?

School’s in session for some of us…
AND The WRITERS ALLEY is in session too--with another great week of writing news and fun for you.

First and foremost we have some special announcements.

We LOOOOOOOOOVE special announcements around here.

So, if you are in need of some celebrating, go check out Sarah Forgrave’s website on Monday, August 29!!

AND do a little jig with us because WENDY PAYNE MILLER HAS SIGNED WITH RACHELLE GARDNER AT WORDSERVE!!!!

You can learn more about Wendy (and celebrate with her) by visiting her website here.

We are partying at the Alley –so come along and join us!

We look forward to sharing more exciting news in the future, as The Alley Cats are discovered by the big world of writers. We’ll be adding a sidebar to keep you guys posted as updates and discoveries occur. J

In the meantime, this week will have a little of everything:

Monday - Pepper follows up with Cindy’s Friday post and sums up an article about Agents from The Writers Digest (very fitting considering some special news from SARAH FORGRAVE).

Tuesday – Stop by and see what Sherrinda has planned for you today.

Wednesday – Mary continues her series with On Being Mentored- Details and Accuracy modeled by master writers. Siri Mitchell will join her.

Thursday - Award winning author, Robin Lee Hatcher, is our guest on The Writers Alley so stop on by.

The magic wand is on the draw Friday as Krista talks about Too Good to Be True Romantic Moments.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Chip MacGregor stopped by to give some fabulous advice for writers about writers’ conferences. You can read that post here.

Don’t forget to check Sarah’s website on Monday for her extra-special news!

Krista’s a special guest at the fabulous blog, WordServe Cooler – a group blog created by many clients from Rachelle Gardner and Greg Johnson - on Tuesday, Aug 30. Drop in and see what she has to say. J


Have a fabulous WEEK – from our Alley to yours!

A Time for Everything at a Conference

wen

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die (A new story idea is born while you ride the airport shuttle. An old story officially dies after hearing two others pitch something way too similar during a workshop about clichés nonetheless.)

a time to plant and a time to uproot (A spine-tingling conversation is happening in the bar. You plant it. Women begin gossiping about a fellow writer. You uproot.)

a time to kill and a time to heal (You kill your darlings during an intensive editing workshop. You heal from the comments you weren’t expecting to hear from an editor while sitting with him at lunch.)

a time to tear down and a time to build (You break your plot into teeny tiny pieces to evaluate only so you can build your story back up stronger after an inspiring plot structuring workshop.)

a time to weep and a time to laugh (You cry at the joy of seeing friends. You laugh with those same friends when one receives a request for a full.)

a time to mourn and a time to dance (You take a moment in the lobby to mourn that your career path will never look like Stellar Susan’s. And then you go get your groove on in a hotel room, dancing with friends...this I really did last year.)

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them (You hand out your one-sheets and business cards. You collect business cards and words of advice before you sweat yourself into a Wicked Witch puddle pre-pitch session.)

a time to embrace and a time to refrain (You embrace those you’ve established a strong bond with. You refrain from tackling your favorite agent to the ground in the ladies restroom, while screaming out the lyrics to David Cassidy’s “I Think I Love You”.)

a time to search and a time to give up (You scan the crowd for your top picks of who you’d like to sit with at lunch and when you realize their table is entirely full, you give up and end up sitting with exactly who God wants you to.)

a time to keep and a time to throw away (A trusted mentor offers a gold nugget on your way to meet with an editor. Keep it. Your napkin from lunch when you were able to sit with desired agent…throw that away!)

a time to tear and a time to mend (That entire first chapter. You rip it up after you realize it’s corroded with back story, a puffy and unnecessary prologue, and boring details. And in the bathroom at 2 a.m. you quietly mend your herky jerky ending.)

a time to be silent and a time to speak (You’re sitting in a class when an agent offers folks to stand up and give their pitch. You stay silent knowing you’ll have your time in T minus one hour during a one on one.)

a time to love and a time to hate (You love arriving and hate leaving.)

a time for war and a time for peace (You war with your insecure thoughts all weekend only to leave at peace with how everything unraveled.)

Because after all, there’s a time for everything at a conference!

Relate to any of the above?

*from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 with my interpretive conference-minded spin on it
**most of the above are fabricated scenarios with real potential to occur