Watch Me Stumble!

The girl who silenced the world for 5 minutes

2010-08-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

CAT WITH A HAIRBALL: THE SENIOR ALPHABET

2010-07-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

CAT WITH A HAIRBALL: THE SENIOR ALPHABET: "A's for arthritis; B's the bad back, C's the chest pains, perhaps car-d-iac? D is for dental decay and decline, E is for eyesight, can't ..."

New Excuse: Life got in the way.

2010-07-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

LOL. Yeah, it's my all time favorite procrastination excuse. But I'm going to make my deadline. Well, sort of. After reading my manuscript, I noticed that at the point in which I left off, it was quite obvious that I had a plan. That I was headed somewhere specific. Trouble is, I can't remember it. So... I've decided to edit what I have and hope that, in editing, I will either 1)remember what my plan was or 2)come up with a new and improved version.

I edited the first chapter on Thursday, July 15th (yeah, yeah, ten days late) while sitting outside under some trees. It went so well that I became excited again (well, I was already excited because my boyfriend was coming to pick me up for a weekend away on Friday) about my story. Anyway, it was really flowing, the changes were making a huge and wonderful difference in my story. Then my battery beeped. I saved quickly to my Dropbox and closed my laptop. The next day, before leaving, I wanted to spend a few minutes reading my new and better version of Chapter 1. Guess what? If you're not connected to the internet when you save to Dropbox, it does not save. WAAAAAAA!

So, tomorrow, I start again. I WILL have at least the first half of the two thirds of the novel I've written edited by August 8th. Happy Birthday dear Daughter. lol

Any suggestions for a new "The End" deadline???

Signed,
The eternal optimistic procrastinating writer.

Great way to earn a quick ten bucks.

2010-07-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

"Refer a friend"

It's Been a While

2010-06-27T03:18:00.000-07:00

Well it HAS been a while since I've even signed into my blog. Life can sure get crazy sometimes.

I'm giving myself a challenge since I've not seemed able to make myself get on the ball and finish my novel. The challenge is, to type "The End" by August 8th 2010, my daughter's birthday (since she insists on keeping pictures of my grandsons from me until I give her the rest of the story!).

I'll begin my continuation by July 5th (no pressure, right?) so watch for the updates beginning that evening.

The novel is tentatively titled "Deleted" and I began it on November 1st of 2009 for the NaNoWriMo. I worked on it until mid December then put it down "for the Holidays". Boy, was THAT a big mistake.

Well, lesson learned. Next time I begin a novel, there will be NO "rest" until the rough draft reaches "The End".

Wish me luck!

The Healthcare Debacle

2010-03-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

I get sadder and sadder as my rights are slowly but surely taken away.

I am now going to be given this option: pay for medical insurance or go to jail. This is just another way to get poor people off the streets and out of sight. This will be no help to the economy or to those who think that socialized medical care will hurt their own wallet. As more people are placed in prison, taxes will rise in order to cover the cost of those prisoners.

I'm not a lawyer but I am absolutely positive that when the government forces me to do something that I am completely unable to do, my rights have been violated.

This just seems to be more of the poor getting poorer and the sick getting sicker until they are in prison or dead. That doesn't sound like the right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness to me.

Rejection

2009-12-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

I probably shouldn't be posting this right now as I'm fresh from reading the email from Glimmer Train. Rejected.

I knew that it was nearly impossible to be accepted for Glimmer Train but I feel bad all the same. It took a lot of guts to submit the story that I submitted so, naturally, it feels bad.

Maybe I wouldn't feel so badly if I weren't getting rejection from another source in my life right now.

So, back to the keyboard. I will not let this get me down... (repeat at least a thousand times).

I'll take a fresh look at "The Major" and see if I can improve it with a rewrite. Then, maybe I'll try a magazine that's not so hard to get into.

Good luck to all you writers out there.

Enjoying the Texas weather but wishing I were at home.

A Strong Person

2009-12-07T17:31:00.001-08:00

Based upon definitions of the words strong and strength in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a strong person would be like this: A University professor who lives his/her life based upon the beliefs of Ghandi who is a winner of marathon races, who overcame paralysis to do so, who has the immobility of a steel wall when stillness is needed who has the President of the United States to back him/her up and who is always there for their famous clients, whom they represent, to lend and ear but refuses to let any one person walk on them or their beliefs is a very strong person indeed.

That is an 87-word, non-passive sentence that reads at the Flesch-Kincaid 12th grade level. That does not suggest that I am strong; only that I can write.

In reality, when I think of a strong person, I think of someone who has the drive and ambition to attain, and maintain, success. These would be people like the subject, Chris Gardner, of the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness.

Mr. Gardner had the drive to keep going despite sleeping in bathrooms at the Metro Station and homeless shelters. However, at the time that he did this, corporations were much more open to giving people chances despite a background that lacked in professional experience. And, today, they won’t even look at your resume all the way through if you are sorely lacking an educational background.

When I look at myself, I see perseverance, not strength. That determination comes only from the basic human condition, ingrained in our psyche, which gives us a need to survive. I am strong only in my immovable faith that God holds me up. That is due to the fact that I can think of no other reason for my survival up to this day. If you call that strength, then I suppose I am strong.

Quick Update

2009-12-06T22:22:00.001-08:00

I DID win NaNo!! I lost the Backspace Marathon. I guess 100k words in one month was a little bit more than I could do. But I wrote more than 74k. I'm proud of that.

Moving so I can't 'talk' now. January will be much more active for me. I intend to finish my NaNo novel as 50k words just weren't enough to get to the all important "The End".

*See* ya later...

Aack! Argh! Grumble, grumble!

2009-11-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

Geez, Louise!!

Life happened, as it tends to do. I am now a total of approximately 13,000 words behind schedule to cross the finish line on my marathons. I sit back in my office chair, it almost falls over, and put my hands over my eyes. "UGH!! This can't be happening!" Oh, but it is.

However, don't lose faith yet. I still have sixteen days left. That's two more than I've had already. So, if I can just write 6000 words a day extra for two days, I'll have it made. *snort, choke, chuckle* Made in the shade.

Really. Seriously. I'm giving myself a pep talk now. I can do it. I know I can. I have good stories going, great characters, interesting plots and plot twists. It should basically write itself.

So, instead of typing on my novel, here I sit, typing on my blog. What am I thinking????

Back to work, back to work... "I've been workin' on the railroad...", "Hi ho the derry oh it's off to work I go..." STOP - SINGING!

"Grayson here. Rea's, um, off her rocker a little bit. She's turned around backward in her office chair, looking at the floor, her butt in the air, biting the back of the seat as I speak..."

"Oh, boy," says Tip, "I knew this was going to happen!"

Rea: "gurg....sphhtt....lahlahlah....oogabooga..."

See you on the flip side.

This is Getting Really Freakin' Hard!

2009-11-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd hit a brick wall today. But somehow, I did it....

Backspace November Marathon

NaNoWriMo Untitled

There just won't be many postings from me this month other than progress. Sorry.

Think Happy Thoughts.....

My progress on marathons

2009-11-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

Whew!

My progress:

Backspace November Marathon

NaNoWriMo Untitled

Too tired to write anything else. :)

Marathon Writing... I must be crazy!

2009-11-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

So today was the start of the two marathons I'm doing. http://www.bksp.org/ and http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Crazy me, I signed up for both. 50,000 words each. So you can imagine how nervous I was this morning. Incredibly, I procrastinated quite a bit and didn't start until after 1pm. But when I got going, I was totally surprised by myself.

My progress:

Backspace November Marathon

NaNoWriMo Untitled

So, a big Go Me! is in order. Now let's just see if I can do it again tomorrow....

Thanks for reading today.

Is Anybody Out There?

2009-10-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

How can I get a publisher to publish me if they want to see what I’ve already published? Seems like a vicious circle to me: People have to know that I’ve written something in order to read it – but they have to read what I’ve written to know that I’m worth reading. Hmm. Curious.

I’m only a writer with no know-how of marketing, platforming, or distribution. I only know how to write. I know that what I have to say in Lopsided is important. But how do I convince readers that they want to hear it? Unless I’m Stephen King or Danielle Steele or someone already well known, who will pick up my book?

Just a momentary lapse, a diversion, a procrastination…. back to writing now…

The New Blogger

2009-10-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

Writers are supposed to have blogs I hear. So I started one. Where to begin? I posted a little about myself since my readers knew nothing about me. Then I posted something about what I am working on, to give them something to wonder about. Then another thing about a dream, hoping for comments, and so forth.

Excitement sizzled inside me as I worked to come up with something new to say each day. Anticipation of all the reader’s comments to come fluttered in my belly. Would they love me? Would they hate me? How much discussion would ensue? I could hardly wait to see my first response.

At last! I found a follower. This was certain to put me into the infamous blogosphere. Perhaps here is someone to tout my new book when it is finished. Someone to review and promote my wonderful writing. A blurb maybe to bolster curiosity, to fan the flames of the cash that was burning a hole in someone’s pocket.

No more would I suffer in isolation, wondering who would ever read my story. No longer would I tap out a thousand words a day in vain. Now I knew that at least one person would be chomping at the bit to buy my book.

I rubbed my hands together in glee. I reached down and touched my mouse. And clicked.

My mother follows me.

Been Busy

2009-10-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

Just a very short blog entry today... I've been busy. Over 1600 words written on Lopsided today. I'm tired but feeling pretty good about how it's going. Nothing funny to say... I'm drained!

Funny Dreams

2009-10-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

Okay... I had the weirdest dream. (Told you about my Muse's partner.) And this is what came of it:

Spotlight in the Headlights

by Rea K. Fielden

I was the newest addition to the first brothel for both genders in America. I was nervous. But my body was in terrific shape, beautiful, perfect even, except for my missing breast.

My first customer was a cute woman. Small in stature, short dark hair, pixie nose and deep brown eyes. We entered the small warm room and started with small talk. I’d never been with a woman before but she made it easy. She laid her head on my shoulder and I kissed her neck. Slowly, our clothes melted away. I slipped the strap of my bra down my arm and it too fell away.

“Oh my God!” she screamed, “How disgusting! You should have said something.”

“I’m sorry,” I cried, “I didn’t know if I should say something or just let you see it.”

“It’s not that it’s so horribly disgusting, it’s just that it’s so shocking. You really should have said something.” She was angry. She gathered her clothes and left the room.

I found my mentor, a sweet man, who allowed me to cry in his arms. He brushed my hair from my eyes and lifted my chin.

“You didn’t know,” he assured me. “Maybe you should just say something up front when you get a new customer.”

A few weeks passed and the brothel owner decided to throw a competition party. The customers were invited and the men and women would dance for their votes. The most popular woman, Laura, danced first.

“You have the most awesome body here,” my mentor whispered, “Other than your missing breast. So just dance as if you’re whole.”

When it came my turn, I did just that. I felt sexy and beautiful. I traced my body with my hands, accentuating my missing breast, giving myself over to the music. I danced with my heart.

The brothel owner collected the votes from the customers. Once counted, she gathered the competitors CD’s and put them in order. The announcements began.

“I’ll be surprised if you don’t come in first and topple Laura from her pedestal,” said my mentor.

“I don’t want to come in first,” I replied. “Laura would be really mad and I don’t want her as an enemy.”

“Well, maybe you’ll come in second.”

“As long as I don’t come in dead last, I’ll be happy.”

“That’s a great attitude,” my mentor said.

The brothel owner took out the first CD and placed it in the player. Laura’s music poured through the speakers and relief rushed through me. I wasn’t first! She continued to place CD’s into the player, her way of announcing the placements. I wasn’t second, or third. Or even fourth.

Finally, with only two CD’s left, the speakers played my music. “American Woman” filled the room and I rejoiced.

My Muse

2009-10-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

It wasn’t so very long ago that my Muse left me. It was an argument I will not ever forget. She kept feeding me ideas and I didn’t know how to focus on just one. I became irrational and irritated. I yelled at her to leave me alone. She left in a fury, the colored fabric of her dress swirling about her like a perfect storm.

At first, I was relieved. No longer did rogue ideas pop up to distract me from my current project. But, soon enough, my WIP fizzled out. I couldn’t find the words to finish it. Then I couldn’t remember any of the other ideas my Muse had blessed me with. I finally realized that I really needed her. Desperately. I cried, I begged and I prayed that she would return. That was three years ago.

Just last month, my muse returned. And she brought a partner with her. She dances near me by day, her dress brighter than ever and flowing like a silk flag caught in the wind. Her partner, he rides my dreams. Vivid images flash and sear outlines in my mind, “Don’t lose it, don’t lose it,” I chant while I search for a notebook in the wee hours of the morning.

I am so happy to have my Muse back! This time, I promise not to get irritated. Instead, I will use my endless supply of index cards, a notebook by my bed, my journal and my computer to record notes, ideas and thoughts. I will enjoy my Muse and her partner and be thankful to them.

Besides, if I sent her away again and she came back with a family, I might go absolutely insane!

My First Post

2009-10-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am... finally blogging. I know, behind the times.

Anyway, if you want to watch me stumble, fall, fail and possibly finally succeed at being an Author rather than just a writer, you can watch it here.

When I was eleven years old, I watched my brother drown. I began writing to try to express myself and also as an escape. So, now, I'm getting serious about it. I lost my job... what else was I to do? Look for another one where there are none? Or work on doing what I love to do: write.

I'm currently working on a memoir titled Lopsided. A light-hearted journey through the darkest time of my life, cancer.

I just submitted The Major to Glimmer Train magazine (yeah, we'll see what happens there when Stephen King submits something at the same time!).

And the most important thing I've done is join Backspace. It is the BEST online writing community out there: www.bksp.org

I suppose that's it for today. Not that anyone will read this. But you never know, right?

If you do stop by, thanks very much. I promise that it will get better as I learn!