Trophies, Conferences, and Contests...Business as usual!

One year ago, I was high on motivation after a successful writer's conference as my fingers flew over the keys on my MS. My days consisted of writing, playdates, grocery runs, and chores. That has all changed!

My life in a single snapshot!

Today, my life is much different. I haven't worked on my MS in 2 weeks and this posts ends a 2-week hiatus from my blog. (I hope you've missed me!) Gone are the days of doing what I want, when I want. I own a trophy company now, though I did manage to make it to my local writing conference this year. And while I am definitely motivated in my writing, it's going to have to wait. You see, for all of you without children and so unfamiliar with the end of school awards season, I am neck deep in alligators.

Despite the fun I had at the conference and the ideas for improving my MS running through my head, I have to shelf that for the next week and a half and concentrate on meeting deadlines. :-( I pray that these next couple of weeks fly by. I'm pretty sure I'm more ready for school to be out for the summer than my 6 year old is. I'll never take my writing time for granted again!!! I plan to make up for the lack of writing in the months of April and May this summer with a new novella project that I'm really excited to work on. I hope to share news about it this fall!

Before I go back to work on the next order due, I want to share the good news I received!!!!

Earlier this spring I entered the Vine Leaves Literary Journal's vignette contest(though submissions are being accepted through May 31st). This is my first ever attempt at writing something other than genre fiction. Last week, I received an email saying I had been picked as one of 17 favorites from which 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be chosen. *fist pump* The grand prize is a free pass to the Homeric Writer's Retreat in Greece this August. You can see why I took a chance and submitted my very first literary piece. I think I've read the email informing me about my place in the top 17 about a dozen and one times. *sheepish grin* Wish me luck!

Anyone else feel like a raw steak hanging over a pit of hungry alligators? I'm looking for a couple of good writers blog challenges for this summer, has anyone heard of any I should know about?

April Celebrations Challenge #2: Stress Awareness Day

This week is Oklahoma Women Bloggers Inaugural April Celebrations Blogging Challenge. It has some pretty good topics for each day so I thought I'd give it a go. Today is the 2nd day and it's topic is:

April 16–Stress Awareness Day: Blog about what stresses you out and what you do to bust up that stress

It's Monday night. Everyone in my house is asleep ...except me. I tried. I went to bed with everyone else. I laid with my eyes closed, trying not to think, to worry, to stress. I tossed and turned. I tried to think of something non-stressful. Then it hit me...I hadn't done Tuesday's blog post for the April Celebrations Blogging Challenge. Perfect.

Too perfect. I'd posted all of the topics on my Monday post, but hadn't really paid attention past the first one.

You see, my hub and I own a trophy company and we happen to be smack dab in the middle of our busiest season...end of school awards. We have over 32 schools as clients who each have hundreds of students. And in today's culture, every child that puts in the effort to participate in something gets a trophy. And these schools only represent a percentage of our client base. The non-school clients don't care that its end of school time, they want their orders as quickly as possible.

I don't have time for mistakes. I don't have time for do-overs, dyslexic moments, or typos.

And isn't that just when something catastrophic is bound to happen? Of course! And that's just what happened today!! I have an order due Thursday. I finished it up today, several days early as is my usual routine. Thank goodness! I made a huge mistake on it. I don't make mistakes often, but boy when I do...

So there I was laying in bed thinking: Did she mean her event is Thursday or that she wants them Thursday for the event the next day? If I order them tomorrow, I'll get them Wednesday late afternoon, engrave them Wednesday night, and I could deliver them early Thursday morning. But I told her I had them ready before I realized my mistake. Will she be okay with waiting until Thursday? I wish I didn't have to tell her. *I rack my brain for a good excuse or alternative solution* I have to come clean. *groan* I hate having to admit a mistake to a customer.

This is my stress. How do I deal with it? I lose sleep, I toss and turn in bed, I try to think of solutions for my stress...then, I remember to give it to God in prayer before getting up to come vent to you, my bloggy friends. Thanks for listening. I really am feeling better and my brain is feeling nice and tired. I think I'll go lay back down. It'll all work out, it always does.

Rubber Eraser Day!

This week is Oklahoma Women Bloggers Inaugural April Celebrations Blogging Challenge. It has some pretty good topics for each day so I thought I'd give it a go. Here are the details:

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It’s almost time–get ready to get blogging and join us for our first Blogging Challenge!  You’ll write about the topic on your own blog and then link back here. Snag our button up there and let your readers know about Oklahoma Women Bloggers.

You’ll want to read and comment on all of your bloggy-sister’s posts as well each day.

Here are our topics:

April 15–Rubber Eraser Day: Blog about a mistake you made that you wish you could fix or that you did fix and make better!

April 16–Stress Awareness Day: Blog about what stresses you out and what you do to bust up that stress

April 17–Blah, blah, blah Day: Make a to-do list and tackle it; get those nag-ers off your back. (Wordless Wednesday–take pics of your projects!)

April 18–High Five Day: Give a shout-out to someone in your life who deserves a high five.

April 19–Garlic Day: Share a recipe that uses garlic.

Can’t wait to read what you have to say!

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Today is Rubber Eraser Day and I when I initially saw this topic, I thought...oh yeah, I definitely have things I'd erase!

My 30 years of life quickly played through my mind and the list grew. This is only a very brief snapshot. 

1) My failed marriage

2) That friendship ending fight

3) That brief stint in my God seeking journey when I thought I might take up Wiccan (don't judge),

4) Growing up poor and on foodstamps

5) Growing up with divorced parents

6) How it feels to let my grandma down 

But now that I've thought about it a little more, I realize that might not be so true. Sure, there are things that I would rather not have gone through. Who hasn't had those? But if I hadn't, I wouldn't be who I am today. 

I'd never have the experiences that taught me how to make this marriage work. I wouldn't know what it felt like to feel my heart break for the burned bridge between me and that friend. I wouldn't have found my way to a real relationship with God. I wouldn't know how to appreciate what I have and how very unimportant material possessions are. I would't appreciate the importance of working through misunderstandings with my husband so that my son has his father around and how important that is to a child. I wouldn't realize how much my Gram means to me. 

I am a better person for the experiences I've had. So I guess the point is...I wouldn't erase one of them. To quote something I was told by an old man a very long time ago:

"You can't get rid of the skeletons in your closet, so why not invite them out and teach them to dance."

Countdown to Conference Time, Cutest model, & Drowning!

This year I'm shepherding again for the annual OWFI Conference here in Oklahoma the 1st weekend in May. Which means, I get to be the personal assistant to some innocent, unsuspecting agent. Poor lady.

*evil grin*

(Yeah, yeah. It's closer to crazy than evil...This is what happens when you provide your own clipart!)

Kidding, of course, but I do love this conference. It's such a fun way to network with other writers, make important connections to agents and editors, and sharpen the tools of the trade. I love that my husband can join in at one of the 2 banquets as well as getting to sit on the edge of my seat for yet another nail biting reveal of the contest results.

I've entered 3 different categories this year, rather than just the 1 I entered last year.

*Crossing fingers*

(Isn't my Aidan the cutest model EVER?!)

 I hope I can get an award this year. But even if not, I'll value the feedback just as much.

How about you? Any conferences planned for this year? I'd like to go to one outside of Oklahoma for 2014...Dragon Con perhaps, or one of the ones in Utah or Cali. Maybe even one where I can meet some of my bloggy friends. That'd be super coolio!

Until then, this is just a little snapshot of what I'm up to these days. (Aside from writing, of course.) Anyone else drowning in medals, plaques, and trophy parts? No? Buy a trophy company and you'll discover that drowning in these types of things is one of the dangers of the profession. *grin*

Is a MS really ever finished?

When is a MS really finished?

I've been working on my epic fantasy for 2.5 years and though I love the story, I see another major re-write staring me in the face. The logical part of my brain understands that this is just the process of perfecting my story, but the impatient side isn't happy. I feel like a contradictory mix of emotion. I love these characters and don't want my time with them to end, but I have other stories and other characters calling to me as well.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

I just want my story to be the best it can be. If that means a ton more edits and a couple more re-writes so be it.

But what if I'm over-thinking it? What if I'm being too critical and it doesn't need to be re-written to the level that I'm afraid it might? Ugh, I HATE indecision. I hate being unsure.

I think I need to seriously consider joining Ninja Alex's ISWG.

Is a MS really ever finished?

Are you a part of the ISWG? How long have you been working on your current MS? What's the longest you've spent on one novel?

Anyone else as excited about Game of Thrones Season 3 as I am? Unsure? This should wet your appetite.

Friends!

This week I am forgoing a long, well thought out blog post to go visit my many bloggy friends who I feel like I haven't 'seen' in FOREVER! I miss you all so much. So if you come a visiting in response to my visit, know that I love you too!

Patience: The virtue God overlooked when He made me

Patience: The virtue God overlooked when He made me. Okay, Okay, so that isn't the technical definition. The definition of patience as a virtue is actually someone who endures discomfort without complaint.

I'm, by nature, an extremely impatient person. Writing is, by nature, a very long process. Me being who I am, you'd think I'd have difficulty finishing a project from sheer frustration with how long it takes. So you can imagine my surprise that it's been almost 3 years of working on the same WIP and I haven't thrown in the towel or even wanted to. Does this mean I didn't complain? Um, yeah, well I did say it wasn't one of MY many virtues, didn't I? *grin* Despite the complaining, I LOVE writing. However, I am currently in the submission process.

Did I mention that I'm not a patient person?

Most days, my job, a new writing project, or my 6 year old keeps me from thinking about the submissions. Today is not one of those days. If climbing the walls were really possible...

How about you? Are you waiting to hear back on one of your projects? Is the waiting driving you crazy? Do your walls have the common courtesy to have hand and foot holds?