Sabrina's Blog

Over the last 3 years, I've read many posts on the first Wednesday of each month that mirror my own insecurities and doubts. Writers I had connected with through the various blog challenges I'd participated in came out in force to support each other through admissions of the demons that plagued them on this long journey of finishing a novel. All of these posts were headed by the badge you see heading my own post today, the badge for The Insecure Writers Support Group. Curious about what exactly the IWSG was and who was responsible for putting it together, I investigated and discovered the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh, aka Ninja Captain Alex. If you are new to blogging, you must visit him here . He is an invaluable source of support, news, and experience that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else. I've learned so much just from visiting his blog each week. I don't always leave comments, but I ALWAYS visit to see what he's up to. I admire his ability to ma...

Today I'm participating in Save A Word Saturday, hosted by The Feather and The Rose. You can read all about it here . This week's theme is: Roses A word that is never used, but that I read in a book a long time ago and loved is: Gambol, v. to skip or leap about joyfully My sentence is: Jan watched me gambol in the garden with a laugh after my roses bloomed for the first time.  My modern version of this is the 'happy dance'. I'm known for my happy dances which I perform for any success or victory, so it's really no surprise that this would be one of my favorite old and rarely used words. Do you have a favorite old word that is rarely used and you don't want forgotten? Join this blog hop and share with the world your fabulous word. 

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...

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 hundr...

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: *** 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 ...

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 plan...

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 y...