What do fairy tale stepmothers do on Mother’s Day? Form a support group, of course. Read all about it here:
How are the stepmothers doing today? Let’s check in with them:
Evil Stepmother Support Group ~ One Year Anniversary
Happy Mother’s Day!
fiction
Why Quitting Writing Is the Best Thing I’ve Ever Done
It’s been one year since I quit writing.
When I posted about this, it was heart-breaking.
I cried.
I regretted sharing my decision.
Then I realized how much I needed to post it. To feel it. To publicly admit it.
Here’s the thing. The biggie. I’ve “quit” writing before but I’ve never really quit.
I’ve had a meltdown over a story or a freak-out about my computer crashing (save your work!) or stopped writing out of frustration because I’d been interrupted for the fifteenth time. I’ve had writer’s block, run short on time, gotten sick, had self-doubt… You name it.
I’ve thrown my hands up and shouted, “I quit!”
Those are probably relatable to most writers. There is always something trying to block your way, drain your energy, waste your time, or stifle your creativity.
But when I wrote that post, I well and truly quit.
When I published that post, something inside me shifted.
This wasn’t a writer’s temper tantrum. This was me letting go of my dream. I waited two whole agonizing months to return.
Though, in the grand scheme of things, this wasn’t a long time, it felt like forever.
I thought about losing the creative outlet I’d been using since I was nine years old. I thought about flash and writing prompts and how much I’d miss those. But, honestly, what I thought about most was the fact that the characters in my novels would never finish telling me their stories. I thought about the fact that I would never write another word about these people.
I cried. Again.
Truth is, I was in a bad spot and thought quitting writing would take some pressure off. I thought it would give me more time and energy to deal with the crap. What I found was, by taking writing away, I was less able to deal with things.
You know what? I am overwhelmed. I do have a lot going on. There are shitty things happening.
There were a year ago and there still are today.
I did need a break, but not from writing.
I thought my life demanded I let go of my dream. I thought I had to kill a piece of myself, to make room for a new piece—one that could deal with all of the drama, chaos, and responsibilities. But it broke my spirit when I quit.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved putting pencil to paper and creating stories. I’ve always known writing is part of me. It’s not that I discovered this last year, it’s that I got a reality slap. A reminder that I need writing. Not just that I love it—I need it.
I had to feel this, really feel this loss, to fully appreciate how much I needed it.
I am a writer. It’s what I do. It’s who I am.
The fact that I quit writing played a big part in the publishing of Hinting at Shadows. One year ago I stopped writing and, almost exactly one year later, I am a newly published author. Of a book that I love. One that I’m proud of. One that shows we never know what the future holds. One that proves we cannot bury our dreams.
Have you ever given up, quit, or let go of something you loved? Did this hurt or help you? Or both? Did you ever return to what you left?
Grilling Fun for July 4th Weekend
Happy 4th of July!
It’s time for some outdoor grilling.
I don’t really cook (at all) so here’s my alternative to a fab 4th recipe for you. Enjoy!
Visit Lemon Shark Reef here (yes, right here – just click right here) for some weekend fun.
Riding Hood’s Grandmother Reveals Identity as Bestselling Author
Because, as we all know, fairy tales aren’t always what they seem.
(You don’t have to celebrate July 4th to enjoy this tail tale.)
For You on Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day!
Here…have an apple. Oh, and a lovely little story, too.
Visit Lemon Shark Reef here (yes, right here – just click right here) for some Mother’s Day fun.
Because every mother deserves a comfortable place to complain about her kids. (And things aren’t always as they seem.)
I Need to Get the Hell out of My Own Way
I walked away from writing.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
But I ran back—characters shouting in my head and fingers itching for the keyboard.
I need to write.
Without it, I am incomplete. I am miserable.
So why am I not writing? To be fair, I’ve started flash fiction again. But I’ve stopped there.
I’m not taking a scene or idea and running with it. I’m not working on any of my novels. What’s going on?
Well, I’m busy. My health isn’t great. My to-do list is growing every day. I have deadlines, meetings, and appointments. Did I mention kids? Because. Kids. I have a lot going on in my life right now.
When it comes to writing, I always have an excuse ready. Except I call it a “reason” because I’m a word nerd and these small differences often wind up making a big difference.
Excuses are crap, my writer-self says.
Reasons are real, tangible things that get in my way, my writer-self says.
I hate to admit it but it’s true. Think about this. You MAKE excuses, you HAVE reasons. See? My writer-self is right. Also, she’s full of shit.
I need to get out of my own way.
My Sunday thoughts in 200 words or less.
Have you ever caused your writer’s block? Been your own problem? Are your “reasons” just excuses in disguise?
First Lines: Epilogue
While cracking the covers of well-loved, read-only-once, and couldn’t-stand-this books for my First Lines series, I wondered…
How does this work? First lines, I mean. First paragraphs, sentences, pages. What are authors thinking?
I’ve got to kill it with this opening or else…
Or is it a little less sinister? Like, I want to hook the reader but, really, I’ve got a whole novel to show off my mad skills—the first page doesn’t have to be memorable, only the story does.
Or maybe simply: I suppose the beginning should be good but, eh, I like ‘She ate a piece of bread.’ and I’m keeping it.
The words that introduce you to a new character or bring you into a new world…how important are they?
Some books are so well-known that it doesn’t matter as much because, when you pick up Lord of the Rings, you know it’s going to be a fantasy. When you grab Hunger Games, you know it’s Dystopian. But authors generally don’t know their book will be famous when they write it. Well, excluding Stephen King.
Who? Exactly.
So, back to non-rock-star-authors. What are they feeling as they sit down to type that very first line? As a YA author, for instance, do they feel the need to bring readers into their world right away? Let them know the story won’t be taking place at South Mundane High School on Main Street?
Maybe it’s not the age group as much as the genre: dystopian, science fiction, fantasy… Or perhaps it’s not the age group or genre but the person writing the book. Rules, tips, and advice aside, writing is an individual sport.
Whatever the process, however the pages come about, I’m glad they do. Because I love reading them. How would I cope in a world without books? I don’t even want to think about it. It’s creepy. And wrong. Like a world without cheese.
So, while I’m obsessed with passionate about first lines, and while I collect them and read them over and over and write them down (or highlight them in e-books), I’ve read stunning first lines and hated the book. Also, I continue reading even if the first lines don’t knock it out of the park. After all, one of my favorite books of all time begins, “Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.”
First Lines: SABGUS (Socially Acceptable Books for Grown-Ups)
Lemon Shark 