For your listening pleasure, I share the music from Ever Near's Lessons and Carols service described in the book.
What are some of your favorite songs for Advent and Christmas?
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Monday, December 9
For your listening pleasure, I share the music from Ever Near's Lessons and Carols service described in the book.
What are some of your favorite songs for Advent and Christmas?
For your listening pleasure, I share the music from Ever Near's Lessons and Carols service described in the book.
What are some of your favorite songs for Advent and Christmas?
Thursday, December 12
How Out of Tune Has Changed My Writing Life
by Michelle D. Argyle
I first developed the idea for Out of Tune last November (2012). I’ve always wanted to write a book about a girl who plays the guitar. That was pretty much the only thing I had to go on when I first started figuring out what this girl’s story would be. For some reason, I wanted her to sing country music. That led into the idea that her parents were country music stars, and then … well, there always needs to be a problem in a story, so what was this girl’s problem? She can’t sing. In fact, she’s so bad her own parents have asked her not to sing anywhere in public. Ever. Ouch, huh? I was so excited to start Out of Tune, but I actually didn’t get around to starting it until January of this year, so I’m pumped that it is now out in the world!
So how has Out of Tune changed my life? In many ways, I’ll tell you that. Here are some of them.
(1) I’ve learned to absolutely adore country music.
I’ll admit I’ve never been a huge country music fan. I don’t know why I chose Out of Tune to be centered on country music, but it just felt right. So I had to learn to love country music! And I did. It took about three months, but country is now one of my all-time favorite genres. It’s what I have my radio set to permanently these days. I’m not sure my husband really appreciates it, but oh well.
(2) I’ve learned that it’s possible to overcome things that seem innate.
What do I mean by innate? My main character in Out of Tune believes she is absolutely 100% tone deaf. After all, she can’t hear when she’s singing off key. She even has trouble keeping time, which can go hand in hand with tone-deafness. But, to Maggie’s surprise, she finds someone who believes in her enough to teach her how to sing correctly. This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s easy.
I did a lot of research for Out of Tune, and part of that research was learning that it’s possible to overcome tone-deafness. Amusia, however—true tone-deafness, where the person literally cannot hear tones—is the only instance when a person cannot learn to sing in key, but it’s rare.
(3) I’ve learned even if dreams crumble around you, that you just have to keep going.
Out of Tune was originally supposed to be published with my publisher, Rhemalda Publishing, but earlier this year they had to close their doors. Because Out of Tune has had such a rocky road (failed querying, rewriting it from scratch, and now losing its publisher), I decided to put it out there myself. It’s a story centered on following your dreams, and I felt that getting it out there no matter what was serving it the justice it deserves. Never, ever give up.
Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She adores cheese, chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in the time she grabs between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life. Michelle writes contemporary Young Adult and New Adult fiction (and other genres when she feels like it).
Twitter | Blog | Facebook
Twenty-year-old Maggie Roads’ parents are legendary in the country music world. She wants nothing more than to follow their example, but the limelight is not reserved for singers who cannot carry a tune, let alone keep a rhythm.
When her parents tell her they are getting divorced, Maggie decides it’s time to leave home and take her future into her own hands. Moving in with Cole, her best friend and sometimes boyfriend might not be the best of ideas, but she has to start somewhere.
Their off-and-on romance gets even more complicated when Maggie crushes on her new voice teacher, Nathan, who unlocks her stunning potential. A sensational music career of her own is finally within reach, but
Maggie might need more than perfect pitch to find what she is really looking for.
by Michelle D. Argyle
I first developed the idea for Out of Tune last November (2012). I’ve always wanted to write a book about a girl who plays the guitar. That was pretty much the only thing I had to go on when I first started figuring out what this girl’s story would be. For some reason, I wanted her to sing country music. That led into the idea that her parents were country music stars, and then … well, there always needs to be a problem in a story, so what was this girl’s problem? She can’t sing. In fact, she’s so bad her own parents have asked her not to sing anywhere in public. Ever. Ouch, huh? I was so excited to start Out of Tune, but I actually didn’t get around to starting it until January of this year, so I’m pumped that it is now out in the world!
So how has Out of Tune changed my life? In many ways, I’ll tell you that. Here are some of them.(1) I’ve learned to absolutely adore country music.
I’ll admit I’ve never been a huge country music fan. I don’t know why I chose Out of Tune to be centered on country music, but it just felt right. So I had to learn to love country music! And I did. It took about three months, but country is now one of my all-time favorite genres. It’s what I have my radio set to permanently these days. I’m not sure my husband really appreciates it, but oh well.
(2) I’ve learned that it’s possible to overcome things that seem innate.
What do I mean by innate? My main character in Out of Tune believes she is absolutely 100% tone deaf. After all, she can’t hear when she’s singing off key. She even has trouble keeping time, which can go hand in hand with tone-deafness. But, to Maggie’s surprise, she finds someone who believes in her enough to teach her how to sing correctly. This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s easy.
I did a lot of research for Out of Tune, and part of that research was learning that it’s possible to overcome tone-deafness. Amusia, however—true tone-deafness, where the person literally cannot hear tones—is the only instance when a person cannot learn to sing in key, but it’s rare.
(3) I’ve learned even if dreams crumble around you, that you just have to keep going.
Out of Tune was originally supposed to be published with my publisher, Rhemalda Publishing, but earlier this year they had to close their doors. Because Out of Tune has had such a rocky road (failed querying, rewriting it from scratch, and now losing its publisher), I decided to put it out there myself. It’s a story centered on following your dreams, and I felt that getting it out there no matter what was serving it the justice it deserves. Never, ever give up.
Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She adores cheese, chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in the time she grabs between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life. Michelle writes contemporary Young Adult and New Adult fiction (and other genres when she feels like it).
Twitter | Blog | Facebook
About Out of Tune
Twenty-year-old Maggie Roads’ parents are legendary in the country music world. She wants nothing more than to follow their example, but the limelight is not reserved for singers who cannot carry a tune, let alone keep a rhythm.
When her parents tell her they are getting divorced, Maggie decides it’s time to leave home and take her future into her own hands. Moving in with Cole, her best friend and sometimes boyfriend might not be the best of ideas, but she has to start somewhere.
Their off-and-on romance gets even more complicated when Maggie crushes on her new voice teacher, Nathan, who unlocks her stunning potential. A sensational music career of her own is finally within reach, but
Maggie might need more than perfect pitch to find what she is really looking for.
Have you ever begun a story with just a simple image, like Michelle's girl with a guitar?
How Out of Tune Has Changed My Writing Life
by Michelle D. Argyle
I first developed the idea for Out of Tune last November (2012). I’ve always wanted to write a book about a girl who plays the guitar. That was pretty much the only thing I had to go on when I first started figuring out what this girl’s story would be. For some reason, I wanted her to sing country music. That led into the idea that her parents were country music stars, and then … well, there always needs to be a problem in a story, so what was this girl’s problem? She can’t sing. In fact, she’s so bad her own parents have asked her not to sing anywhere in public. Ever. Ouch, huh? I was so excited to start Out of Tune, but I actually didn’t get around to starting it until January of this year, so I’m pumped that it is now out in the world!
So how has Out of Tune changed my life? In many ways, I’ll tell you that. Here are some of them.
(1) I’ve learned to absolutely adore country music.
I’ll admit I’ve never been a huge country music fan. I don’t know why I chose Out of Tune to be centered on country music, but it just felt right. So I had to learn to love country music! And I did. It took about three months, but country is now one of my all-time favorite genres. It’s what I have my radio set to permanently these days. I’m not sure my husband really appreciates it, but oh well.
(2) I’ve learned that it’s possible to overcome things that seem innate.
What do I mean by innate? My main character in Out of Tune believes she is absolutely 100% tone deaf. After all, she can’t hear when she’s singing off key. She even has trouble keeping time, which can go hand in hand with tone-deafness. But, to Maggie’s surprise, she finds someone who believes in her enough to teach her how to sing correctly. This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s easy.
I did a lot of research for Out of Tune, and part of that research was learning that it’s possible to overcome tone-deafness. Amusia, however—true tone-deafness, where the person literally cannot hear tones—is the only instance when a person cannot learn to sing in key, but it’s rare.
(3) I’ve learned even if dreams crumble around you, that you just have to keep going.
Out of Tune was originally supposed to be published with my publisher, Rhemalda Publishing, but earlier this year they had to close their doors. Because Out of Tune has had such a rocky road (failed querying, rewriting it from scratch, and now losing its publisher), I decided to put it out there myself. It’s a story centered on following your dreams, and I felt that getting it out there no matter what was serving it the justice it deserves. Never, ever give up.
Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She adores cheese, chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in the time she grabs between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life. Michelle writes contemporary Young Adult and New Adult fiction (and other genres when she feels like it).
Twitter | Blog | Facebook
Twenty-year-old Maggie Roads’ parents are legendary in the country music world. She wants nothing more than to follow their example, but the limelight is not reserved for singers who cannot carry a tune, let alone keep a rhythm.
When her parents tell her they are getting divorced, Maggie decides it’s time to leave home and take her future into her own hands. Moving in with Cole, her best friend and sometimes boyfriend might not be the best of ideas, but she has to start somewhere.
Their off-and-on romance gets even more complicated when Maggie crushes on her new voice teacher, Nathan, who unlocks her stunning potential. A sensational music career of her own is finally within reach, but
Maggie might need more than perfect pitch to find what she is really looking for.
by Michelle D. Argyle
I first developed the idea for Out of Tune last November (2012). I’ve always wanted to write a book about a girl who plays the guitar. That was pretty much the only thing I had to go on when I first started figuring out what this girl’s story would be. For some reason, I wanted her to sing country music. That led into the idea that her parents were country music stars, and then … well, there always needs to be a problem in a story, so what was this girl’s problem? She can’t sing. In fact, she’s so bad her own parents have asked her not to sing anywhere in public. Ever. Ouch, huh? I was so excited to start Out of Tune, but I actually didn’t get around to starting it until January of this year, so I’m pumped that it is now out in the world!
So how has Out of Tune changed my life? In many ways, I’ll tell you that. Here are some of them.(1) I’ve learned to absolutely adore country music.
I’ll admit I’ve never been a huge country music fan. I don’t know why I chose Out of Tune to be centered on country music, but it just felt right. So I had to learn to love country music! And I did. It took about three months, but country is now one of my all-time favorite genres. It’s what I have my radio set to permanently these days. I’m not sure my husband really appreciates it, but oh well.
(2) I’ve learned that it’s possible to overcome things that seem innate.
What do I mean by innate? My main character in Out of Tune believes she is absolutely 100% tone deaf. After all, she can’t hear when she’s singing off key. She even has trouble keeping time, which can go hand in hand with tone-deafness. But, to Maggie’s surprise, she finds someone who believes in her enough to teach her how to sing correctly. This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s easy.
I did a lot of research for Out of Tune, and part of that research was learning that it’s possible to overcome tone-deafness. Amusia, however—true tone-deafness, where the person literally cannot hear tones—is the only instance when a person cannot learn to sing in key, but it’s rare.
(3) I’ve learned even if dreams crumble around you, that you just have to keep going.
Out of Tune was originally supposed to be published with my publisher, Rhemalda Publishing, but earlier this year they had to close their doors. Because Out of Tune has had such a rocky road (failed querying, rewriting it from scratch, and now losing its publisher), I decided to put it out there myself. It’s a story centered on following your dreams, and I felt that getting it out there no matter what was serving it the justice it deserves. Never, ever give up.
Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She adores cheese, chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in the time she grabs between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life. Michelle writes contemporary Young Adult and New Adult fiction (and other genres when she feels like it).
Twitter | Blog | Facebook
About Out of Tune
Twenty-year-old Maggie Roads’ parents are legendary in the country music world. She wants nothing more than to follow their example, but the limelight is not reserved for singers who cannot carry a tune, let alone keep a rhythm.
When her parents tell her they are getting divorced, Maggie decides it’s time to leave home and take her future into her own hands. Moving in with Cole, her best friend and sometimes boyfriend might not be the best of ideas, but she has to start somewhere.
Their off-and-on romance gets even more complicated when Maggie crushes on her new voice teacher, Nathan, who unlocks her stunning potential. A sensational music career of her own is finally within reach, but
Maggie might need more than perfect pitch to find what she is really looking for.
Have you ever begun a story with just a simple image, like Michelle's girl with a guitar?
Thursday, November 21
It's launch day for Michelle Davidson Argyle's Out of Tune, a New Adult novel about the country music business. Michelle will be back next month to talk writing with us, but for now, here's a teaser!EXCERPT - OUT OF TUNE by: Michelle D. Argyle
Cole’s steady beat on the drum relaxed her. She could feel his eyes on her as she played, but she did not turn around. He would never know what this meant to her. She had wanted and dreaded this moment forever. She could only imagine what tomorrow would be like, with an audience full of strangers.
She closed her eyes as the music flowed into her. Iza came in on her fiddle, her notes weaving in and out like bright threads in a tapestry. Justin started singing the first lines and she tapped her foot, counting like Nathan had taught her. “Every beat is a physical thing,” he had said. “See the music, feel it, just like you’ve done your whole life. Pearls on a string—let each one slide through your fingers. Measured.”
Mandolin line. Then the bass started. Maggie’s turn.
When she came in, her voice was louder and stronger than it had ever been. Justin’s voice filled her up like honey. She swam through it, adding her own to his. Maybe he was a womanizer and constantly looking at her like he wanted to get her in bed, but he was an amazing singer. They smiled at each other as they melted into the song.
She had never been inside music like this before. The stage lights sparkled in her eyes and she understood for the first time in her life why musicians put up with all that travelling and recording, and the stressful nights like when her mom was puking her guts out with the flu—the real flu—but had to go on stage in five minutes. Maggie remembered her smiling as she wiped her mouth and shrugged. “It’s part of the singin’ life, hon. We don’t always get breaks when we need them.” She had patted Maggie on her twelve-year-old head and squared her shoulders as her makeup artist dusted some powder over her pale cheeks. Then she had left for the stage in a flutter of sequins and curls.
Special Giveaway!
It's launch day for Michelle Davidson Argyle's Out of Tune, a New Adult novel about the country music business. Michelle will be back next month to talk writing with us, but for now, here's a teaser!EXCERPT - OUT OF TUNE by: Michelle D. Argyle
Cole’s steady beat on the drum relaxed her. She could feel his eyes on her as she played, but she did not turn around. He would never know what this meant to her. She had wanted and dreaded this moment forever. She could only imagine what tomorrow would be like, with an audience full of strangers.
She closed her eyes as the music flowed into her. Iza came in on her fiddle, her notes weaving in and out like bright threads in a tapestry. Justin started singing the first lines and she tapped her foot, counting like Nathan had taught her. “Every beat is a physical thing,” he had said. “See the music, feel it, just like you’ve done your whole life. Pearls on a string—let each one slide through your fingers. Measured.”
Mandolin line. Then the bass started. Maggie’s turn.
When she came in, her voice was louder and stronger than it had ever been. Justin’s voice filled her up like honey. She swam through it, adding her own to his. Maybe he was a womanizer and constantly looking at her like he wanted to get her in bed, but he was an amazing singer. They smiled at each other as they melted into the song.
She had never been inside music like this before. The stage lights sparkled in her eyes and she understood for the first time in her life why musicians put up with all that travelling and recording, and the stressful nights like when her mom was puking her guts out with the flu—the real flu—but had to go on stage in five minutes. Maggie remembered her smiling as she wiped her mouth and shrugged. “It’s part of the singin’ life, hon. We don’t always get breaks when we need them.” She had patted Maggie on her twelve-year-old head and squared her shoulders as her makeup artist dusted some powder over her pale cheeks. Then she had left for the stage in a flutter of sequins and curls.
Special Giveaway!
Wednesday, December 12
I'm calling today "three dozen day," in honor of the date 12/12/12. It will be a long while until we have another symmetrical date like today's . We'll of course have 1/3/13 and a palindrome, 3/1/13 next year, but that's not quite as pretty as the date patterns we've had going for the past eleven years, starting with 01/01/01.
To celebrate, here are three sets of a dozen goodies for you:
(From a guest post for Tricia O'Brien, "Make your stories sing")
"If you wait for inspiration to strike or writing conditions to be optimal, you’ll never finish anything. You have to keep chipping away at projects on good days and bad."
(From my interview on Read Review Smile)
"Gratitude is light in the darkness, friends. It is a powerful weapon against despair, a powerful creator of joy." (From "Thanks and Joy")
"A funny thing about listening to fear--it takes away your power to contradict it."
(From "Leaving Fear, Grasping Hope")
"Hope comes from being like the Magi--keeping an eye on the far horizon, watching for something good. We lose hope when unhappy things in the immediate environment consume our vision and we stop regularly scanning the horizon." (From "Following Your Star")
"...the stuff of creativity--joy, life energy, what have you--is like manna in the wilderness. It is a gift that must be gathered fresh daily." (From "Living Forward")
"The past doesn't stay in the past. It always has implications for the present and future."
(From "I've Got a History")
"Remember that where you come from shapes who you are."
(From an interview with Melissa Sarno, "Let Setting Emerge from Character")
"Real attraction, real magnetism is more deeply layered than finding someone hot. It grows out of finding something admirable in another person that resonates with who you are and want to be."
(From a guest post for Laura Pauling: "Romance is more than 'hotness'")
"The writers who do non-preachy well...succeed because the way faith deeply shapes how the characters think...around the idea of rescue and redemption, of deeply needing help themselves."
(From interview with Karen Akins, "Edgy? Clean? Writing across genre divides")
"Despite the eye-rolling, daughters know they’re valued when their dads don’t let just any guy get close to them."
(From a guest post for Tyrean Martinson, "Why Dads Matter")
"One of the most lovely things about literature is how it opens a window into other worlds, gives us a chance to understand other perspectives by living inside them for just a little while."
(from guest post for Leigh T. Moore, "Getting Real About Faith...and Doubt")
Requiem, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Disintigration, by The Cure
Once Upon a Time, by Simple Minds
Macalla, by Clannad
Avalon, by Roxy Music
Mercury Falling, by Sting
Fields of Gold, by Sting
Hey Jude, by The Beatles
Optical Race, by Tangerine Dream
Thirtysomething Soundtrack
The Best of Simon and Garfunkel, by Simon and Garfunkel
How will you celebrate Three Dozen Day?
To celebrate, here are three sets of a dozen goodies for you:
A dozen quotes (from yours truly)
"...truth is beautiful, no matter where you find it."(From a guest post for Tricia O'Brien, "Make your stories sing")
"If you wait for inspiration to strike or writing conditions to be optimal, you’ll never finish anything. You have to keep chipping away at projects on good days and bad."
(From my interview on Read Review Smile)
"Gratitude is light in the darkness, friends. It is a powerful weapon against despair, a powerful creator of joy." (From "Thanks and Joy")
"A funny thing about listening to fear--it takes away your power to contradict it."
(From "Leaving Fear, Grasping Hope")
"Hope comes from being like the Magi--keeping an eye on the far horizon, watching for something good. We lose hope when unhappy things in the immediate environment consume our vision and we stop regularly scanning the horizon." (From "Following Your Star")
"...the stuff of creativity--joy, life energy, what have you--is like manna in the wilderness. It is a gift that must be gathered fresh daily." (From "Living Forward")
"The past doesn't stay in the past. It always has implications for the present and future."
(From "I've Got a History")
"Remember that where you come from shapes who you are."
(From an interview with Melissa Sarno, "Let Setting Emerge from Character")
"Real attraction, real magnetism is more deeply layered than finding someone hot. It grows out of finding something admirable in another person that resonates with who you are and want to be."
(From a guest post for Laura Pauling: "Romance is more than 'hotness'")
"The writers who do non-preachy well...succeed because the way faith deeply shapes how the characters think...around the idea of rescue and redemption, of deeply needing help themselves."
(From interview with Karen Akins, "Edgy? Clean? Writing across genre divides")
"Despite the eye-rolling, daughters know they’re valued when their dads don’t let just any guy get close to them."
(From a guest post for Tyrean Martinson, "Why Dads Matter")
"One of the most lovely things about literature is how it opens a window into other worlds, gives us a chance to understand other perspectives by living inside them for just a little while."
(from guest post for Leigh T. Moore, "Getting Real About Faith...and Doubt")
A dozen albums that inspired Never Gone
The Hurting, by Tears for FearsRequiem, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Disintigration, by The Cure
Once Upon a Time, by Simple Minds
Macalla, by Clannad
Avalon, by Roxy Music
Mercury Falling, by Sting
Fields of Gold, by Sting
Hey Jude, by The Beatles
Optical Race, by Tangerine Dream
Thirtysomething Soundtrack
The Best of Simon and Garfunkel, by Simon and Garfunkel
A dozen British slang terms from Never Gone
barking mad / barmy / blimey / bollocks / crikey / fancy / gadding about / Geordie / git / hobgoblin / nutter / peakyMore chances to win
I also have a few giveaways going on. If you'd been hoping to win a copy of Never Gone and haven't yet, check out Read Review Smile (2 copies up for grabs) and Day 6 of Fifteen Days of Christmas giveaway at Ramblings of a Book Junkie!How will you celebrate Three Dozen Day?
I'm calling today "three dozen day," in honor of the date 12/12/12. It will be a long while until we have another symmetrical date like today's . We'll of course have 1/3/13 and a palindrome, 3/1/13 next year, but that's not quite as pretty as the date patterns we've had going for the past eleven years, starting with 01/01/01.
To celebrate, here are three sets of a dozen goodies for you:
(From a guest post for Tricia O'Brien, "Make your stories sing")
"If you wait for inspiration to strike or writing conditions to be optimal, you’ll never finish anything. You have to keep chipping away at projects on good days and bad."
(From my interview on Read Review Smile)
"Gratitude is light in the darkness, friends. It is a powerful weapon against despair, a powerful creator of joy." (From "Thanks and Joy")
"A funny thing about listening to fear--it takes away your power to contradict it."
(From "Leaving Fear, Grasping Hope")
"Hope comes from being like the Magi--keeping an eye on the far horizon, watching for something good. We lose hope when unhappy things in the immediate environment consume our vision and we stop regularly scanning the horizon." (From "Following Your Star")
"...the stuff of creativity--joy, life energy, what have you--is like manna in the wilderness. It is a gift that must be gathered fresh daily." (From "Living Forward")
"The past doesn't stay in the past. It always has implications for the present and future."
(From "I've Got a History")
"Remember that where you come from shapes who you are."
(From an interview with Melissa Sarno, "Let Setting Emerge from Character")
"Real attraction, real magnetism is more deeply layered than finding someone hot. It grows out of finding something admirable in another person that resonates with who you are and want to be."
(From a guest post for Laura Pauling: "Romance is more than 'hotness'")
"The writers who do non-preachy well...succeed because the way faith deeply shapes how the characters think...around the idea of rescue and redemption, of deeply needing help themselves."
(From interview with Karen Akins, "Edgy? Clean? Writing across genre divides")
"Despite the eye-rolling, daughters know they’re valued when their dads don’t let just any guy get close to them."
(From a guest post for Tyrean Martinson, "Why Dads Matter")
"One of the most lovely things about literature is how it opens a window into other worlds, gives us a chance to understand other perspectives by living inside them for just a little while."
(from guest post for Leigh T. Moore, "Getting Real About Faith...and Doubt")
Requiem, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Disintigration, by The Cure
Once Upon a Time, by Simple Minds
Macalla, by Clannad
Avalon, by Roxy Music
Mercury Falling, by Sting
Fields of Gold, by Sting
Hey Jude, by The Beatles
Optical Race, by Tangerine Dream
Thirtysomething Soundtrack
The Best of Simon and Garfunkel, by Simon and Garfunkel
How will you celebrate Three Dozen Day?
To celebrate, here are three sets of a dozen goodies for you:
A dozen quotes (from yours truly)
"...truth is beautiful, no matter where you find it."(From a guest post for Tricia O'Brien, "Make your stories sing")
"If you wait for inspiration to strike or writing conditions to be optimal, you’ll never finish anything. You have to keep chipping away at projects on good days and bad."
(From my interview on Read Review Smile)
"Gratitude is light in the darkness, friends. It is a powerful weapon against despair, a powerful creator of joy." (From "Thanks and Joy")
"A funny thing about listening to fear--it takes away your power to contradict it."
(From "Leaving Fear, Grasping Hope")
"Hope comes from being like the Magi--keeping an eye on the far horizon, watching for something good. We lose hope when unhappy things in the immediate environment consume our vision and we stop regularly scanning the horizon." (From "Following Your Star")
"...the stuff of creativity--joy, life energy, what have you--is like manna in the wilderness. It is a gift that must be gathered fresh daily." (From "Living Forward")
"The past doesn't stay in the past. It always has implications for the present and future."
(From "I've Got a History")
"Remember that where you come from shapes who you are."
(From an interview with Melissa Sarno, "Let Setting Emerge from Character")
"Real attraction, real magnetism is more deeply layered than finding someone hot. It grows out of finding something admirable in another person that resonates with who you are and want to be."
(From a guest post for Laura Pauling: "Romance is more than 'hotness'")
"The writers who do non-preachy well...succeed because the way faith deeply shapes how the characters think...around the idea of rescue and redemption, of deeply needing help themselves."
(From interview with Karen Akins, "Edgy? Clean? Writing across genre divides")
"Despite the eye-rolling, daughters know they’re valued when their dads don’t let just any guy get close to them."
(From a guest post for Tyrean Martinson, "Why Dads Matter")
"One of the most lovely things about literature is how it opens a window into other worlds, gives us a chance to understand other perspectives by living inside them for just a little while."
(from guest post for Leigh T. Moore, "Getting Real About Faith...and Doubt")
A dozen albums that inspired Never Gone
The Hurting, by Tears for FearsRequiem, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Disintigration, by The Cure
Once Upon a Time, by Simple Minds
Macalla, by Clannad
Avalon, by Roxy Music
Mercury Falling, by Sting
Fields of Gold, by Sting
Hey Jude, by The Beatles
Optical Race, by Tangerine Dream
Thirtysomething Soundtrack
The Best of Simon and Garfunkel, by Simon and Garfunkel
A dozen British slang terms from Never Gone
barking mad / barmy / blimey / bollocks / crikey / fancy / gadding about / Geordie / git / hobgoblin / nutter / peakyMore chances to win
I also have a few giveaways going on. If you'd been hoping to win a copy of Never Gone and haven't yet, check out Read Review Smile (2 copies up for grabs) and Day 6 of Fifteen Days of Christmas giveaway at Ramblings of a Book Junkie!How will you celebrate Three Dozen Day?
Monday, November 19
Music has been a big piece of my life for as long as I can remember. My sibs and I all took piano lessons. There were school choirs, the radio, and as anyone raised in the Christian tradition, sacred music making up the soundtrack of my days.
Lyric has a way of working into your consciousness, thrumming in your brain. It most naturally expresses itself in poetry. But lyrical writing can appear in any kind of writing, from nonfiction essays and memoir to the most hard-boiled fiction. Noir has its own musicality. So do thrillers and horror.
Today I'm over at Talespinning, talking about making your stories sing: the benefits of poetry training for novelists. Swing on by for some tips on using poetic devices in your work to give it texture.
Tomorrow, I'll have a special guest, author Connie Keller, here to talk about how having face blindness has in fact helped her build strong characterization. Can't wait for you to hear her story. It's fascinating!
Does your fiction have a soundtrack? Is it palpable in your story itself?
Lyric has a way of working into your consciousness, thrumming in your brain. It most naturally expresses itself in poetry. But lyrical writing can appear in any kind of writing, from nonfiction essays and memoir to the most hard-boiled fiction. Noir has its own musicality. So do thrillers and horror.
Today I'm over at Talespinning, talking about making your stories sing: the benefits of poetry training for novelists. Swing on by for some tips on using poetic devices in your work to give it texture.
Tomorrow, I'll have a special guest, author Connie Keller, here to talk about how having face blindness has in fact helped her build strong characterization. Can't wait for you to hear her story. It's fascinating!
Giveaway
Deniz Bevan at The Girdle of Melian is hosting an ebook giveaway of Never Gone. She's also talking about Daleks. Who could resist? Go forth and enter for a chance to win "a delightful page-turner full of sorrow, mystery and redemption."Does your fiction have a soundtrack? Is it palpable in your story itself?
Music has been a big piece of my life for as long as I can remember. My sibs and I all took piano lessons. There were school choirs, the radio, and as anyone raised in the Christian tradition, sacred music making up the soundtrack of my days.
Lyric has a way of working into your consciousness, thrumming in your brain. It most naturally expresses itself in poetry. But lyrical writing can appear in any kind of writing, from nonfiction essays and memoir to the most hard-boiled fiction. Noir has its own musicality. So do thrillers and horror.
Today I'm over at Talespinning, talking about making your stories sing: the benefits of poetry training for novelists. Swing on by for some tips on using poetic devices in your work to give it texture.
Tomorrow, I'll have a special guest, author Connie Keller, here to talk about how having face blindness has in fact helped her build strong characterization. Can't wait for you to hear her story. It's fascinating!
Does your fiction have a soundtrack? Is it palpable in your story itself?
Lyric has a way of working into your consciousness, thrumming in your brain. It most naturally expresses itself in poetry. But lyrical writing can appear in any kind of writing, from nonfiction essays and memoir to the most hard-boiled fiction. Noir has its own musicality. So do thrillers and horror.
Today I'm over at Talespinning, talking about making your stories sing: the benefits of poetry training for novelists. Swing on by for some tips on using poetic devices in your work to give it texture.
Tomorrow, I'll have a special guest, author Connie Keller, here to talk about how having face blindness has in fact helped her build strong characterization. Can't wait for you to hear her story. It's fascinating!
Giveaway
Deniz Bevan at The Girdle of Melian is hosting an ebook giveaway of Never Gone. She's also talking about Daleks. Who could resist? Go forth and enter for a chance to win "a delightful page-turner full of sorrow, mystery and redemption."Does your fiction have a soundtrack? Is it palpable in your story itself?
Thursday, December 15
Tomorrow is DL Hammons's Deja Vu Blogfest, a chance to recycle a post you love, or one you wish would've gotten more attention the first time around. I hesitated signing up because tomorrow is my daughter's school program, and I'll be away from the computer all morning listening to cute kiddos singing. Hopefully I can manage to catch up in the afternoon!
To me, the holidays are incomplete without music. Participating in choirs (and also band in high school) meant months of practicing, practicing, practicing words and tunes that always shifted something inside me. I can live without the lights, the sweets, the gifts and cards. What I can't live without is that resonance of joy and mystery, the mighty made weak and rich made poor for our sake.
And speaking of things I can live without--one of my biggest holiday pet peeves is the misuse and misunderstanding of the Twelve Days of Christmas. People, these are NOT days PRIOR to Christmas day, they are AFTER Christmas day! The twelve days are the period between Christmas and Epiphany (Jan 6; also called Three Kings Day, in remembrance of the Magi's arrival and gift-giving). During this period, the liturgical colors switch from advent purple to white. You can read more about them HERE (includes an interesting explanation of the song, too).
It's the third week of advent right now, not the "second day of Christmas." OK? Thank you. I needed to get that off my chest.
What do you consider a holiday essential? Do you have a holiday pet peeve?
Tomorrow is DL Hammons's Deja Vu Blogfest, a chance to recycle a post you love, or one you wish would've gotten more attention the first time around. I hesitated signing up because tomorrow is my daughter's school program, and I'll be away from the computer all morning listening to cute kiddos singing. Hopefully I can manage to catch up in the afternoon!
To me, the holidays are incomplete without music. Participating in choirs (and also band in high school) meant months of practicing, practicing, practicing words and tunes that always shifted something inside me. I can live without the lights, the sweets, the gifts and cards. What I can't live without is that resonance of joy and mystery, the mighty made weak and rich made poor for our sake.
And speaking of things I can live without--one of my biggest holiday pet peeves is the misuse and misunderstanding of the Twelve Days of Christmas. People, these are NOT days PRIOR to Christmas day, they are AFTER Christmas day! The twelve days are the period between Christmas and Epiphany (Jan 6; also called Three Kings Day, in remembrance of the Magi's arrival and gift-giving). During this period, the liturgical colors switch from advent purple to white. You can read more about them HERE (includes an interesting explanation of the song, too).
It's the third week of advent right now, not the "second day of Christmas." OK? Thank you. I needed to get that off my chest.
What do you consider a holiday essential? Do you have a holiday pet peeve?
Friday, April 8
Not when it's Beaker, the lovable Muppet. I've always been exceptionally impressed by his ability to communicate so much with a one-word vocabulary. We writers could learn a lot from Beaker.
For today's Friday Fun, I give you Beethoven, joy and, well...Beaker blowing things up.
Have a great weekend, friends!
Which are your favorite Muppets? What can you learn from Beaker's communication style?
For today's Friday Fun, I give you Beethoven, joy and, well...Beaker blowing things up.
Have a great weekend, friends!
Which are your favorite Muppets? What can you learn from Beaker's communication style?
Not when it's Beaker, the lovable Muppet. I've always been exceptionally impressed by his ability to communicate so much with a one-word vocabulary. We writers could learn a lot from Beaker.
For today's Friday Fun, I give you Beethoven, joy and, well...Beaker blowing things up.
Have a great weekend, friends!
Which are your favorite Muppets? What can you learn from Beaker's communication style?
For today's Friday Fun, I give you Beethoven, joy and, well...Beaker blowing things up.
Have a great weekend, friends!
Which are your favorite Muppets? What can you learn from Beaker's communication style?
Friday, March 18
If you could hitchhike with a Time Lord aboard the TARDIS, where and when would you choose to go? Would you decide, like Rose Tyler (companion to Doctors #9 and 10), to go back and see a relative you never got to know? Would you choose a far-off space port in a distant future? Would you want to meet a famous person? Your great-great grandchildren? See one of the seven wonders of the ancient world?Gosh, where would you even start? That's what makes Dr. Who's premise so delicious. The possibilities are endless.
I
think one of my first stops would be 1780s Vienna. Having to disguise myself in poofy dress and an enormous wig would be quite a laugh. But most of all, I'd love to have a chance to see Mozart in the flesh. Was he charming or a complete jerk? A fun drunk or a mean one? Did he live lost within his inner musical world, or was he actually a fascinating conversationalist?How about you? When and where would your first stop be if you could go anywhere in space and time?
If you could hitchhike with a Time Lord aboard the TARDIS, where and when would you choose to go? Would you decide, like Rose Tyler (companion to Doctors #9 and 10), to go back and see a relative you never got to know? Would you choose a far-off space port in a distant future? Would you want to meet a famous person? Your great-great grandchildren? See one of the seven wonders of the ancient world?Gosh, where would you even start? That's what makes Dr. Who's premise so delicious. The possibilities are endless.
I
think one of my first stops would be 1780s Vienna. Having to disguise myself in poofy dress and an enormous wig would be quite a laugh. But most of all, I'd love to have a chance to see Mozart in the flesh. Was he charming or a complete jerk? A fun drunk or a mean one? Did he live lost within his inner musical world, or was he actually a fascinating conversationalist?How about you? When and where would your first stop be if you could go anywhere in space and time?
Monday, November 15
The interwebs are all abuzz about this week's release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film. Many other bloggers are writing Potter posts on topics big and small. Here are some lovely gals I'm joining for Potter Week, including some new friends:
Jen Daiker
Lisa Galek
Renae Mercado
Colene Murphy
Melissa Wideen
If you aren't deep into Potter lore, you might be surprised to know that this book series has spawned all sorts of cultural phenomena. I'll touch on a number of them throughout the week--a kind of intro to Potter Fandom.
Wizard Rock/Wrock
Since 2000, hundreds of bands have been spawned that do nothing but Potter-inspired songs. Here's a quick documentary to give you a feel for the genre:
Philly is one of many hotbeds of Wizard Rock. An annual Yule Ball is held in the Philly suburbs. I heard my first all Wizard Rock concert at the Free Library back in 2007, featuring The Moaning Myrtles, The Whomping Willows and the Remus Lupins. Since then, we've purchased or downloaded dozens more songs. I adore The Ministry of Magic, which does techno-pop. But all sorts of styles are represented, from country and adult alternative to rap and punk.
The most common venue for these groups to perform? Libraries. Most groups have literacy promotion as a core goal. But most of all, these groups are a kind of fandom that buys into Rowling's imagined universe and creatively makes it their own. How awesome is that?
Just for fun, go google your favorite HP character and find the band created in his or her honor. What did you find?
Have you ever attended a Wizard Rock event? Visited the Myspace Wrock community?
Jen Daiker
Lisa Galek
Renae Mercado
Colene Murphy
Melissa Wideen
If you aren't deep into Potter lore, you might be surprised to know that this book series has spawned all sorts of cultural phenomena. I'll touch on a number of them throughout the week--a kind of intro to Potter Fandom.
Wizard Rock/Wrock
Since 2000, hundreds of bands have been spawned that do nothing but Potter-inspired songs. Here's a quick documentary to give you a feel for the genre:
Philly is one of many hotbeds of Wizard Rock. An annual Yule Ball is held in the Philly suburbs. I heard my first all Wizard Rock concert at the Free Library back in 2007, featuring The Moaning Myrtles, The Whomping Willows and the Remus Lupins. Since then, we've purchased or downloaded dozens more songs. I adore The Ministry of Magic, which does techno-pop. But all sorts of styles are represented, from country and adult alternative to rap and punk.
The most common venue for these groups to perform? Libraries. Most groups have literacy promotion as a core goal. But most of all, these groups are a kind of fandom that buys into Rowling's imagined universe and creatively makes it their own. How awesome is that?
Just for fun, go google your favorite HP character and find the band created in his or her honor. What did you find?
Have you ever attended a Wizard Rock event? Visited the Myspace Wrock community?
The interwebs are all abuzz about this week's release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film. Many other bloggers are writing Potter posts on topics big and small. Here are some lovely gals I'm joining for Potter Week, including some new friends:
Jen Daiker
Lisa Galek
Renae Mercado
Colene Murphy
Melissa Wideen
If you aren't deep into Potter lore, you might be surprised to know that this book series has spawned all sorts of cultural phenomena. I'll touch on a number of them throughout the week--a kind of intro to Potter Fandom.
Wizard Rock/Wrock
Since 2000, hundreds of bands have been spawned that do nothing but Potter-inspired songs. Here's a quick documentary to give you a feel for the genre:
Philly is one of many hotbeds of Wizard Rock. An annual Yule Ball is held in the Philly suburbs. I heard my first all Wizard Rock concert at the Free Library back in 2007, featuring The Moaning Myrtles, The Whomping Willows and the Remus Lupins. Since then, we've purchased or downloaded dozens more songs. I adore The Ministry of Magic, which does techno-pop. But all sorts of styles are represented, from country and adult alternative to rap and punk.
The most common venue for these groups to perform? Libraries. Most groups have literacy promotion as a core goal. But most of all, these groups are a kind of fandom that buys into Rowling's imagined universe and creatively makes it their own. How awesome is that?
Just for fun, go google your favorite HP character and find the band created in his or her honor. What did you find?
Have you ever attended a Wizard Rock event? Visited the Myspace Wrock community?
Jen Daiker
Lisa Galek
Renae Mercado
Colene Murphy
Melissa Wideen
If you aren't deep into Potter lore, you might be surprised to know that this book series has spawned all sorts of cultural phenomena. I'll touch on a number of them throughout the week--a kind of intro to Potter Fandom.
Wizard Rock/Wrock
Since 2000, hundreds of bands have been spawned that do nothing but Potter-inspired songs. Here's a quick documentary to give you a feel for the genre:
Philly is one of many hotbeds of Wizard Rock. An annual Yule Ball is held in the Philly suburbs. I heard my first all Wizard Rock concert at the Free Library back in 2007, featuring The Moaning Myrtles, The Whomping Willows and the Remus Lupins. Since then, we've purchased or downloaded dozens more songs. I adore The Ministry of Magic, which does techno-pop. But all sorts of styles are represented, from country and adult alternative to rap and punk.
The most common venue for these groups to perform? Libraries. Most groups have literacy promotion as a core goal. But most of all, these groups are a kind of fandom that buys into Rowling's imagined universe and creatively makes it their own. How awesome is that?
Just for fun, go google your favorite HP character and find the band created in his or her honor. What did you find?
Have you ever attended a Wizard Rock event? Visited the Myspace Wrock community?
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