The "I" in Writer? We're Not So Alone, Anymore...

I write, therefore I am

Writing keeps me sane (ish)

I am a writer. It's what I do. I love it. Not to mention, it probably keeps me sane.

I know that overall writing is a solitary endeavor. Who knows your characters, stories and intentions better than you, their creator? No one.

But... these days being a writer isn't all about solitary confinement. There are so many avenues to keep a writer on the road to success that I'm sometimes overwhelmed by the opportunities.

There are professional organizations in most genres that help maintain a sense of community and keep a writer up-to-date on the ever-changing world of publishing and reader preferences. If you haven't found one, do a little research and see if there's a group in your area.

Chances are there is both a national organization and smaller, regional chapters.

Input from my multi-genre group made this book stronger.

There are also writer's groups that form in public arenas such as libraries, coffee houses, book stores, colleges and art houses. A lot of these independent groups are multi-genre. These can be supremely useful when you're looking to ensure you're hitting ALL the readers the right way. The first time I ever shared a romantic portion of my novel Knight of the Mist with my multi-genre group, I was absolutely blown away by the responses and dead-on critiques from the action writers, the poets and the ghostwriter. They didn't write in my genre but they had insight that was invaluable. Different ears hear different things.

Again, check around for these groups. Make friends with your librarians and book store owners/managers because they are often in the know about what groups are around and just waiting for you to join.
More than once I've seen a smaller critique group be born from these larger groups. It's not a bad thing, it's just a smaller and more concentrated setting with like-minded people. I would not abandon the multi-genre group for a smaller group, though. Find a way to work both into your schedule.

A lot of authors work with only one or two critique partners, too. Decreasing the number greatly increases the individual time and attention your work receives from them.The closer the partnership, the more they will know about your stories and characters and the deeper and more intuitive their critique can become.
But it's not all about having a critique group/partner. I know plenty of authors who don't work with one and put out some genius work.

Are they solitary? Nope. They're on the other end of the spectrum - the social aspect. They hang out in writer forums just to talk shop or with readers to talk the fun stuff. We can hook up with the world in ways that make us less isolated and more animated.

I enjoy being on Facebook and chatting with various people in various niche groups. I talk all the time so Twitter is pretty perfect for my random thoughts. I try to attend chats given by authors I enjoy or reader groups with whom I'm involved.

The world is out there and as writers we are no longer relegated to the status of hermit.Bury ourselves and only come out once a quarter.

It feels good.

It feels liberating.

So for me, the I in writer means Invigorated, Informational, Interesting,In-depth, Investigative... It really means I'm not alone and I'm very glad for that.

Happy Reading,
Jennifer

The Sunday Quote

Dinner & A Movie Jan 26, 2013

It's not what's under a man's kilt that matters, it's what's in his heart!

I'm in a feisty mood today so I'm thinking I'll be watching Braveheart! I love this movie. As in really, really love it. When it came out in 1995, I went to see it 27 times in the theater. I know, I know. That's certifiable, but keep in mind ticket prices back then were actually reasonable and I hit A LOT of matinees. I was drawn by the allure of Scotland, the beauty of Mel Gibson (seriously, it was a thing), the pageantry of the period piece and the haunting soundtrack. It's still one I listen to on a weekly basis. When I'm writing a medieval book such as Knight of the Mist or His Lady Thief, I have it on constant repeat.

Even though it's a movie all about Scotland, I am NOT going to have haggis. Instead, I'll do a tasty shepherd's pie and serve it with a scrumptious endive and bleu cheese salad.

This recipe is from AllRecipes.com, which is one of my absolute favorite cooking sites ever. It's incredibly rich with recipes and tips and very easy to use. Check it out!


Shepherd's Pie
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
 1 tablespoon butter
 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
 salt and pepper to taste
 5 carrots, chopped
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 1 onion, chopped
 1 pound lean ground beef
 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 1 tablespoon ketchup
 3/4 cup beef broth
 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Endive & Bleu Cheese Salad

2 fresh endives, leaves peeled
2 tbs crumbled bleu cheese
3 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs shallot, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix red wine vinegar with olive oil, shallots and salt and pepper until well blended. Toss bleu cheese and endive then cover with vinaigrette.

Happy reading,
Jennifer

The Sunday Quote

Dinner & A Movie Jan. 19, 2013

The delightful Mamma Mia! from Universal Pictures.

Tonight's movie fare is the film adaptation of Mamma Mia! Unlike her turn as Cosette in Les Miserables, I think Amanda Seyfried was the perfect choice to play Sophie. She's young and fresh and exuberant and gave a wonderful performance. A bit of slapstick, some surprising vocals (Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski) and some winceable ones (Pierce Brosnan) and a clever plot make this one of my favorite movies. I love to listen to the soundtrack while I'm doing chores around the house. Sometimes I go crazy and dance like a wild woman.

To go along with Mamma Mia, I am making my dad's special spaghetti sauce. This recipe is absolutely yummy and tastes better if it simmers on the stove for a few hours. Three or four at the least.

Dad's Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (Hot can be used but it changes the entire taste of the dish)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 15-ounce cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce + 1 28-ounce can of Hunts Tomato Sauce ( I don't know why it's broken out like this but it is and we never vary)
Ground Oregano to taste - I add 1 TBS when the meat is browing, then 1-2 TBS during the cooking
Italian Herbs to taste - same as above
Button Mushrooms (optional)
Black olives (optional)

Directions:
Brown meat and sausage in pan, drain off fat. Return to pan and add onions, bell pepper, garlic, tomato sauce and seasonings. Simmer for three to four hours, adding more seasoning as needed. About 30 before you intend to serve it, add mushrooms and olives.

Serve over pasta and with warm garlic bread.
Yum!

Happy reading,
Jennifer

The Allure of Corsets

Let's talk corsets. These dandy boob lifter/tummy suckers have been around for centuries. Around the sixteenth century, French women donned corsets made of iron and velvet. Ouch. Talk about a heavy burden. The idea less about creating a tiny waist as it was about highlighting the breasts. The earlier versions flattened the breasts but pushed them up so the wearer had a "shelf" of round, perfection regardless of the true state of her girls. The trend took off and when it got to England, those smart cookies switched the iron for whalebone and a whole new generation of boobs were uplifted much more comfortably.
The Elizabethans got creative and added a light, carved wooden piece to the front of the bodice. This busk was generally used for special occasions and sometimes was given to a would-be romantic interest. I guess back then they passed the bra instead of burning it. I personally can't see handing over my bra as a token of my affection. I'd rather take it off and leave it on the floor, but I digress.

Never trust a big butt and a smile.

The 1700 and 1800's brought a new appreciation and duty for the corset. Now women wanted that tiny waist, the steel straight spine AND the jiggly boob top. The corsets of those days did all that and more. Judging by this picture, I'd say the more included a Brazilian butt lift at the least.
The Regency era saw some modifications. Women strayed from the full torso corset to the pre-cursor of the bra. A smaller but still uplifting material that wrapped around the upper back and stayed in place with more traditional bra straps we're accustomed to.

Show me the bling!

These days, corsets are thought of as sexy, flirty and accessories. Unlike their staid sisters of old, today's corsets come in a variety of colors, fabrics, feathers and blingatry.
I, personally, love wearing them. There doesn't even have to be a special occasion. I  just light being all tucked and sucked and not have to worry about a roll popping out at an inopportune moment. Come on, you know you've had that happen. Your pull up or pull down body sleeker has done the waistband roll and instead of a sexy silhouette you look like the Michelin tire man. Yep. Been there, done that.

Can you just image the fun she had getting
helped into this corset?
Image courtesy of AmbeRed Photo at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But corsets are a different breed. They're more fun when you're helped into AND out of one. The tugging of the laces to get the fit absolutely perfect is way more fun than Scarlett complained about in Gone with the Wind.
There also happens to be a ton of really great places online to buy them, regardless of your color preference, size and budget. I heartily recommend Glamorose. Those ladies have it going on.Another excellent site is Hourglass Angel. Seriously, Google corset shopping and you'll be sucked in. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Happy reading,
Jennifer

21 Days

They say it takes twenty one days to make a habit stick. I don't know about that. With all that we do in our lives, how is it possible for anyone to do anything twenty one straight days except sleep, eat and check Facebook and Twitter?

What is a habit, anyway?
Merriam-Webster defines it as a behavior pattern acquired  by frequent repetition or or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance.

Personally, I thought doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same result was the definition of insanity but I can see some wiggle room here.
So, it's time to build some new habits for 2013. On day 15, I'd like to think I'm doing pretty well on my goals. Well, on some of them. One of them?

I've gotten very good at logging in to My Fitness Pal every day and journaling as I'm supposed to. I think this is already an ingrained habit because it's like Facebook -- sort of an addiction.I have friends on there whose progress is highly motivating and I'm eager to see what they're up to today. I'm a news junkie so I equate it to that: what's going on today? I have to log in to find out. Done.

We don't even need to discuss Facebook and Twitter. I'm an addicted user of those services.

Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Another of my goals is to write a slew of books in 2013. And by slew I mean thirty gazillion. Or twelve. I don't remember the exact number. Being a crazy person  (trying to form habits makes you crazy, remember?) I broke down the approximate number of words for each book  then how many I'd have to write in a month, a week, a day then an hour. Trust me, I know that was a form of procrastinating but it actually helps me. Instead of seeing the entire elephant (say 1.5 million words in one year), I see doable elephant bites ((6) 685 word sprints a day). 685 words in thirty minutes? Dude, I am all over that. Trouble is...well, doing it. Making a habit is darned hard when life intervenes and you end up with a cold that keeps you in bed and unable to focus for two days or you have a migraine or you're having computer issues. I'm usually a roll with it kind of person but some days the roller wins and after setbacks and false starts I say forget it, I'll come back tomorrow.

Does that mean I'm failing in my attempt to create a daily writing habit? Yes. Does that mean I'm going to fail at writing a slew of books this year? Nope. Not one damn bit.

I think habit is just a sly word for persistence. I'd rather be hitting my head against the brick wall of writing than doing just about anything else professionally (except sing but since I can't carry a tune, that's out.)
In my mind, it's not necessarily about doing it every single day as it is getting it done.If that means writing ten hours in one day after losing time the previous day, then fine. Technically it doesn't count as a day two in a habit forming attempt but the work is still getting done.

As you can see, it's all very convoluted.The bottom line is: do what you want to do, the way you want to do it as long as you're getting it done.Whatever it may be.

Now get out there and make some habits or something!

Happy reading,
Jennifer