Lesson Learned!

As the old saying goes, “You learn something new every day”. That is so true. Some days we have to look a bit harder than others, but I am always happy when I have learned a new tidbit of information.  Let me share with you what I learned today:  don’t try a new hairstyle 30 minutes before you have to be somewhere.  

Recently I shared some videos on facebook that demonstrated fun hairstyles for long hair.   I tend to wear my hair in the same four styles: partially up in a barrette, in a French braid, in a braided ponytail, or in a bun on the run. So when I see a video with fresh styles I Pin It or share it or save it to my picture files.   Apparently, I have never tried any of these examples before. 

My husband texted me today and asked me to meet him in town for coffee. I had been doing errands  and had a wrinkled t-shirt on and my hair up in a bun on the run.   I didn’t want to meet my husband looking like that so I put on a nice shirt and thought to myself, “Self, wouldn’t it be fun to try one of those new styles we watched on the videos this week?”  “Yes, Self, let’s!”

I’m not sure I will take Self’s advice next time.   Apparently, these videos that show the examples being done on someone with long, sleek, shiny hair are not supposed to be done on people who have long, naturally curly, mind-of-its-own hair. There should really be a disclaimer on this.

I go to the mirror and pull back my first section of hair that is usually in the barrette. The barrette doesn’t normally give me any problems; I slide it across the section and latch it. Done.  Obviously, I have not ever tried to put a section of long hair into a ponytail holder. I pulled it through once. No problem. I twist it and pull it through again, catching some of the extra dangling hair.  With a bit of pain, I pulled it through. I flipped that section over my head, hoping it would not catch like that again, but this time it caught on its own self. More tugging and adjusting was needed.  Finally, that FIRST part was done.  Now I had to pull back another section…and go through the same process.  Same results. But I’m over half way done and not giving up now.  Whew! Okay, done with that part. 

Next, I had to push the bottom ponytail over the top and through the top ponytail. I put my fingers through an opening trying to grab the whole section of hair and pulled it half way through. I’m in trouble. I painfully get it through. I find a mirror and look at my….not so much of a masterpiece that definitely doesn’t look like the picture. I can’t go like this! 

It is now five minutes away from the time that I was supposed to meet my husband who is sitting and waiting for me in a restaurant 20 minutes away.   I painfully pull the ponytail back through and begin the task of trying to take the elastic bands out of my rat’s nest. Pulling and tugging strand by strand, trying to unwind 2 ½ feet of hair from the bands had me looking in the mirror and laughing.  “What am I going to do?” I actually asked Self out loud, but was not willing to take Self’s advice when she said, “You’ll have to cut it.”    I couldn’t cut the bands out without getting a good chunk of hair with it. 

 I left the first and started on the second one thinking it would come out easier. Yeah…not sure why I thought that.  It didn’t .  I just grabbed each band and started tugging and tugging, clumps of hair falling to the floor.

FINALLY! They were off my head. I prayed I could get a brush through it. Painfully, I did. I tossed my hair into a full ponytail and braided it and out the door I ran. I was 15 minutes late to my very important date but walked in refreshed enough to visit. I let my secret out when I got home.

Lesson learned!

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Tips to Working With Cover Designers

I have learned some important things when it comes to working with cover designers and illustrators. The cover is a very important part of the book. The title, subtitle, and presentation of the cover is going to be the first hook the reader has. You want to make sure that it all comes together to support the topic of your book.
   
- Many times, the designer will want to meet with you personally so that they can get a good feel for what you are looking for. They may request to read a portion of  your book so they understand fully what you are trying to convey to the reader.  

- Bring as much information and detail as  you can to the meeting. The more you have, the easier it will make the designer's job resulting in a lower cost for you.   If you already have an actual picture, bring that to them.

- Make sure to be specific with your timeline so that they understand when you are expecting to have it finished.

- The designer wants you to be happy with their work. Communication is key to this.   They may try different fonts and colors. Respectfully, give your feedback. If you are not happy with something, let them know and also let them know what you do like about their work. They are working for you and want referrals to come their way so they will go above and beyond the call of duty to give you what you want.

- Trust your designer. This is their job. Many times, they will know what will capture the reader's eye better than we do.

With my second book, I had had a general idea for the front cover but I had something very specific in mind for the back cover.   I wanted chains and a lock as I talked in the book about being bound by the chains of our past.

When I received it, the front cover was beautiful! I was so happy with it. I was anxious to see the back cover. Instead of locks, however,  there was a watermark of a baby's face. I was not very pleased. I emailed the designer and asked if he could please place the lock and chains on it as I had asked. Then I softened and explained that I thought it was a beautiful picture that he used, but it took my breath away and I was not prepared for it. I then asked if he could send me what I had requested so that I could look at the pictures side by side.   He did exactly as I asked and what I had been so set on having on my cover honestly looked dumb compared to the one he had chosen to use.

I was thankful he had a bigger vision than I did for the topic of my book. I knew if it had made that big of an impact with me, it surely would with others as well.  

Writing is a process!

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The Secrets Behind the Eyes
A Realist's Guide to Being a Pastor's Wife
Are You on the Verge of a Spiritual Heart Attack?

Write! Write! Write!

The weekend is here! Carve out some time for writing. Worlds are right at your fingertips!  If you are not quite sure what you would be best at, experiment. Write different styles of poetry and poetry directed to different audiences.  I love to write about deep feelings but then other times I just like to be silly with my poems. Most of the time I write what's on my heart, but in recent years, I have been assigned topics. Stretch yourself.

Try your hand at short stories. This has been very interesting for me. I have never limited myself on word count, but recently I have been trying my hand at some freelance articles.  They limit the word count. It is harder than it sounds.   To pack a mystery or a romance story into 800 words and still be able to hook the reader and provide all the story elements has proved to be quite the challenge for me.

Decide if you are more interested in writing fiction or nonfiction.  "Write what you know" is a piece of advice that has been very helpful. What do you know?  What experiences have you had in life? What are some unique opportunities you have had? You can incorporate what you know into fiction or nonfiction.

Everyone has something to offer.   There are things you have been through that other people need to hear about. It may be to inform them or to let them know that they are not alone in the world.   Many people are afraid to speak up and be transparent about their own lives for fear of judgment. They feel they may be the only ones who are dealing with a particular issue.   There is a huge amount of relief for them when they realize somebody else can identify with their struggles.

Here is a bit of advice: you can't write wrong! I'm sure English teachers hate it when I say that and I know that there are certain rules that we have to follow.   Ultimately, though, you are the writer. There may be reasons for some of the punctuation you use or the sentence fragments that are implemented.   Even if you have an editor go through your work with a fine-tooth comb and it is returned to you all marked up in red, you get the final say. You know what you are trying to communicate.

So have fun writing! I get the privilege of being a part of a writing conference tomorrow where we will be encouraging others to use their writing gifts.  I am looking forward to it!

Check out the Idaho Creative Authors Network

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"I'm healed!"

As adults, it seems more difficult to accept things on faith. Sometimes prayer can be our last resort. I have been thinking about the youth in my life a lot lately and their faith seems so unwavering, so sure, so pure.

I picked my grandson up one day and I took him out for a treat.  We sat down at the table and he exclaimed in his four-year-old voice, “Gramma! You need to be prayin’ for me!” He had my attention and I asked him what was going on. “I’m not feeling good. I have been sick and you need to pray that God heals me!” I assured him I would.  

I was amazed that at four years old he would see the importance of asking someone to pray for him in his sickness. It encouraged me knowing that if he had that concept down NOW what a powerful prayer warrior he will be when he is older. 

Sometimes when I pray, I feel it is more out of hope than expectancy, but kids just seem to have such a strong faith that when something is prayed for, they expect it to happen. I love it! What an example to me!

I remember when one of my sons had blood work done when he was four and his platelets were very low.  The physician’s assistant nonchalantly said that could be found many times in kids with leukemia and wanted to recheck it in two weeks. What?! I didn’t understand how he could use my son’s name in the same sentence as the word leukemia and then tell me we had to wait two weeks before discussing things further! 

Every night for two weeks my husband and I prayed over our son HOPING God was hearing our cries. We took him back in and the blood work was the same and so was the PA’s response, “Come back in two weeks.”  This time my husband was on the phone with the clinic demanding something more solid than that. He wanted to know the possibilities, the probabilities, anything that would help our minds wrap around what we might be dealing with.   A physician called us and explained that we would do one more set of labs and go from there.  So we prayed and prayed.

The night before my son’s next appointment, my husband and I knelt next to his bed instructing him that we were going to pray.  Laying his head on his pillow, he folded his little hands and closed his eyes. When we said amen, we opened our eyes expecting to hear him mimic our response as he always did, but he didn’t this time. We looked at him and he opened his eyes and smiled so big. He formed his fingers on both hands into the shape of guns. He made a clicking sound with his tongue and said, “I’m healed!” My husband and I looked at each other and giggled and kissed him on the forehead.

We took him in the next day for his labs. A couple of days later, the doctor called and said, “Everything looks great, his platelets are back up to normal.” For a  little guy of four years old to hear his mommy and daddy praying over him over something I’m sure he didn’t understand, I don’t think he knew enough to HOPE for the best. He expected our prayer to be heard. He expected to be healed. For four weeks we poured our hearts out, but he seemed to know the minute those cells were touched by his God.

A child’s faith is so amazing! We need to not get bogged down by the clutter of the world and remember how big our God is!  Expect great things from a great God!

The Parking Lot

Are you one to get distracted easily? Chances are, if you are a writer, the answer is a resounding YES! That’s okay. Writers are ALWAYS writing even when they don’t have a pen in their hands or they are not at the keyboard. Their minds have a hard time shutting off. They are constantly thinking of a new story or how to enhance an existing project and then the grocery list gets mingled in there as well. Here is a sure little trick that I was taught. I have used it myself and it has saved my sanity more than once.  

When you are working, keep a notepad near you.   That notepad is going to be your “Parking Lot”.  When you are in the zone and on a roll with writing/typing, you do not want anything getting in your way. So when that thought enters your mind that your forgot to pick up a present for Aunt Sally’s birthday, you are going to stop and jot it down in your parking lot. That way you do not have a chance to forget it and you don’t have to dwell on it any longer.   Carry on with your writing until the next irrelevant (to your working project) idea tries to bully its way into your brain. Stop and put it in your parking lot.  

I even use this tactic at night when I am trying to go to sleep. This is when your mind is attempting to wind down and you not only have to fight the thoughts of forgotten tasks but now the characters and ideas in your writing projects decide that they all want your attention this very minute. They don’t talk to you all day and you struggle to find them and incorporate them into your writing, some days to no avail. Apparently their morning is your midnight.   That’s okay! Because now you have a parking lot and you can jot down the ideas and write about it in the morning.  Very simple fix that eliminates a ton of frustration!

Happy writing!

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If it has a plug in or a battery, keep it away!

I am always jokingly(?) telling my husband that when it comes to electronics I have a negative psychokinetic energy that breaks whatever device is in my presence or at the very least makes them act up. The copier will jam over and over again. I call for my husband's help and he is able to get it working with no problem whatsoever. He usually just looks at me and smiles, not expressing his frustration of me taking him away from his task.  Phones won't function, my kindle will act up, even one of my car keys refuses to work in my presence.

I made a fool out of myself today when my husband said he would keep one of the car keys on his key ring. I told him he couldn't because one key was to start the car and one was to unlock the doors. I had tried that other key several times every which way possible and could never get it to start the car. We get in the car and he uses the key he took off the ring and it started right up.   My 17 year old apparently has been touched by the same issue as me. He walked through the door after using the car today saying that he could not get the key to start the car and had to use the other one.  I felt validated.

I have never met anybody else with the same problems in regards to this issue to the extent that I suffer...until today.   Now I understand my husband's smile. It can be pretty comical. I went over to a client's house and we began our book coaching session. After finding the correct names and passwords for certain screens, we were finally where we needed to be. We began setting up an account. This took several tries as certain characters were left out of the password or username. Giggles were starting.  Because of this, we had to set up a new account EACH time. We reached a point that the computer was no longer responding to the commands we were giving it. The giggles spill out.

After realizing we now had four accounts floating out in cyberspace and still no confirmation through the email, we decided to call the company. My client picked up her cell phone and dialed the number and put it on speaker phone. "All circuits are busy, please try again later." Laughter fills the room.

"Are you kidding me?!" my client screams.

"Isn't that like a rotary phone issue? I have never had that happen on my cell phone!" I said. "Try it again." This time the call went through. She explained to the person what had happened and the screens we were seeing. As she is talking, she is walking through the steps again on the computer. This time it worked when she hit the "Continue" button. She slaps me on the arm and we both throw our heads back in silent laughter, trying not to let the company operator hear us. We hit the next button and it did just as it was supposed to, getting us to the next screen. She politely thanked the person and said everything was now working.

Things worked very slick after that, but it makes it very hard to write a step by step process for someone when the those steps don't give you the correct response each time. Good grief!

Guest Blogger Introduction - Kimbre Christopher

Meet Kimbre! She is 27 years old. She has three boys and is expecting her fourth in May of 2016. Kimbre and her husband spend a lot of time not only raising their children in Christ, but help to raise other children to know Him through their church's Awana Club. Kimbre is starting a new chapter of her life as a "stay-at-home" mom. She is eager to share what she has been learning in this new part of her life.