Waiting for inspiration

Every author and aspiring author writes at a different pace. I’m constantly amazed how fast people whip out their first draft, whereas I tend to get so hung up on the nearly tangible vision of my story and the complexity of the details that will pull it all together that I often struggle moving forward when something isn’t flowing quite right.

Recently while writing a scene that would start the wind up of a mini climax in my WIP I screeched to a dead halt. My character wouldn’t speak to me. I could feel the tension from trying to force him to do or say something that I wasn’t sure he would.

It occurred to me that I didn’t know him as well as I had thought, so I explored him further; writing his back story (which lead to the inspiration of my sequel), and even talking to him out loud and asking him all sorts of questions.

Through this process I now feel I know him every bit as well as I know my brother, better in fact, however I still couldn’t move forward; as everything needs to flow from this moment in my story I didn’t feel that skipping forward was an option so I waited for inspiration to strike.

Days turned into weeks.

This lengthy pause in my progression had me working on other things, and even on my knees yet somehow I knew something would hit me sooner or later.
And then it did one morning, for no reason in the world. Standing in my bathroom I was struck with a vision. Not of the character I had been struggling with but the one he was with; the one that has been standing there waiting for a response from him as long as I have.
My vision was about my main character taking a moment to absorb her surroundings and give into them, to finally accept who she is. I realized that these characters weren't having an ordinary conversation it was an acclimation of belonging for her. And this new revelation sent things back in motion for me, though in a different angle. A better one.

I don’t know why it took so long for this, now seemingly obvious direction to come to me. Perhaps I had been so focused on my male character that my mind couldn’t allow any other possibilities. Or perhaps sometimes inspiration needs time and patience to strike at the moment that your own life experiences can open it up to you.

This experience has taught me something.
I’ve learned that it’s okay to go at my own slower pace. It works for me. And I know eventually I will get my book done and it will be everything I want it to be.

I’m grateful for the people in my life who inspire me in all aspects, including the Chicks and bloggers out there expressing them selves through script. But most of all I’m grateful to my Father in Heaven who inspires me the most, even if I have to wait for it.

Thank you,

The Mythical Chick

The Read Out Loud Handbook ~ See what all the fuss is about.

I'm going to stray a bit here from Fiction to Non-fiction, because I believe this book to be a treasure and a guide for parents who want to find great fiction reads for their kids. 

I was introduced to this book at a book club one day.  The lady who recommended it, called it her "Bible" for literature.  I borrowed her much underlined copy, because I wasn't convinced that it would be that great of a book.  But as you can guess, I was wrong. 

My own copy of this book has been read, re-read and underlined and is currently lent out to another friend.  Why? you may ask is this book so great.  Don't we already know that reading out loud to our children is good? 
Don't our schools tell us to read to our children for at least 20 Min. each day? 

Jim Trelease not only explains why its good to read out loud, but he provides 30 years worth of personal research and real stories that will inspire, even the most avid read-out-louder.  His own story of how he got his book published is interesting and inspiring enough. 

He self-published the first edition of "The Read Out Loud Handbook" back in the 70's.   He got a break thanks to a local newspaper columnist and started selling like crazy.  A major publisher noticed his sales and picked him up.  (There's more to the story, but you'll have to read the book.)

Six editions later, and updates on his "original" case studies, Mr. Trelease manages to keep selling this book 30 years later.  The success stories and the proof he provides on the first part of the book are compelling enough.  But the real treasure, in my opinion, lies in the second half of the book.  It's the ever growing list of recommendations for good read-out-loud books, divided by age group and category.  Some books are considered classics, while some others are newer releases.  Each recommendation, comes with a great description of the book, so you can be sure to pick the perfect book for your child.

Whenever I run dry of ideas, I reach for this book.  Whenever I feel like I need to feel inspired, I pick up this book.  Like my friend, I regard it as a Bible of sorts. It is one of my most used resources as a mother and educator and this is why I'm featuring it today. 

~Sil~ The Supernatural Chick

The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching

Who is ready for a very unique adventure that began in the Garden of Eden? The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching is the answer for a page turning journey that keeps you wanting more. The action and mystery starts at the beginning and doesn't let up.

The story begins with Jacob Lau recovering from a traumatic event. He is not really sure what happened, he just knows that his mother is now missing and believed dead. He gets shipped from Hawaii to Paris, Illinois to live with relative he didn't even know existed. To top of all this off he starts experiencing weird things happen when he combines water with  harassment from the school bullies. The main problem with this is his best friend, Malini, witnesses these weird watery events and begins questioning Jacob. Jacob is completely unaware of how these thing happen but finds the answers he is looking for in an unexpected place. After Jacob has a confrontation with his cousin he gets slotted to help a neighbor weekly. This is not an ordinary neighbor. Dr. Abigail Silva is a very strange woman that makes Jacob feel uneasy when around her. This quirky botanist, however, may have the answers to all his problems and can help him find his mother.

 G.P. Ching does an excellent job keeping the reader on their toes. The plot has so many twist and turns that you will never know what is going to happen next. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes a mysterious adventure but wants something different.

A Review by KF Ridley http://www.kfridley.com/

The Alchemyst ~ By: Michael Scott

He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly seven hundred years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.
The records show that he died in 1418.
But his tomb is empty.

The legend:Nicholas Flamel lives. but only because he has been making the exilir of life for centuries. The secret of life eternal is hidden within the book he protects-the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world.
That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know whats happening until it's to late. And if the prophecy is right, the twins, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

This book is full of magic, myths, legends, chases, monsters, heroes, evil and good. . . a pure fantasy that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you rush to the final page!!!By then it will be clear that the end is only the beginning.
I would recommend this book it to fantasy lovers 10 and up.

Enjoy!

The Sci-Fi Chick~chick

Lonely Hearts by Amanda Stephan

Amanda Stephan coins herself as "just a normal country girl......." What????? 

Amanda may be all that, but she is so much more! A busy wife and mother on the verge of the release of her second Christian Romance novel.....Lonely Hearts.

"One lonely mother. Two matchmaking kids. Three eligible bachelors and some very yummy apple pie..."

Coming November 1, 2011! I haven't asked her yet, but I'm hoping she will grant me an interview when her book is released, so we can let the world know where to get their hands on a copy.

Stay tuned friends, the best is yet to come!

If you'd like to learn more about Amanda, check out the links below: 

Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/thepriceoftrust)
Facebook author page (http://www.facebook.com/creativehomemomma)
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/amandastephan  
Website (http://www.booksbyamanda.com or http://www.thepriceoftrust.com)
Blog (http://authoramanda.blogspot.com)

Enjoy,

~The Ethereal Chick~

Interview with Rosanne Dingli

1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or was there
   something else you wanted to do as a career?

I wanted to be a graphic artist until I worked for one. Big mistake – it was not the ideal firm to work for. I left the office in disgust, and left the keys on the typewriter. I never went back. That was 1971. I have had a variety of jobs – many of which were connected to writing, publishing, and the book industry. But I have also worked as a cook and a heraldic artist.

2. If you had the chance to co-author a book with anyone who would it be and why?

Elizabeth Kostova – we would devise a beautiful literary novel with dozens of music, literature and art references in it. But the plot would be so great that it wouldn’t matter one bit if you didn’t get the references. Kostova did such a magnificent job with The Swan Thieves. It’s the kind of book I always feel I could have written myself. I write in a similar vein, but have never managed one so beautiful.

3. Are there any books you've read that were so emotional that you teared up?

Possession by AS Byatt ends in a magical way. I suppose you must have something similar to which you can relate in your own life, to be struck by it in such a forceful emotional way. I’ve read it twice, and both times it choked me up.

4. What is the first book that you remember reading?

I have been reading since I was five, which is over half a century ago, so you won’t blame me for mentioning Wish for a Pony by Monica Edwards, which I remember reading when I was about seven. Hardback, with a very battered dust jacket.

5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors in mind for each role? What bands/singers would you put on the soundtrack?

I have several books – three of them are novels, and many people have told me that the two that are published should be made into movies. The third will be released by my publishers soon. I am not a very visual person and I don’t watch movies, but I suppose I could put myself through the exercise. Some readers tell me that Father Rob Anderson in According to Luke could be played by Christian Bale or a young George Clooney. The background music would be orchestral, with a lot of church organ, since some of it takes place in churches and monasteries.

Death in Malta would make a nice mystery movie, I suppose, with Anthony Hopkins as Dr Phineas Micallef. The background music would be instrumental too, perhaps Maltese guitars and some spooky violins.

6. What are 10 random facts about yourself?

• I was born and raised in Malta, a tiny island in the Mediterranean, and I very often include it as a location in my writing.
• I can mirror-write from right to left, in a similar way to how Leonardo da Vinci wrote his notes.
• I like combining art and writing, so for the launch of my last novel, an artist friend painted over 30 icons in pre-Byzantine style.
• I went to St Catherine’s High School in Malta, where I got a terrific education.
• I like 60s and 70s music, and lots of classical stuff like opera.
• My favourite colour is yellow. I underlined those words because that’s the way we spell them in Australia.
• I live in Perth, on the west coast of Australia, which is a medium-sized city that’s as windy as Chicago.
• My family and I own about 4000 books in five languages.
• I can paint and draw. I like doing birds.
• My favourite drink is tea.

ROSANNE DINGLI is an award-winning author from Western Australia. Her forthcoming romantic thriller, Camera Obscura, is soon to be released by BeWrite Books.

Are you up for a riddle?

I've been working on a little writing exercise the last couple of days that was inspired by watching my son eat his breakfast.

The idea is to hide a characters role and sociological situation in the details and leave it up to the reader to discover the truth.

I didn't want to make it too obvious but I discovered it was a fine line to walk. I asked my husband to read it and to tell me the significance of the character. But true to his less than intellectual minded nature he wasn't much help. So I'll make myself a little vulnerable and call upon you all to tell me what you think if you are willing.

Ina was watching Dale eat his breakfast. She enjoyed observing this simple honest moment and did it as often as she could. Today Ina just caught the tail end of it; his bowl was almost empty.
With all the other kids gone to school there was no one there to distract him from his cereal. With the focus of a chemical engineer, Dale hovered two inches over his bowl, working his spoon with impressive precision for a four year old. Ina couldn't imagine how he could be so unaware of the racket his red lips and tongue were making or how he could eat those… What was it now? Lucky Charms, is it she thought glancing at the box across the table. She caught herself pointlessly searching around on her chest for her readers. It still amazed her sometimes how those old habits still hung on, even after all this time.
The slurping and smacking finally ended when the last fleck of cereal was retrieved from the bowl with the team work of spoon and chubby finger and then pushed into a mouth opened wide enough for a shovel.
She gazed at him with adoring pride as he used his pajama sleeve to wipe his face, and then spilled some of the milk as he lifted the bowl for a drink.

“Aah!” Dale said slamming the empty bowl on the table “I’m all done, Mommy. I eat it all!” He looked eagerly into the front room where his mother was cleaning, ready to repeat himself if she failed to respond in the next nanosecond.
Ina looked at Claire with adoring pride too as she walked into the kitchen with a basket of laundry. Ina longed to hug her; even some small recognition of her presence from Claire would be nice right now.
Claire absentmindedly straightened the frame of her beloved grandmother’s photo while Dale hastily re-announced his accomplishment.

“Good boy! Now put your bowl in the sink.” Then Claire noticed the spilled milk and pressed her lips together overlooking Dale’s bright smile “Uh oh clean up your mess please.” She seemed more or less immune to her son’s dew drop eyes and adorable ways. And even though Ina’s old memories allowed her to relate she still couldn't quite understand how it was possible considering how obviously endearing the child is. Ina wished she could pull him on her lap and cuddle through a few story books. But instead she settled for one last look before she had to go again.

Thank you for reading. Now, answer these questions about the story:

*What do you think is Ina's relationship to Dale and Claire?

*What is Ina's condition?

*Did you find it was too obvious? Why? (it's okay you can hit me with it)

Any thoughts you have would be very helpful to me. Thank you very much for playing along.

Be on the lookout for this new release! ~Darkspell~ by Elizabeth Muller

Attention all Magic and YA fans, for I have great news!  Darkspell will soon be in print and ready for you to read. 

I met Elizabeth Muller through her awesome blog.  A friendship soon sparked between us and now I feel like I've known her all my life.  She is one of those people with whom you can share your joys and your sorrows and you can trust her with them both! 

Darkpell is Elizabeth's debut novel and I had the honor to be one of her beta readers.  But I'm not allowed to say anything yet. So I'll introduce to you the author and we'll have her back in a few months when her book is out, for a review and a giveaway.  So for now, you will have to content yourself with a little prelude to Darkspell.


Elizabeth, how did you come up with the story for Darkspell?

If you venture into Gail Carson Levine’s Writing Magic, on page 4, there is a writing prompt. It is the 5th one down if you want to see how Darkspell was born! As I jotted the prompt down, I let my muse take full control. Since I love romance, the first thing I thought was how would it be if the second person was a girl? And what if the first one fell in love with her? What if there was something special about her that lured him to her that she didn’t know? My mind deepened so wide, I didn’t think on the 2 dimensional level of these questions, but I felt them stirring as people bursting to be born on paper.


How long did it take you to write it?

It took me about 2 months from beginning to end, but add a few more months to that for editing.


What’s your genre?

Darkspell is Young adult Paranormal Romance, but I write in just about any genre that hits my muse, but I stick within YA for the most part.


About Darkspell:

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.
As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.
Will love prove thicker than magic?
Darkspell, coming fall 2011!


What is your advice to talented women out there?

Believe in yourself, in what the Lord has blessed you with and don’t let the cynicism of others drown you. There’s a whole lot of writers out here that believe in you!
(Amen to that!)


You can also find Elizabeth on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads!  It's been an honor to have you on my blog Elizabeth.  You are a fireball!

By: Sil ~ The Supernatural Chick.