Terry Lee's Blog

Ever wonder where sayings come from? This phrase jumped to mind when rehashing my to-do list as well as write my IWSG blog post for May...Too Many Irons In The Fire. Are you juggling a ton of issues this spring? And many that are totally unrelated? Here's a sample of my list yesterday:
Outline $.99 bookCall Alex at auto body shop Submit promo to BookbubLook up Google keywordsNeed brighter flowers on front door wreathChange blurb book #2, Partly SunnyLynda.com - tutorialsInterview - The Author ShowHave wash dryer fixedIWSG post Need milkCall Uverse

       This is roughly one-quarter of my list. I’m an all-over-the-place type of gal, as you can well see. My office is in my home, therefore my home is my office.·     Spring has kept me hopping. During winter, if that’s what you call it in Houston, I found it much easier to sit for longer periods of time at the computer. But all the rains (floods) our area received lately has produced the greenest spring in a long time. Something about spring makes me want to get all sorts of things done. Hence, the all-over-the-place list.
I can only speak for myself, but I’m a bit overwhelmed.
“Stay focused,” I order.“Focused on what?” My alter ego eagerly snarks back.
This post is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group led by none other than the great Alex Cavanaugh. If you would like to share your frustrations, dilemmas, or encouragements with other writers or those aspiring to be writers, please click here.

Final note: need to look up the origin of Spring Cleaning, which seems fairly obvious, but again, who comes up with these phrases? 
Yesterday I scratched off “need milk.” Anyone else have too many irons in the fire? VENT HERE!

Quandary, quandary, quandary and I need some input. I listen to a lot of books on Audible. It’s become increasingly clear that a narrator can make or break an audio book (to me). I’m listening to a book now by a well-known author (one of my favorites), whom I will not mention, and I find the narration boring. I heard something the other day that stuck. 
You don’t have to have perfect enunciation to be a narrator.
I have to say I agree. This current narrator is so precise with her words I see visions of Snow White sweetly talking to the animals in the forest. Too perfect.

And…it sounds as if she is reading the book. Maybe that’s what narrators do, but I want someone to be the POV, take on the personality traits, be able to switch tone levels for different characters.
In my mind I envision a good narrator approaching the microphone with the intent of being a good storyteller instead of merely reading the words on the page. 

Am I asking too much?
One thing I did learn after having Saving Gracie, my first book, put on Audible. As a newbie to this end of the industry, I had a narrow vision of what I sought in a narrator. Turned out she did a great job, except for the fact I’m from the south and she’s from the north. This may not sound like much of an issue, but not only did the timing turn out different in her delivery, but the tone of the POV came across way sharper than what I intended.
 Lesson learned...Thoughts please...
This is April’s blog post for Insecure Writer’s Support Group created by Alex Cavanaugh. To join or learn more, click here.

 Till next month, over and out, and be safe, it's a jungle out there...
One last mention-my favorite narrator is Simon Vance who narrates The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series. Now he's a story-teller.

Welcome to February’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group, created by Alex Cavenaugh.


Intent. The online dictionary says the following on the subject.

Purpose; design; the state of a person's mind that directs his or her actions toward a specific object; meaning or significance. 

I started writing later in life…mid-fifties. My intent at that time was to hold a book in my hand…my words, my name on the cover. That intent became a reality when Saving Gracie was published in 2012, the year I turned 60.

After my third book, Time Trials, was released the end of November 2015, I realized my intent had changed. From just having a published book, I now wanted to be recognized for my writing. Three quick signing parties at the worst time of the year, the sales died off a bit, and the calm of the New Year rolled in. Two years had passed since the release of Partly Sunny, my second novel, so I had to rethink my strategy as to how to promote Time Trials.

Some head-scratching took place before the ding-ding-ding sounded in my head. Oh yeah, I needed to submit for editorial reviews, enter contests...that sort of thing. After submitting Time Trials to Readers’ Favorite, I became ecstatic at the five (1-2-3-4-5…I counted) stars I received plus the glowing review. What a high…


Then I started googling items like “how to get a review from the New York Times” (answer: forget it) and then Publisher’s Weekly, a significantly high-profile reviewer. They’d even established a special section for self-published authors. That seemed doable. Still on the magic carpet ride high from my 5-star Readers’ Favorite review, I sent off Time Trials.

Before going to sleep Monday night I checked my emails. Big mistake. Huge. This is what I found in the subject line from Publishers’ Weekly/Booklife…Your project has been declined for review…Then some nonsense about hoping I wouldn’t be discouraged and please consider submitting any future projects. Really? Declined to even read the book? Not a way to drift off into la-la-land (which in my case is an oxymoron…my sleeping habits have never been la-la-land).
Tuesday morning. New day. Thank goodness. I started to think and remembered my intent of wanting to be recognized for my writing. But I took it a step further. What does that look like? Does it mean I want to see my books showcased in the window of Barnes & Noble? Do I need to reach the best-sellers NYT list? No, but let’s face it…it would be nice. Do I want to make a million dollars? Okay, stop laughing, JK Rowling did...

I’ll be 64 years old this month (seriously, is that right?). I realized my life is full, and I write because I enjoy the process. Developing characters, personality traits, and their own voice is one of my greatest pleasures of writing. I treasure people telling me how much they enjoy my characters. Just this past Monday I received this message: “Wanted you to know I’m having trouble wanting to finish Time Trials because I am not ready to let go of those people’s lives yet.” Another note: “I just love your books!”

  Now, that makes me smile. That is what my intent looks like. That makes me happy. I’m sure I’ll re-evaluate my intent in a couple of years.
So….intent. Yours?    

Hello people and welcome to 2016. The year where change and all things are possible. It’s also time for the Insecure Writer’s Support Grouppost, hosted by Alex Cavenaugh. Hello Alex!

This month’s post: ENCOURAGEMENT (not just for writers)


The words “push notifications” have been on my mind for a while. After publishing my third book, Time Trials, a little over a month ago, someone recently asked “when is the fourth coming out?” Legitimate question, of course. But at the time, I felt like an inflatable yard art snowman and someone had just pulled the plug on the blower.

My last post was “The Birth of a Book” which for me took 2 years (long story). So, I guess when I heard “when is the fourth coming out” it was like someone asking when was I going to give birth again as I was wheeled out of the delivery room.
I envy writers who sit down and punch out book after book. A recent Facebook post by a fellow author said his New Year’s resolution was to publish 3 books (and was already 20,000 words into one). Are you kidding me?
GOSHDARNITALLTOHECK…

I have my little “to do” list all made out…let me see, I have it here somewhere. Oh well, I’ll find it eventually. I felt pretty good yesterday just getting my 2016 calendar up on my bulletin board and oh yeah, paying bills that were due on the 1st.
Push. Push. Push. My thesaurus refers to words like assault, attack, thrust, charge, forcing, nudge, prod, shove.
Notification. Notification. Notification: bulletin, warning, advertisement, advisory, notice...
By now, we’re all familiar with push notifications on our phones: AMBER Alerts, Weather Alerts, flight information, ESPN updates, breaking news, etc.
Then I realized my push notifications were internal...self-imposed.
What am I going to do next? Write another novel? Bring out the children’s book I wrote 7 yrs. ago? Try a $.99 book? Try, try, try to get BookBub to accept Partly Sunny for a promo? Get professional reviews on Time Trials? Sweep the floor? Change the air filter? Re-arrange the books on my bookshelf?
Oh the pressure, the pressure, the pressure.

I felt my knees about to buckle when finally, the voice of reason in my head (where the heck have you been???) yells “stop you big baby! TURN OFF YOUR PUSH NOTIFICATIONS!”
So…I did. There, much better. Once again, how many times have I had to repeat the words to myself, or rather listen to them from my inner (and much wiser) self? No one is pushing or chasing me for that matter. It’s not a race.

Who needs enemies, right?
Therefore, if you find you are your own notification pusher, put the hammer down. Deep breathe. It’ll get done. Or not. But the sun will still rise in the east and set in the west. Might as well enjoy the journey.
(Sigh) Okay, no push notifications for me. Now where’s that little “to do” list?
Cheers in 2016 to all...     

December. How is that possible? Time for a post to the Insecure Writers Support Group, created by Alex Cavanaugh (thanks Alex!). 


Our topics are fears, struggles, insecurities, challenges, or encouragements as writers. This past month I’ve touched on all of the above. My first two books were published with the help of a publisher, relieving me of any of the formatting issues. For my latest novel, Time Trials, I flew solo as a self-publisher. Hence the fears, struggles, insecurities and challenges.
I have always used a professional editor (which I highly recommend), and once I handed over the finished project I thought I had time to kick up my feet, and take a much needed deep breath.
Wrong.
Little did I know the worm hole I was days away from being hurled down. 


Each editing rewrite took only a day or so…there were three. Editing done.
Scramble. Scramble. Scramble. Blurb, title page, dedication & acknowledgements, copyright page…and then the formatting. Should be simple.
Wrong.
Not that formatting was difficult, I had just never done it before. And to top it off, I’d set a deadline to format, submit, review, publish, order, & have an initial shipment delivered in time for a possible book signing on December 5. EVERYTHING I attempted got screwed up and had to be redone…twice. Submitting a 8.5 x 11inch formatted manuscript for a 6 x 9 inch book didn’t work. Who knew? Cover design, margins, indentations, headers (different for even and odd pages), page numbers, page breaks for new chapters…any of this sound familiar to you who knew where the stones were when you walked on water?


Throwing myself on the floor, kicking, yanking my hair, screaming…every childish prank I could think of I pulled…royally. Then poof…it was completed.
Oh….
Sunday night I hit the “submit” button on CreateSpace. Done. Okay, time for a little breather.


Wrong again.
Monday morning I wake up to an email: “Congratulations! Your book has met our criteria. Your book will be published on Amazon in 3-5 days.”
Wow, that was fast.
But wait…it gets better.Later that afternoon I find my book is already up on Amazon.
What? Amazon has nothing better to do on Cyber Monday? They said 3-5 days! 


This is happening too fast. It's going to be out there! On the big "Zon!" Will anyone like it? 

Sound familiar? Now the encouragement: you too can make it through this crazy maze of self-publishing. It's a wacky ordeal of jumping through hoops...but worth it. As for the formatting lesson, I will certainly make notes for the next go-round. But it’s done. Today, I’m kicking up my feet…and waiting for the next something or another. But with a smile.  

November is here and time for another post to the Insecure Writers Support Group, created by Alex Cavanaugh. To stay on track, our topics need to be about struggles, insecurities, challenges, or encouragement. Today I choose challenges...

 On September 30, at 12:38 PM, I completed book #3, announcing the arrival of my new born, Time Trials. Still steps to take before the final product is up for publication, but the characters finally allowed me to say DONE (my delivery date).

I speak only for myself as my writing career didn’t begin until my late 50’s, but writing a book is like having a baby…somewhat. There’s the initial stage where not much is showing. A lot of excitement, identified my characters, created the story board and off I go.
A bit into the story I began to feel rumblings of unease. Something didn’t feel right, although the belly of the book was beginning to show. Then, the ding, ding, ding goes off. What I’ve spent 8-12 months writing, turns out to be more the middle of the book. Rats.

 This sometimes happens when I give free-range to my characters.
Thank goodness the human female gestation periods don’t work this way. Can you imagine a woman having to “re-do” the first trimester? (I hear screams)

After some hormonal temper tantrums, I began the journey of creating the first part of the book. I rationalize, hey…by the time I catch up to my original beginning, I’ll be two-thirds done.
Wrong.  Time Trials covers three different time periods (1972, 1992, 2012). And each required its own research, which required more time. And then more time.

Wading through the maze of publishing and marketing my first two books, Saving Gracie & Partly Sunny, I found less and less writing time geared toward Time Trials. Where did the hours, weeks, months go? Literally, days raced by in a blur. 

I have two pets who can tell time. They sat at my feet day after day. At five o’clock each afternoon they'd move in closer, if that is possible, and stare at me like “uh…duh, have you not looked at the clock lately?”
Seriously? Didn’t I just feed you guys? You mean another day has already slipped away? They nodded and proceeded with their meal.
Having a baby is a labor of love. Writing a book is a labor of love. My initial thoughts about the story line for Time Trials turned into much, much more “labor” than I anticipated. Tons of research later, which I found I actually enjoyed, year #1 rolled into year #2. Some days I’d sit at the computer and pat myself on the back after rolling out 1,000-2,000 words. Then I’d see a post on Facebook like:
“Had a creative idea when I woke up this morning. Have already cranked out 3,000 words and still going.”
Really? Where’s my light saber? I feel like zapping something...

Other days the typing went so slow one would think both hands had been tied behind me with a pencil wedged in my mouth pecking out each word.
Frustrating? Yes
Rewarding? Yes
Completing a novel? Ecstatic
According to my calculations, my trimesters on Time Trials lasted 8 months, which means my book/baby gestation period surpassed an African elephant’s pregnancy by 2.5 months…ouch
IChallenging...

Today is the first Wednesday of September and time for a post for the Insecure Writer’sSupport Group.


I have struggled for the past several days as to what to write. I’m moved to tears this morning by the violence and hate in our country at the moment. And I say this without having turned on a television to witness the latest unsettling news of the day.

  The horrendous killing of that Harris County Deputy last Friday evening happened in Houston. I live in Houston. The man charged with this senseless crime lived in a subdivision called Copperfield. I lived in Copperfield in the 80’ & 90’s. He graduated from a Cy-Fair high school 12 years ago…the same school my daughter graduated from 20 years ago.
During his football career he was scouted by several colleges. He was a team player. There was no black/white hatred on that team. They played as a TEAM. But that was another time…
What happened over these last 12 years? It had to have been something monstrous. And now, a well-respected man is taken from this world, leaving a wife and two small children to piece together the rest of their lives.
The bright spot in all of this for me has been the peace rally that took place this past weekend. Hundreds and hundreds of people of all color walked together for the violence to stop. 

Yet yesterday on the news I saw graffiti had popped up several places here in Houston of a policeman with a gun pointed to his head. The news bulletin read “Anti-law-enforcement graffiti in the Houston area.”
Where will it end? What will it take? My heart is heavy this morning. To combat violence and hate with violence and hate isn’t the answer. Not the way I believe.
I lived through the assassination of JFK on November 22, 1963. I was 11 and felt a sense of shame something so horrible could happen in my state. Now, the feeling is much stronger. Yes, because the shooting happened in Houston, in my old neighborhood, at a corner where my daughter used to hang out in high school. But the pain in my heart over the hate and violence I now understand as an adult is overwhelming. We have to look deeper. What causes hate? My answer will be different than for someone else. We are all humans, but we are all different. 
All of us.
     

Hello people and the dog-days of summer. The first Wednesday of August and time for another segment of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group created by Alex Cavanaugh.

August...in Houston, TX. Where the map on the evening weather report shows nothing but triple digit temperatures for the next week with no end in sight. And no, this does not include the heat index which bumps the numbers up at least another 15-20 degrees. Warning. Warning. Warning. Ozone alerts; people with breathing problems; the elderly; small children…all reminders to stay indoors. Heat is a serious health-hazard in this part of the country.
Back to my...
Two weeks ago Rich and I took Taylor, my 18 yr. old granddaughter, and her friends camping. I know that seems crazy after what I just stated above, but we were in the Hill Country. Yes, the temperature is high during the day, but the Frio (cold in Spanish) River is one of the main attractions at Garner State Park. There are dances every night at the pavilion for the teenagers and the heat gives way to a fresh and almost chilling breeze.


I catch a lot of grief from people from other parts of the country about camping in a trailer with A/C. There are some things I can do without, but camping in Garner, in July, is not one of them.
We had a morning and evening sitting area, according to how the sun filtered through the huge oak trees covering our campsite.



The evening area also became the star-gazing arena where the late night sported more stars than the actual darkness of the universe.   I even had an outdoor dishwashing station.

Across the road ran the Frio River, where we’d plant our behinds during the hottest part of the day.Our biggest concern seemed whether to bring sandwiches for lunch or walk back across the road for food and more beverages.



I didn’t realize how much the silence of the week touched my soul until my first night back home. After a six-hour drive and a return to the humidity (which intensifies the heat and is a well-known thorn in the side of many Houstonians), I turned on the TV.
That’s when it hit me. For one single week I had been graced with the absence of “breaking news alerts,” new presidential aspirants slamming one another, drive-by shootings, lives ended by driving in the early morning hours after way too much alcohol, robberies and domestic violence deaths. Also the commercials, reality TV shows, late-night talk shows, not to mention all the shows I had set to record during my week away.


I want my silence back. How easy that silence slips into our psyches and becomes part of the day without the constant cacophony blasts of anything electronic. I had my iPhone and iPad at the park, but found I spent very little time on either, and it wasn’t because of the spotty wifi reception. I.Did.Not.Care.
Try it sometime. Give silence a chance.

Over and out from this Houstonian, who dashes from one piece of shade to the next.

Hello people and welcome to July. Yes, no need to check your calendar, it is indeed already the 7th month of 2015. July 1stalso means it is time for a new post to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group created by Alex Cavanaugh. Thanks Alex! 


 For me, IWSG is a purposeful reminder (the proverbial string tied around the finger) to post on my blog. It’s not that I don’t like to blog, I’ve just got this pesky little so-and-so sitting on my shoulder constantly lecturing on how I should be doing absolutely nothing except working toward my deadline on Time Trials, book #3.

I have this to say about that. Thank goodness August is a long month.Life does come into play, though, and I get to flick him/her/it to the curb, or put a piece of duct tape across that big mouth.
Last month I wrote about unusual words. Well, guess I’m not through with the word issue, however, the ones I have chosen this time are more common. 
Simple vs Shallow
Simple - easy to understand, not elaborate or artificial; not ornate or luxurious; unadorned; unassuming; modest
Shallow – not deep; lacking depth; superficial

I often think these two words are interchanged, though I see them as opposites. My maternal grandparents come to mind. My grandfather worked at his brother’s gas station, my grandmother worked at Joske’s (later bought out by Dillards) in Women’s Sportswear. They lived in a crackerbox 2-bedroom house with a kitchen so small two people struggled to walk past each other at the same time. Some of my favorite memories as a child were spending weekends with them. The window sill in the kitchen over the sink was lined with the most beautiful African Violets. To this day I can still hear my grandmother singing while she cooked. They were simple, but happy people. Definitely not shallow.
Childish vs Child-like
Childish – behavior of, like, or befitting a child

Childlike - like a child as in innocence, frankness; sharing the wonderment of a child’s inquisitiveness
I often feel childlike when I stop to admire a cloud formation or find amusement in two squirrels playing chase through the huge tree in our front yard…

Aggressive vs Assertive
Aggressive – characterized by or tending toward unprovoked offensives, attacks; making an all-out effort to win or succeed no matter what the cost to others; vigorously energetic, especially in the use of forcefulness

Assertive – confidently self-assured; completing a task in a manner as to least offend or hurt others
This reminds me of working at an all-male intensive residential substance abuse facility back in the 90's. Besides having a full case load, I taught Behavior Modification 5 days a week to a large group of men. I worked with TAIP (Treatment Alternative to Incarceration Program). I believe learning the difference between how to be assertive without being aggressive was a true eye-opener.
Words are funny things. Last month I found words I couldn’t even pronounce and never heard in conversation. This month are just plain words…similar but very different.
Over and out for now. Hope you enjoy the summer heat more than I do…
   

Hello people! Today is the first Wednesday of June and time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post, created by the one and only Alex Cavanaugh. My insecurity at the moment is about the deadline I've given myself to complete book #3 by August. However, that's not on my mind today...which could be the issue.




I’ve talked about this before. Now, I believe it deserves a post of its own.

As a writer, I know why there are twenty different words to describe afraid, happy, sad, surprised, etc. After all, if there was only one word to describe a feeling or situation most books would end up sounding like a first grade reader. 

Let me turn to my thesaurus…okay, here we go: characterize, define, depict, illustrate, portray, all to describethe word describe….get the picture?
After a day of writing I go back and try out my own narration. That’s the best way for me to see if the sentences flow. Sometimes, when reading out loud, I find myself ending a sentence different from what I’ve written (that’s how I know it doesn’t sound like I talk.) 
Also, this process helps me catch where I have used the same word a couple of times in the same paragraph. Believe me, the way I write, that happens a lot (see paragraph above), mostly because I have to give myself permission to just write and not edit at the same time. If I did, I’d never get past the first paragraph. That’s when I use the thesaurus…such a handy tool for a writer.

But the point of this post is about words themselves. Who comes up with them? Who gave the Oxfords and Websters the thumbs up to say what becomes a word? There are some weird ones out there. 
For example, the other day a friend of mine on Facebook posted this word:
Ultracrepidarianism - Luckily he was kind enough to give the meaning - the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge or competence. He also added: “A condition I sometimes suffer from.” (which I found amusing)
Here are a few others:
Tmesis – the sole term in the English language to begin with tm – the insertion of one or more words between the words that make up a compound phrase, as in “what-so-ever” inserted in the middle of “whatever.” (I thought it was a dash…)
Deipnosophist – a person skilled in the art of dining and dinner-table conversation (a host?)
Mumpsimus – a traditional custom or notion that is adhered to although it has been shown to be unreasonable (over-kill?)
Floccinaucinihilipilification – the action or habit of estimating something as worthless (a snob?)
Presenteeism – the compulsion to spend longer at work than is required or to continue working despite illness (martyr? germ-spreader?)
Spaghettification – the process by which (in some theories) an object would be stretched and ripped apart by gravitational forces on falling into a black hole (the big oops? – actually thought for sure this word would have something to do with meatsauce)
Spitchcock– an eel, split, then grilled or fried(really?)
Triskaidekaphobia– extreme superstition about the number thirteen (paranoid?)
See what I mean? Okay, I’m done, oh, except for this last one. Kerfuffle.
Have any weird words to share? I’ve got more, but I’m gonna stop.You’re welcome...

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/weird-and-wonderful-words