FCWA Conference

The past four exhausting, overwhelming, stimulating, hope-filled, glorious days are over and I'm home again eager to embrace all that I learned. God is gracious and the WordChicks (my online critique group that met at last year's conference) have a great deal to "cluck" about. One of us, Jeanie Wise, our only not-in-Florida member, won the Writer of the Year Award sponsored by Winepress Publishing. You can imagine how ecstatic we all were when her name was announced.

As for me: I was disappointed that an editor wasn't as thrilled with my novel as I am, but I had other positives:

• In the Writing Fiction continuing course, I received multiple compliments on my homework assignment to write the same scene from the first person, third person, and omniscient points of view;
• I met with editors from four magazines who invited me to send queries/submissions directly to them;
• an editor wants to see a specific piece I've written about three of Jesus' maternal ancestors (as long as it's no more than 550 words);
• I'm to send my story, "Shared Eyes," to a specific person at Chicken Soup with a recommendation from the gracious, and obviously discerning, woman who read it (and wrote "Bravo!" on it);
• this same wise woman read two other short pieces I've written and suggested a market idea for one,
• and for the other, that I write twenty-nine similar pieces for a book compilation -- she even gave me a great title for it; and now, drumroll, please . . .
• I'm to email a book proposal for my novel (yes, the same one as above) to an agent.

Of course, nothing is for certain. But friendships were strengthened, relationships were made, opportunities were presented. And God spoke to me every morning through His Word.
As the WordChicks' Mama Hen, the lovely and gracious Clella Camp, said in her Night Owl session: Today is my Someday!

Rewriting

The writers conference begins Thursday and I'm still working on the submissions I'll take with me for an editor to review. This afternoon I picked up the article I revised two days ago for one last going-over. A going-over that turned into still another revision as I re-wrote the opening, combined two paragraphs into one, and changed phrases here and there. Sometimes it seems like a never-ending process. But it is a process I love!

Now it's back to the fiction book proposal to see what improvements I can make to it. At least, the opening pages of the novel itself are set. Unless I look at them again. Which, of course, I will.

One of the best writing tips I ever read: You can't revise a sentence that hasn't been written. Ayn Rand said that.

Here's something I read in a Kristen Heitzmann novel today. In the book's context, it's a cooking tip, but I'm appropriating it for writing:

"As Conchessa had taught, the quality of the outcome lay in timing and seasoning and prayer. 'You don't have to be fancy to be striking. Do it simply. Do it well. Do it with love and adoration. That makes it an offering.'" [from the novel Secrets]

The Baby Is . . .

. . . a precious little boy! Yes, we're expecting our second grandson in July. My daughter Bethany and her husband Justin invited me to go along to the ultrasound on Monday. We counted tiny fingers and marveled that we could have this glimpse into such a dark and private world.

Jeremy is going to be a big brother. Though he announces it with great pride, we're pretty sure he has no idea that a little intruder is headed his way. Being with this young family at this point in their life makes me wistful for those days when I was the young pregnant mom.

For about three minutes.

I cherish the memory of those days, but I don't want to go back. I love the now and the rhythm and patterns of these days.

This is the day that the Lord hath made! I will rejoice and be glad in it!

Panic!

The deadline for mailing manuscripts to the Florida Christian Writers Assn. conference is February 20, a mere twelve days away. So why am I on blogspot instead of WordPerfect? Good question! I have a book proposal for my novel to revise, an article to write, and a nebulous idea to develop for a second book proposal. I take strange solace in knowing I'm not the only one in imaginative and creative overdrive. My five WordChick pals are as intent as I am on thinking and planning, writing and re-writing. Our slogan is HIP/BIC (Hearts in Prayer / Bottoms in Chair).

I spent last week in Ohio. An unplanned trip -- my uncle died unexpectedly after heart surgery. The minister was right, though. My uncle did not have a heart problem. He was a sweet and gentle man who is now enjoying eternity. A sadness for us, yes, but also an occasion for seeing so many cousins and children of cousins. A joyful family reunion is being planned for September in the Symmes Valley region in southern Ohio. This is where our grandparents lived before moving their family north to the New Holland/Washington Courthouse area in the 1920s-1930s.

No surprise that it's much colder in Ohio than it is in Florida in the month of February. I saw snow, bought a pair of boots, drank cocoa, and cuddled up with a warm blanket.

One of my goals this year, after the writing conference, is to add to the family genealogical record by researching our feminine ancestors and writing about their adventures. And, perhaps, their misadventures.

Greetings!

It's Saturday night and grandson Jeremy, who's almost two, called a little while ago to sing me a song. When I was a younger gal, I couldn't imagine being a grandmother. That was for old people! But here I am, loving every phone call, hug, and cuddle from that sweet little boy. And in July, he'll have a sibling! Life is too good and we are so blessed. Not only are we adding a new grandchild to our family circle, but we recently added our second son-in-law. I may have dreaded the coming of this age ten or twenty years ago, but now that I'm here . . . I wouldn't trade it for anything. "He seldom reflects on the days of his life," wrote the wise king, "because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart" (Ecclesiastes 5:20).