Weekend-spiration: From the Mouths Of Babies . . . well

My precious red-head just texted me. She is on a tour with a large group of teenagers, the SALTeens from Dallas Christian College. She was so excited about going on this tour, her first. I focused on the performing experience she would gain from this, but she was stoked about her first mission trip. Yes, she's always way ahead of me with the spiritual aspects of anything!

So she texted me that God really humbled her during today's performance. It took some time to get the entire story, because her phone only allows her a few texting characters at a time. I expected her to tell me that she had made a mistake in her solo or speaking part and I was primed for encouragement, but I was way off!

Well, not way off! She did make a mistake - her voice cracked. She was also upset over how some singers were forgetting their words and speakers were going too fast to be understood. She said she was self-focused as they ended, but that then she had to shed her feelings as they mingled with the people that were there.

Right away she met a couple who had met at Dallas Christian College.  They had been missionaries through their lives and had now come home to say goodbye. Goodbye? I had to wait a full ten minutes for the next installment.

The man has cancer and in my precious redhead's words, "While I was worrying about my song, this man was living through some of his last moments on earth watching a new generation carry on his mission."

I'm in total awe! I could barely respond to my P.R., heck I could hardly see the screen through my tears. And it's not just my P.R., all of these kids are so turned on for Jesus it's amazing! They will endure 34 hours of travel, 11 performances, sleeping in homes that have extra beds or corners, and do it with sincere and complete joy.

That is the Body of Christ at it's best!

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of of faith." Hebrews 12:1

Where Does This Take You?

She walked down to the bridge of her memories, straining to see if he had come. He would come; of that she had no doubt and would be contented to wait for him.

He had left her there with his promise and his sweet kiss. She held tightly to memory, feeling the soft brush of his fingertips through her hair.

She would wait, and she would return to this bridge, her precious memory bridge, every day for as long as it took.

--

Could this be a more romantic setting? Right down to the pink highlights on the stones beneath the bridge, like some sort of sunrise had cast a reflection in the pool.

From the scroll-work along the edge, to the jungle that makes up the backdrop, this bridge just oozes young love, the touch of a hand, the brush of a first kiss.

But then the suspense writer in me can also see a figure in black underneath the bridge with the above ooey-gooey goes on. Someone with a sinister purpose who just bides his time for the lovers to separate? Oooooo, now THAT'S something I could get into!

Where does this beautiful bridge take your imagination???

What's in a Name?

Author Julie Glover asked this question last week on her blog and it really started me thinking. She was talking about our own names and our kids names, but I took it a different way.  How important are the names I choose for my characters?

I have never really liked my name - Margaret is the real one, and my cousins still call me by it.  I know it was the name of my mom's best friend and it means Priceless Treasure, and all that, but I just don't like it.  Probably, it spawned a hideous name that stuck when my best friends baby brother couldn't say, "Margaret." He sorta left the R sound out of it, coming out with  . . . No, I just can't tell you. *hiding face in shame!* Besides my dearest big brother still uses the name on my birthday cards and Christmas tags!

I tried to go by my middle name once, but I found that if my name doesn't have a Mar sound to it, I'm not listening. I have seriously answered to Mark, Marbles, Margarine, and my dog's name, Marcie. I still have trouble when my kids holler, "Mom" in a store. So I chopped off the end of Margaret and changed the spelling a bit to make it truly mine and voila'. It suits me.

I took great care in naming my kids as well - and Julie's blog discusses her voyage through the baby-naming channels. I made sure that the names went together and sounded good with our last name. I avoided names that could be used against them as best I could, although my son might disagree. As a teacher, I also dodged the names of some of the most memorable of my students. As much as my sweet hubby liked the name Joshua, there was no way on earth my boy was going to have that name!

Now I'm not going to spend that kind of time working on my character names. At least with these there are no bullying factors to worry about, but I do need to focus on them, too.

They can't be too different or their use will stick out.  Names with difficult pronunciations, for instance, can put a stop to the flow altogether and continue throughout the story to be a stumbling block.

IE: Xchemeka Majorales stepped out into the hot Arizona sun trying to cross the intersection at Hyppool and Gladewater. The traffic wasn't cooperating and another lady stood beside her with the same intent.  Xchemeka caught her eye and smiled, but the woman ignored her.

I have to tell you, if Xchemeka were a character's name in my book, I would take twice as long to write the novel because it takes so much longer to remember the name and how to spell it.  On the plus side of such a name, though, it would make a great little page on a website. And what other google hits would there be?

Speaking to that end, I got really bummed yesterday. I Googled on of my character names, one I REALLY liked, and found a professional wrestler. Yikes! Not the type of hero I was looking for. My dinky twinkies suggested that I change the spelling a little, and I might because I really like his name!


Of course, plain names lack spark and flavor for characters, unless they're used for a reason. I really like some plain names: Amy, Dave, Joe, Pete, Mary, but I try not to use them because, being so popular, they already would conjure something up in the readers mind that I don't necessarily intend.

I have an example for this too, out of the novel I'm currently working on.  One of my side characters I named Amy. I thought it made for a great friend's name. The trouble is, I have a dear young friend named Amy who I have known since birth. She is college-aged now, short dark hair, and funny as all get out. No, that's not the problem.  The problem is that my character is supposed to be in her 50s, a short, little bean pole of a woman who sounds like a hick with biting sarcasm.  She is nothing like my Amy. Well, except for the sarcasm, every once in a while - sorry Ames!

So I have to be aware of the names that I use because people will attribute the personality of other folks they know to my characters. Needless to say, I'm not going to name an overweight wall-flower Jennifer (Aniston) or the muscular male Waldo.

At the same time, though, I want to avoid obvious cliche' names, like Kurt or Clint for a cowboy, and Wanda or Flo for a waitress or hairdresser. I think Kurt or Clint would make fine names for a lead as long as he wasn't a cowboy, and Wanda or Flo might make good supporting names, but again there has to be a purpose for them.

And I think that's the bottom line.  Just like I was careful in naming my Dinky Twinks, the boy, and my precious red-head, I carefully choose my characters' names.

What would be some great names for the victim of a murder mystery? What about the detective?

Is It Soup Yet?

Allow me to expose my insecurities.

I don’t follow recipes very often. I mean, I do, the first or second time I make something, but I don’t usually take the time to pull out the directions and follow them carefully every time.

 This proved disastrous at one church dinner when the crunchy topping of my apple pie refused to crisp. I realized after delivering a rather soggy mess, that butter and brown sugar, without flour, wouldn’t do anything but melt. DUH! I just wish it looked as good as this one does!

Usually this method works fine, especially for the favorite meals that we have. When I do use a recipe, however, I find the easiest ones to follow aren’t the ones that give explicit step-by-step instructions, but the ones that tell me exactly what the food will look like or smell like when it is fully prepared.

I find myself struggling a little. Regardless of the “recipes,” the books, the articles, the blogs, and pointers, how am I supposed to know when this manuscript that overwhelms me is actually done? I thought it looked ready a while back and sent out queries to some of my favorite agents. Big mistake! The book wasn’t anywhere near ready and now I can’t really broach those hoped-for agents a second time. I sure don’t want to make that mistake again.

After months at critique groups, exhaustive study, and several more revisions, will I know if it’s ready; if I’m ready to find an agent and finally get to enter this world of authorship? If this story was a piece of fish instead of fiction, I could tell by the opacity. If it was a cake, I’d have several ways of checking its done-ness, but I can’t tap this or puncture it.

Doubting a magic button or color change, can anyone give tips on how I can avoid making the same assumptions that I did before?

Anticipation for THE MUIR HOUSE by Mary DeMuth

Available July, 2011!

Pre-order now at Barnes and Noble!

Favs from Last Week!

Inspiration comes when you least expect it.

This week's offerings of the best I saw on the web give a huge variety of topics from writing (of course) and social media, to spiritual truths and even a little bit of politics. All of them win an "Inspy" award for hitting me right where I needed it when I happened upon them! Like last week, I was able to narrow my list down from 10-1, but I lost count of how many blogs I scanned to get to these 10! Make sure you visit and leave them some comments!

10  Writing is Fighting
Posted by Jill Hathaway on Saturday, June 18, 2011. This article was sheer poetry and spoke to my situation and feelings when I read it.

9  Four Killer Backstory Mistakes Mystery Authors Make
Posted by Nancy Curteman on April 12, 2011 (Yes, just happened upon this one!)

8  Social Media
Posted by Katie Ganshert on June 3, 2011 Excellent article by an author whose debut novel comes out May of 2012.

7  10 Commandments for Writers
Posted by James Scott Bell at The Killzone on Sunday, June 19, 2011

6  What's in a Name?Posted by Julie Glover on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

5  Time to Celebrate!
Posted by Maria Morgan on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Finding reasons to celebrate, especially for what our Lord has done for us!

4  Testing
Posted by Donna Pyle on June 1, 2011 Just caught this one, too.  Spiritual testing differs from academic testing. Instead of analyzing what we understands, it pushes us to grow into deeper understanding.



3  Greek Problems
Posted by Ken Gross on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 Applied first century truths to current upheavals.

2  Three Steps to Writing a Christ-Centered Novel
Posted by Michelle Massaro on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Inspirational and something I really needed to hear to remind me of why I'm doing this!

This week's favorite comes from a new Twitter buddy of mine and it is totally different from the others in the list, but a little laughter goes a long way!

1  What's the Worst that Could Happen
Posted by Julie Anne Lindsey on Thursday, June 16, 2011. This list had me belly-laughing! Thankfully her meeting wasn't nearly so eventful!

Which article would've been your number 1?

Weekend-spiration

I had a blog for this Far Side (by Gary Larson) cartoon all written and buttoned up, but I just can't use it. See I looked at this and focused on the bitterness of the comment. I know Christians aren't always viewed with smiles and welcomed greetings, but focusing on that just isn't my thing.

That doesn't mean it's not truth. Jesus told us that we would be hated because He was hated. It it what it is.

But I don't want to dwell in it.

I'd rather talk about the picture itself, birds traveling in their little design, sort of like the bumper art on so many of our cars.

There, that's where I want to go with this post! Those little fish bumper stickers that you see on people's cars. I have a friend that has 2 big fish and 3 little fish representing their family. Stinkin' cute idea, but my bumper isn't big enough for my family. And I have a friend with 7 kids - forgetaboutit!

So what happens when the car that just cut you off on the highway says, "Howdy," flashing the big silver fishy on his rear end? Ooops.  I have a feeling I've been that car before. Sorry 'bout that.

The fact is, we probably all have been guilty of displaying ourselves as Christians and then, in a self-absorbed moment, reacted poorly. That just means we have a reason to need a savior.

But the world looking on doesn't get it. They have expectations of Christians and we have to be as careful as possible to be sincere in our faith and our walk with the Lord. Folks are watching. If you don't believe me, take your little fishy bumper and start riding along the shoulder of the road in traffic!

I've seen a number of fish bumper stickers. I've also seen an atheistic one where the fish had legs. My favorite was a take off on that. The fish was eating the one with legs!

What are some of the best bumper stickers you've seen?

The Fire and the Glory

Sitting here in the midst of the Texas summer, I long for fall and the promise it always holds.  I know, the word promise has always been used as an attribute of spring, but see I was a teacher.

There's just something about a fresh clean school in late June, where the classroom is just waiting for decorations and the students needs must be analyzed to figure out the best ways to reach them.

Yes, autumn is my favorite season! Even now, when I'm no longer teaching, well, not for money anyway, the fall looks forward.  It starts up my routine after the lazy days of summer, careens me into the winter holidays, and refreshes me with possibilities.

The fact that I like summer the least and fall marks the end of it, might also have something to do with why it is my favorite!

This beautiful bridge could be the cover of a novel! In fact, it reminds me of the "children's" story, Bridge to Terabithia, although I have trouble calling that a children's story.

Still I look at this bridge and, while my mind fills with all sorts of story ideas, I'm at a loss as to how to describe the amazing beauty of this place.  The poet in me is awakened, but I don't think I could possibly do it justice.

The tired jaded wood fades into final song, bursting forth in fiery glory before sleep claims its prey.

Yep, I'm no poet, but I'm still totally inspired by this picture.

Where does this take you! Comment just a sentence describing this place, or how it would make you feel to stand on this side of that bridge?

Type-Casting: I've Been Tagged???

It's Character Day - I guess I qualify!

Thanks to Jessica R. Patch, a fun online friend I met through Twitter, I get to answer questions today. Well, their really not hard questions, but I'm a little nervous. See, she ended her article with a question, "What song best describes you?" and I swear I sat staring blankly at the screen for a full 5 minutes. I finally settled on "Does Your chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Over Night?" (Well, Mom always told me it was a real song.) It seemed appropriate since I have 0% creativity this morning!

But I'm nothing if not game. (No, not gamy, that would be my boy.)

TAG QUESTIONS:

Do you think you're hot?
Of course! It's Texas. It's June. Yes, I know I'm avoiding the real question, but I hate the word "hot" when describing how someone looks. It just sounds slimy. I'd prefer "cute."

Upload a picture of the wallpaper you are using.

This pic not only looks magical and stimulates the romantic in me, but those mountains remind me that Texas summers don't last forever, they just act like they will!

When was the last time you ate chicken?
Just had Balsamic Chicken from La Madeline's! Yuuummmmmeeeee!

What song or songs have you listened  to recently?

The Stand by Hillsong has been running through my head constantly lately! The version I've embedded is Michael W. Smith's, but the chorus is so powerful and I love the pics with this one!


Do you have any nicknames? If so what are they?
Marji is a nickname, for Margaret, and you can learn more about that next Thursday when I talk about naming characters!

Tag 5 bloggers:
Now this is going to be the hard part because I'm pretty new to this blogging game. I only know a few bloggers so I hope they'll play along! And I especially hope they won't get ticked from being tagged. Hey, that could be a song!

Margo's Junkin' Journal - Margo is a friend from middle school and I won't tell you how long I've known her!  Her blog proves that one man's trash is another man's treasure because it is ALWAYS full of the most astounding treasures!

Lindsey's Volleyblog - I have just recently "met" Lindsey, but her creative ideas about writing and organizing, not to mention the fact that she's a volleyball fan, make her blog well worth reading!

Life Lessons- Maria has an amazing way of weaving God's truth into everyday life.  Reading her blog is like a breath of fresh air!

Michelle's Adventures in Writing - Michelle's blog is another of those that I always try to catch! She is direct and down-to-earth, but with a heaven-focused mind. Her posts inspire me and my writing!

Julie Glover's Blog - as another mystery writer, I was delighted to stumble upon Julie's Blog. I think one of my twitter friends tweeted me in her direction and I'm so glad they did!

So check their blogs from time to time over the next week or so and see if they get a chance to play, but even if they don't get the chance, their sites will undoubtedly give you some real gems!

Your turn: What is it about blogs that turns you away or makes you keep coming back?

Author or Writer?

Carol J. Garvin had a post in her blog last week about whether writing was a vocation or avocation.  Well for me, it's been years of avocation, but I, like her example, couldn't justify spending too much time indulging my hobby, my fantasy world. After all, it stole precious moments away from my kids and hubby, my friends, and even activities at my church. How could I be okay with that?