Musings of a Novelista

Lessons from a Dog (Repost)

Karen Strong — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:21:24 +0000

Slowly coming out of hibernation. :) My software project is reaching the mid-point, which means now it’s just a rose shade of crazy. Ha.

Writing wise, I’ve been taking a fabulous online Media Bistro writing class with author Nova Ren Suma. It’s been *amazing* so far. I’ve been reading and critiquing some great novels too. It’s been a great experience.

I hope everyone is doing well and are writing away. :)

I’m reposting this in honor of my boobie, Shakira the Shih Tzu. For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you know that Shakira had to have emergency surgery last Thursday night. She had a herniated disk and lost feeling in her back legs. She couldn’t walk and was in extreme pain — so sad and heartbreaking. But good news! The surgery was success — she can already stand and walk a little and best of all, she’s not in any pain. Now she’ll have recuperate and rest for about 4-6 weeks.

Spending time with a spoiled dog can teach you a lot about writing. Here’s just a few things I learned:

Live in the Moment. Shakira doesn’t care much about what happened a half hour ago, let alone what will happen next week. The only thing she cares about is the present moment. I learned from her I can work on my craft without the pressures of past failures or future disappointments. Just write for today.

Ask for Support. For Shakira, lying on her back for a belly rub is the ultimate way of asking for support. She doesn’t shy away from it. I learned that you can ask writer friends for support — through beta reading, critiques, or just as a listening board. Don’t stay isolated.

Protect Your Space. Shakira barks at strangers (and cats) who invade her space. She will probably only lick them to death but at least she’s consistent. I learned that you should also protect your writing time and/or your writing space. Don’t let your time or space get cluttered with other things.

Get Your Sleep. Sleep is a priority for Shakira. So what if she probably sleeps maybe 14 hours a day? Ha. When she is awake, she is ready for anything. I learned that sleep deprivation can hurt our creativity. Getting enough sleep provides a fresh way for new ideas and stronger writing.

Be Loyal. One thing is for sure: Shakira is loyal to the people she loves. I learned that if you truly love something, you should stay loyal to it — with writing that means sticking it out with a manuscript even when it gets ugly. Be loyal to your writing project until it’s done.

Software Geek Hiatus

Karen Strong — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:43:19 +0000

As some of you already know, I’m working on a year-long software project. I’m only in the 3rd month and it’s been rough. The day job has literally taken up all of my time requiring me to work long(er) hours plus weekends, learn this Agile methodology, and obtain new geek skills.

I knew this would happen so I haven’t been giving myself a hard time when the writing slipped off my list. I made great progress with the plot twist in February, but March has brought a scarlet shade of crazy in my life and I’ve been so mentally drained that I haven’t made much progress writing the new scenes.

I think we all struggle with this finite resource called time. There are only so many hours in a day. So I do what I can. I’m taking small baby steps to the finish line.

My blog will probably go in semi-hibernation mode until things calm down. The eternal optimist in me does see a bright spot — after long hours in the software geek cave, I’ve been reading lots of great books to nurture my soul at night. I may share some Novel Wisdom posts with you in the meantime.

Feel free to share any good book recommendations you may have.

Novel Wisdom (18)

Karen Strong — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:21:15 +0000

This post is part of a series on the blog where I share some of the nuggets of wisdom and inspiration — related to writing and/or life — that I find steeped in the pages of novels that I’ve read.

I recently read a “quiet” book. This book was not heavily plot-driven but it reasonated with me and I’m still thinking about it. This particular quote is very popular among its readers and I love it as well and wanted to share it with you.

From Julia, the narrator of the novel The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker:

“How much sweeter life would be if it all happened in reverse, if, after decades of disappointments, you finally arrived at an age when you had conceded nothing, when everything was possible.”

My Epic Fairy Tale Fail

Karen Strong — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:45:44 +0000

Middle-grade fiction is how I first got my start and is still my first love so it’s my pleasure to share with you a fabulous book, My Epic Fairy Tale Fail by Anna Staniszewski.

This is the second book in the series and the sequel to My Very Unfairy Tale Life.

I really enjoyed the humor and relationships in this book. Here’s my version of the book’s premise:

Jenny the Adventurer still has her job of fixing the messes in magical kingdoms. But some things have changed. The all-knowing and all-annoying Committee doesn’t trust her anymore and has given her a guardian who’s afraid of her own shadow. So much for having a great protector.

In the middle of a mermaid war, she’s summoned to The Land of Tales — the place where her parents were last seen seven years ago. The kingdom is losing its magic and only has a few more days until the magic is lost forever. Jenny must face an evil witch and complete three impossible tasks in order to save The Land of Tales. Jenny is confident that she can do the mission and also solve the mystery of her parents’ disappearance.

What Jenny didn’t count on were that the tasks really *are* impossible and now she faces an epic fail. How will she save the kingdom and find her missing parents?

This is a funny middle-grade novel with a feisty protagonist who learns that sometimes failing may bring some unexpected gifts.

Congratulations Anna on your new release!

Inspiration for Writing & Life

Karen Strong — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:16:15 +0000

Most people find my blog because of the popular post Inspirational Writing Quotes.

This is how author Joe Tichio connected with me. He has a great inspirational website and has just released a book, Greatest Inspirational Quotes: 365 days to more Happiness, Success, and Motivation.

For regular readers of the blog, you already know how much I love sharing with you any type of inspiration for writing and for life. Joe’s book has many uplifting quotes. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve found some gems. Here are a few of my favorites:

8. “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” -Maria Robinson

13. “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” -Unknown

39. “The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it’s a different kind of life.” -Buckminster Fuller

127. “If you want something you’ve never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.” -Unknown

204. “Don’t be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams.” -Unknown

248. “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” -Woody Allen

284. “The worst thing that can happen to you is not striving for what you want.” -Jake Steinfeld

355. “Instead of giving myself reasons why I can’t, I give myself reasons why I can.” -Unknown

If you love collecting quotes like I do, this would be a great addition to your library. It also makes for a great inspiring gift for someone.