Let's do a TOP 5, shall we?
TOP 5 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:
#5 - Winter. Seriously, these "Dogs Days" (<- WORDs of the WEEK) of summer are for the dogs. And you know how I feel about dogs.
#4 - Ice Hockey and SEC Football. Okay, technically that's two, but I love them equally.
#3 - The holidays; Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Especially Christmas. Since I slacked off so badly last year with the release of my first novel, this year I'm going all out--on or before November 1st. Yes!
#2 - School to start. Its a matter of days now. This summer has been so busy and even with the agreeable weather, we need schedules, more sleep, lunch at noon, and structure.
#1 - THE PROMISE. I can't wait to open the first box of books, smell the fresh ink, rub the smooth pages, and hug the first copy I grab like a newborn. I made so many changes to this book. I'm very proud of it. And I love the changes made to Creed and Brynn's relationship. Its much better/juicier than the manuscript I initially sent to my editor. Now we're just cleaning up the copy edit, and we'll be ready to print and ship it!
Kristin
Showing posts with label Top 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top 5. Show all posts
Saturday
MEGA-POST
Two top-5's and a WORD of the WEEK. Ready, set, go!
The top 5 THINGS I DISLIKE and LIKE ABOUT WRITING:
#5 -
Pain in my wrists, mainly my right wrist, although I can't contribute my RSI to typing alone. Graphic Design, i.e. mouse overuse, is also to blame.
Reading with my daughter. She's read most everything I've written. The hours upon hours I've shared with her reading and discussing my books is time that I'll cherish for all of my life.
#4 -
What was once a love of mine has turned into a chore, and that's naming characters. I'm just out of names. I wonder how she overcomes this?
Research. I love to do research! This is one of my most favorite parts to being a writer, especially when researching locations, history and other cultures.
#3 -
Publishing a novel can be risky. Art, in general, can be risky because it's an industry built on subjectivity, and because most good artists put their heart and and soul into their work knowing that it might not be received well by some.
Hearing, "I love your book!" from my readers! Positive feedback has been such a monumental and cherished part of my journey as a writer.
#2 -
The time writing sucks away from my average day. I'll sit down, start writing, look up and five hours are gone--just like that! (Insert *snap* here) I tend to get a little neglectful when I'm immersed in a novel. Just ask my sweet, supportive family and friends.
The escapism that comes with writing a story. I live a pretty simple life in a small, quiet town and I can't stand day-time soap operas or real-life drama. So, I create fictitious drama in my "alternate" worlds. Why? Because I can control it. I like being in control and I like being able to create perfect love, perfect men (Hey, Creed!), and perfect endings to journeys I wouldn't dream of taking in my real simple life.
#1 -
The endings. It's hard on me when I close a story line. I get very attached to my characters, attached to the point where I feel that I know them. To say good-bye has been harder than I thought it would be.
The satisfaction I get when I complete a novel. I've had my fair share of this, 21 times of it. And as much as it hurts to end a novel, the satisfaction I feel when I do is like nothing else, not cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping ... (See #2 now).
Honorable mentions include: soda intake, music playlists, pagination, help from my son with technical/scientific issues, clowns (had to add this), and seeing my friends and family get excited for/with me about my writing.
Now, onto WORD of the WEEK, which is ..................
RISK. I went back on forth on this word. The definition comes across as negative, almost forewarning, but that's not the risk I'm referring to. I'm talking more about the "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" kind of risk. My friend Amy's recent success confirms this basic concept for me. If you don't put yourself out there, you might miss out on good things happening to you. You might run into problems, you might be told 'no', or you might get hurt. But you'll never know what might happen if you don't take a risk and go for it.
Some of my favorite quotes about "Risk":
"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." Andre Gide
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." James Dean
"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." Michelangelo
"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." Win Borden
Take a risk, jump, and enjoy the fall!
Kristin
Ps. MEGA-POST was deliberate. With the release of THE PROMISE just around the corner, I'll be neglecting this blog for a couple of weeks. See you soon!
The top 5 THINGS I DISLIKE and LIKE ABOUT WRITING:
#5 -
Pain in my wrists, mainly my right wrist, although I can't contribute my RSI to typing alone. Graphic Design, i.e. mouse overuse, is also to blame.
Reading with my daughter. She's read most everything I've written. The hours upon hours I've shared with her reading and discussing my books is time that I'll cherish for all of my life.
#4 -
What was once a love of mine has turned into a chore, and that's naming characters. I'm just out of names. I wonder how she overcomes this?
Research. I love to do research! This is one of my most favorite parts to being a writer, especially when researching locations, history and other cultures.
#3 -
Publishing a novel can be risky. Art, in general, can be risky because it's an industry built on subjectivity, and because most good artists put their heart and and soul into their work knowing that it might not be received well by some.
Hearing, "I love your book!" from my readers! Positive feedback has been such a monumental and cherished part of my journey as a writer.
#2 -
The time writing sucks away from my average day. I'll sit down, start writing, look up and five hours are gone--just like that! (Insert *snap* here) I tend to get a little neglectful when I'm immersed in a novel. Just ask my sweet, supportive family and friends.
The escapism that comes with writing a story. I live a pretty simple life in a small, quiet town and I can't stand day-time soap operas or real-life drama. So, I create fictitious drama in my "alternate" worlds. Why? Because I can control it. I like being in control and I like being able to create perfect love, perfect men (Hey, Creed!), and perfect endings to journeys I wouldn't dream of taking in my real simple life.
#1 -
The endings. It's hard on me when I close a story line. I get very attached to my characters, attached to the point where I feel that I know them. To say good-bye has been harder than I thought it would be.
The satisfaction I get when I complete a novel. I've had my fair share of this, 21 times of it. And as much as it hurts to end a novel, the satisfaction I feel when I do is like nothing else, not cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping ... (See #2 now).
Honorable mentions include: soda intake, music playlists, pagination, help from my son with technical/scientific issues, clowns (had to add this), and seeing my friends and family get excited for/with me about my writing.
Now, onto WORD of the WEEK, which is ..................
RISK. I went back on forth on this word. The definition comes across as negative, almost forewarning, but that's not the risk I'm referring to. I'm talking more about the "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" kind of risk. My friend Amy's recent success confirms this basic concept for me. If you don't put yourself out there, you might miss out on good things happening to you. You might run into problems, you might be told 'no', or you might get hurt. But you'll never know what might happen if you don't take a risk and go for it.
Some of my favorite quotes about "Risk":
"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." Andre Gide
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." James Dean
"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." Michelangelo
"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." Win Borden
Take a risk, jump, and enjoy the fall!
Kristin
Ps. MEGA-POST was deliberate. With the release of THE PROMISE just around the corner, I'll be neglecting this blog for a couple of weeks. See you soon!
Thursday
Now it's getting personal.
With Father's Day quiet literally around the corner, I'm going to do a more personal TOP 5 today.
The TOP 5 REASONS I LOVE MY HUSBAND:
#5 - He's my best friend. He listens to me as well as any girl friend I've ever had, spends lots of good quality time with me, and cares about my feelings. We'll be celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary this year--19 years of good times, and because of our strong, genuine friendship, very few bad times.
#4 - He is supportive. No one boosts my spirits like he does. He encourages me to keep writing. In fact, the last three down periods in between novels, he said, "I think it's time for you to start your next book." He tells me he's proud of me everyday.
#3 - He's patient. He's SO UNBELIEVABLY patient. He's a good, involved, fun DAD to our kids, and he's patient with them, too. I've never been a competent or enthusiastic 'homemaker' (<- WORD of the WEEK), yet he doesn't complain. He's eaten many meals from a box with a smile on his face. He waits for me a lot, because I'm on "Warner-time" and late ... a lot. He teases that his lifelong theme song is, "Waiting on a Woman."
#2 - He's cute, both in personality and in looks. He has the spirit and intentions of a 12 year old, admittedly, and in some circumstances, he looks 12. He has a fantastic smile and bright blue eyes that match his light, fun personality. And he's aging well. VERY WELL. I scored in the looks and personality departments for sure.
#1 - He encourages me. What I do, what I've done ... it hasn't always been easy or fun. With my work load, I tend to feel overwhelmed and this journey has been downright scary at times. But he encourages me to look beyond a little discomfort or effort and focus on the big picture. Nothing in life worthwhile is easy or completely without discomfort. I've learned that from him. He encourages me to go after what I want and he's a big part of my success as a writer.
To all of you, I hope you have a cute, patient best friend that supports you and encourages you. And to my husband John, thank you. I love you.
Kristin
The TOP 5 REASONS I LOVE MY HUSBAND:
#5 - He's my best friend. He listens to me as well as any girl friend I've ever had, spends lots of good quality time with me, and cares about my feelings. We'll be celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary this year--19 years of good times, and because of our strong, genuine friendship, very few bad times.
#4 - He is supportive. No one boosts my spirits like he does. He encourages me to keep writing. In fact, the last three down periods in between novels, he said, "I think it's time for you to start your next book." He tells me he's proud of me everyday.
#3 - He's patient. He's SO UNBELIEVABLY patient. He's a good, involved, fun DAD to our kids, and he's patient with them, too. I've never been a competent or enthusiastic 'homemaker' (<- WORD of the WEEK), yet he doesn't complain. He's eaten many meals from a box with a smile on his face. He waits for me a lot, because I'm on "Warner-time" and late ... a lot. He teases that his lifelong theme song is, "Waiting on a Woman."
#2 - He's cute, both in personality and in looks. He has the spirit and intentions of a 12 year old, admittedly, and in some circumstances, he looks 12. He has a fantastic smile and bright blue eyes that match his light, fun personality. And he's aging well. VERY WELL. I scored in the looks and personality departments for sure.
#1 - He encourages me. What I do, what I've done ... it hasn't always been easy or fun. With my work load, I tend to feel overwhelmed and this journey has been downright scary at times. But he encourages me to look beyond a little discomfort or effort and focus on the big picture. Nothing in life worthwhile is easy or completely without discomfort. I've learned that from him. He encourages me to go after what I want and he's a big part of my success as a writer.
To all of you, I hope you have a cute, patient best friend that supports you and encourages you. And to my husband John, thank you. I love you.
Kristin
Top 5 ...
THINGS I'VE RESEARCHED LATELY.
#5 - This gross stuff. Ewe! And not for anything but a small flaw for one of my characters.
#4 - Tear gas. Also not good.
#3 - Names. <- My favorite website. I'm constantly looking for awesome names. (The name of the day today is Meztli. Huh?) Sadly, naming characters is a struggle at this point in my writing career. With 21 novels, 1.8 millions words and hundreds of characters notched on my writing stick, it was only a matter of time before naming a secondary character, let alone a hero or his leading lady, would become a serious struggle.
#2 - Fight strap. Yes, this one was a personal inquiry. I heard a sport's commentator talk about this and I had no idea it even existed.
#1 - Hacker. What initially comes to mind is computer hacking, right? Been there, done that. This is actually a pretty complex noun. It can refer to a hobbyist, an anti-authoritarian, a cracker, a person without skill, exploitation, or a name-brand beer, just to name a few. Can you guess which reference I'm playing with right now?
Sending a huge, resounding shout-out to the internet. Like the trials of the pioneers and what they went without, I think of writers who didn't have a keyboard or more importantly, the web. Ewe again! I don't think I could write realistic fantasy without being able to perform research. After all, research is one of my many emotional compensations for writing.
Kristin
#5 - This gross stuff. Ewe! And not for anything but a small flaw for one of my characters.
#4 - Tear gas. Also not good.
#3 - Names. <- My favorite website. I'm constantly looking for awesome names. (The name of the day today is Meztli. Huh?) Sadly, naming characters is a struggle at this point in my writing career. With 21 novels, 1.8 millions words and hundreds of characters notched on my writing stick, it was only a matter of time before naming a secondary character, let alone a hero or his leading lady, would become a serious struggle.
#2 - Fight strap. Yes, this one was a personal inquiry. I heard a sport's commentator talk about this and I had no idea it even existed.
#1 - Hacker. What initially comes to mind is computer hacking, right? Been there, done that. This is actually a pretty complex noun. It can refer to a hobbyist, an anti-authoritarian, a cracker, a person without skill, exploitation, or a name-brand beer, just to name a few. Can you guess which reference I'm playing with right now?
Sending a huge, resounding shout-out to the internet. Like the trials of the pioneers and what they went without, I think of writers who didn't have a keyboard or more importantly, the web. Ewe again! I don't think I could write realistic fantasy without being able to perform research. After all, research is one of my many emotional compensations for writing.
Kristin
Sunday
Let's do another TOP 5, shall we?
THE TOP 5 PLACES I TURN TO FOR INSPIRATION.
#5 - Commercials, let's say merchandising, like this and this and this.
#4 - the Thesaurus, i.e. glossary, index, word list.
#3 - Blogs. A few of the blogs I visit often; 1, 2, 3, 4.
#2 - Family and friends. Dinner out, a phone call or a message from a brother-in-law reminding me of the love and support I have inspires me to keep writing.
#1 - Music, of course. Like this and this and this and this and this.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Kristin
#5 - Commercials, let's say merchandising, like this and this and this.
#4 - the Thesaurus, i.e. glossary, index, word list.
#3 - Blogs. A few of the blogs I visit often; 1, 2, 3, 4.
#2 - Family and friends. Dinner out, a phone call or a message from a brother-in-law reminding me of the love and support I have inspires me to keep writing.
#1 - Music, of course. Like this and this and this and this and this.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Kristin
Monday
Let's have some fun.
Some of my favorite things to watch online and read are "TOP 10" lists. And since I'm sad that Christmas is over, I need to create a little fun for myself. So I'm going to start posting my very own "Top 5" lists of random funness.
My first "Top 5" list: THE TOP 5 THINGS I HAVE RESEARCHED RECENTLY.
#5 - Tympanoplasty. Say that one ten times real fast ...
#4 - Prisons in Denmark. Seriously, I've looked this up.
#3 - Shrapnel, not "scrap metal" like I've called it my entire life.
#2 - Tolkien's Orcs. Go ahead my son, call me a nerd.
and #1 - Mellaril, which side effects include akathisia, impotence and anorgasmia <- Not fun.
Of course all of these things have to do with the current book I am writing, SECOND SIGHT, all except for #2. I researched that one simply for my own enjoyment and because I'm a huge Tolkien fan.
I tease my husband that my computer is being watched because of some of the things I've looked up. Actually, I wouldn't be shocked in the least bit if it was.
Kristin
My first "Top 5" list: THE TOP 5 THINGS I HAVE RESEARCHED RECENTLY.
#5 - Tympanoplasty. Say that one ten times real fast ...
#4 - Prisons in Denmark. Seriously, I've looked this up.
#3 - Shrapnel, not "scrap metal" like I've called it my entire life.
#2 - Tolkien's Orcs. Go ahead my son, call me a nerd.
and #1 - Mellaril, which side effects include akathisia, impotence and anorgasmia <- Not fun.
Of course all of these things have to do with the current book I am writing, SECOND SIGHT, all except for #2. I researched that one simply for my own enjoyment and because I'm a huge Tolkien fan.
I tease my husband that my computer is being watched because of some of the things I've looked up. Actually, I wouldn't be shocked in the least bit if it was.
Kristin
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