Confessions of a Young Adult Author

The Year of the Tiger

Chinese New Year this year falls on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2010.  What a wonderful alignment of events!

This is The Year of the Tiger – with the focus on courage, power and optimism. I like these descriptors as it seems they are the qualities that one requires for maintaining focus in the writing business.

‘Courage’ reminds me that I can keep going – one day at a time, one paragraph at a time, one page at a time.

‘Power’ reminds me, that I am in control of my writing. I choose the topic, I choose the characters and I choose the plot. (Sometimes with great ideas provided by other writers or by craft books.) But it is important to remember that although I don’t have any control of the ‘publishing business’ I certainly can be in charge of my own writing. I am therefore, powerful.

And of course, optimism. There will always be a writer around the corner who writes faster and has more success. Writing is a humbling enterprise. I have to be thankful for the prolific, excellent authors  because they keep readers coming back to search out more books. Hopefully, one day, my book will be one of them.

What do you think of courage, power, optimism and writing?



Sometimes you just need . . .

A huge bookstore, a cafe and time. Last weekend I had the first two elements. I could have stayed in the Barnes and Noble store for a day. However, after quick power shopping I exited with two great magazines, Shambhala Sun and Writer’s Digest. As. well as four new books. 

I found ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ by Garth Stein (Harper), ”This Charming Man’ by Marian Keyes (Avon) and ‘True Colors’ by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Griffin). As well, I located a non-fiction reference book, ‘The Constant Art of Being a Writer’ by N.M. Kelby (Writer’s Digest Books).

I am so excited. Fresh material. I’ve already consumed ‘True Colors’. I had to know what happened. It was a page-turner for sure. I was so appalled at the treatment of one of the characters that I had to race to the ending. I went to bed with my eyes sore, I hadn’t finished the book and couldn’t sleep. Finally, after tossing and turning, I got up and read until the end. I was hooked. Whew! 

Have your read anything lately that you couldn’t put down?



New Beginnings!

I love New Year’s Day and the month of  September. I guess it’s because I like to start afresh with new writing supplies. I love my 2010 day planner and it’s a treat to find other office stuff to help me focus on my writing. I  love paper, stickies, high-lighters, journals, notebooks, and recipe cards.  

I feel the same excitement in September.  In fact, for a long time, September was the start of my year. Even though I’m no longer working in schools, I still enjoy that September exhileration of launching into something new.

I love New Year’s because I remember that anything is possible. Anything. And goals are the way to go. Somehow the whole concept of a goal seems more attainable than a resolution. I guess I’ve broken enough resolutions to not want to ‘go there’.

I am working on my goals today and certainly most involve writing. However, my key word for this year is ‘balance’. When my life is balanced then I’m able to observe, able to make better sense of my world and able to write.

So for my friends out there – if you need to remind me – BALANCE is my mantra for the year.

What are you thinking about as we approach the new year?



Working on the Body

I’m working hard in the pool these days. I’m re-connecting with my body and along the way re-connecting with my mind.

I’m feeling more alert, more enthusiastic and more energized. Of course, I know that there’s a tremendous correlation between the body and the mind. But sometimes one has to ‘get out there’ and ‘do it’, instead of reading and thinking about one’s exercise plan. 

I’m surrounded by many folks older than me. And they’re an inspiration. They’re golfing, cycling, walking, hiking and playing tennis.  Life has not always treated them kindly. They’ve had surgeries and illnesses. They’ve suffered through losses.

But they get up in the morning and start anew.

For the next few months, my pathway to better brain fitness will be through re-awakening my body.

What about you?



Don’t Presume

This past week I met an elderly woman in a small library close to where I’m living. Initially we didn’t speak and then we started making conversation. She looked like the kind of woman, a grandmother, probably a great-grandmother who might be searching for knitting magazines or a Reader’s Digest. A huge cloth book bag dangled from her arm.

“Dear, you look like a reader,” she said.

I nodded.

“Have your read this book? She rummaged around for a few moments in her bag and hauled out ‘The Lovely Bones’ by Alice Sebold. “What do you think?”

I gulped. Was she really reading such a hard-hitting novel?  ”Ah yes, I’ve read it. It’s a tough slog, grim. Have you finished it?”

She shook her head. “I only read it in the afternoons. It’s too scary to read when it gets dark outside.”

“Yes.”  And I felt strange. Embarassed at my assumption that because she was decades older than me, and looked a certain way, that she would only be interested in a certain kind of writing.

If I’m lucky and have good health and live to her age, hopefully I’ll be reading challenging novels as well. I walked home slowly, thinking about how I’d categorized her.

P. S. for those who haven’t read ‘The Lovely Bones’,  Susie is a young girl who tells the story of her murder-and its aftermath-as she watches from heaven.

Have you made any assumptions lately?



Simply Writing

Sometimes you just have to write. And today I did. And it felt good. After weeks of fussing, reading, thinking, Googling, pondering, charting etc.  I finally tackled my new novel. I thought I knew where it was going. I sort-of-do and sort-of-don’t. And I’m learning that’s okay.

All writers have some sort of process and after a number of years I’m beginning to understand mine. I have to allow myself the opportunity to just ‘get it down’. The editing, the chopping, the finessing comes later. After all, you can’t edit a blank page. I have to remember that writing can be fun. And it is. Sometimes. But most of all, it’s the most challenging enterprise I’ve embraced.

No one is making me write. I simply have to do it. So, keeping that it mind, I think I’ll revisit my work from this morning.



Visionary thinking-Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 is an engineering marvel created to better understand how natural environments create habitable conditions for human sustainability. It is located twenty minutes north of Tucson, Arizona.

Picture the largest greenhouse you can imagine.  It consists of 6,500 windows and 7,200.000 cubic feet of sealed glass. It is sealed from the earth below by a 500 ton welded stainless steel liner. I was in awe.

Two missions were created in the nineties. Small teams were locked inside the large structure to study the five natural biosystems and agricultural areas. This confined environment led to a number of complex situations.

In other words – the human drama rose to the surface. Members of the teams split into groups. Anger and distrust bubbled up. I suspect the situation was like an early version of the TV show ‘Survivor’. After all the millions of dollars poured into the experiment, the main issue ended up being ‘the people’.

People and their visions, people and their feelings, people and their ability to create or destroy relationships.

That’s why I’m drawn to writing fiction. I can take aspects of lives around me, books that I’ve read, movies I’ve seen and my day-to-day thoughts and stir them all together in one big stew.  It’s all part of the complex web of creating new characters.

Why do you like to write fiction?



Visiting Sedona, Arizona

Ah yes! The land of red rock, wineries, native art, spectacular hotels, and of course, your choice of readings, tarot card, palm, psychic and crystal. As well you have the opportunity to receive a photo of your Aura, dip into your Past Life and communicate with your Animal Totems.

Fascinating Stuff.

Just outside of town, numerous vortexes can be found. According to seers, these dimensional portals are centered at particular power spots around the earth. The cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Aiea State Park on the island of Oahu, and Machu Picchu in Peru are other locations where special energies are located.

As I’m passing through, I’m not sure I’ll have the opportunity to explore these power spots but I remember the extraordinary sensations I experienced when I entered Machu Picchu. A sense of awe, a sense of peace and an absolute sense of astonishment! How did the people at that time create such  magnificent structures?

What have you experienced lately in nature that has taken your breath away?



Some days are Perfect

Last weekend my Saturday unfolded in a very pleasing and harmonious way. A friend and I attended an Intuitive Arts Festival in Victoria, B.C.

The entire day was research for a new YA book. The various topics, booths and workshops ranged from Energy Healing, Chakra Clearing, Meditation, Reike, Laughter Yoga, Feldenkrais, Aromatherapy, Tarot and Magic and Ritual.

If the moment is right, and if the practioner has the time, I’m interested in asking  ‘Why did they become interested in their particular speciality?’ Their answers are revealing. Usually, an incident took place and they felt driven to search for information in a particular area.

Afterwards we had a great lunch and then finished the day by perusing the shelves of Munroe’s, a very fine book store.

As I drove home, I was filled with happiness. What a perfect day!



Emerald City Writers’ Conference

I was pleased to take part in the Emerald City Writers’ Conference hosted by The Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America in Bellevue, Washington (Oct 9-11).

This year’s conference was extra special because it was their 20th anniversary and the various committees worked hard to ensure that 250 writers as well as agents and editors had a worthwhile experience. Congratulations to all those volunteered.

At the beginning of my trip I was wondering if lady-luck was traveling with me. About 4 years ago, on my first trip to Emerald City, I chose to go by float-plane. However, it was too foggy, the plane was delayed and I arrived five and a half hours late on the first day.

This time, the 7:00 a.m. ferry had a fire. I couldn’t believe it. I had switched to the ferry because I thought it would be more reliable. And certainly, most times they are on schedule and predictable.

 Thankfully, no one was hurt in the fire and we drove onto the 8:00 a.m. ferry which slid into the time slot. As we drove on, I knew we were escaping a chaotic travel weekend -a three day holiday, The Royal Victoria Marathon, Thanksgiving, etc Wow! 

A big thrill for me was meeting three YA authors – Heather Davis, Serena Robar and Donna Mishra and attending their workshop. They shared great tips and were very encouraging.

The highlight of the weekend was my Second Place Finish in the Emerald City Contest with my YA entry Almost Perfect. All YA entries were submitted in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Category. Entering in this category was nerve-wracking and I’m very pleased with the results.

Next year’s dates are Oct 1-3. If you’ve never had a chance to attend before, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Thanks also to Sharron, Lee, Susan, Jackie and Bonnie for your support!

The weekend was filled with writing strategies. My head is crammed with new approaches and ideas.

Canadian author Claire Cross/Clare Delacroix, (she has written over forty romance novels) shared the following tip: I’m responsible for my own luck, by taking the initiative.

So, over the next few months I will embrace that tid-bit. I will be an active protagonist in my own career.