Soul of a Writer

Angels of Atlantis Oracle Reading with Stewart Pearce

2012-02-20T08:11:00.001-05:00

A Behind the Interview Special to Om Times Magazine

How I came to interview Stewart Pearce israther a rather metaphysical story, itself. I received a random email from apublicist at a book publishing company. The image in the email intrigued me soI cliqued on it. A video clip played as soon as my browser landed on the page. Iwas mesmerized by Stewart Pearce’s voice—smooth and full bodied, like a finewine. Then came the images of the orbs of light depicted on the cards in theOracle deck. The images were practically pulsing light through the screen! Ifelt an instant connection to the way Stewart, in our interview, described his encounterwith the Angels during the Harmonic Convergence of 1987 at Glastonbury Torr:

“High-pitched harmonicsmoved like lasers of light through the right side of my head, down through mybody, searing my heart. When I opened my eyes, twelve luminescent Orbs floatedin mid-air before me. I felt only Their supernal Love.”

Until that moment, I had never heard of,let alone seen any image, of Angels as orbs of light--- with one exception.Just before the birth of my first daughter, I had had a visionary dream inwhich orbs of light brought me seven messages (which I wrote about in the shortstory, The Parade: A Visionary Journey,published in Om Times 12/2011 & 1/2012). I was compelled to speakwith Stewart, to understand what this Oracle deck was all about. And that’s howthis interview happened.

I hope you’ve read the entire interview inOm Times this month (the 2/17/12 issue, click here) so you’ll be familiar withStewart’s work on the Oracle deck and his experience as a Seer, VoiceAlchemist, and vocal coach to royalty and media super stars.

Thesynchronicity I felt with Stewart’s work also compelled me to take seriouslythe Oracle cards I drew from the stunning deck. Stewart was kind enough to helpme with the interpretation of the cardsI chose. Here is your“behind-the-interview” peek at my reading with the Angels of Atlantis OracleCards.

My inquiry to the Oracle concerned mycareer as a writer and aspiring fiction author. I began by centering myselfwith a chant of Om. As I did, I shuffled the deck according to Stewart’sinstructions. I pulled the following three cards, and one (the fourth) “fellout” on its own. I opted to leave that one face down until the very end. Mythinking it was it fell out for a reason, but that reason couldn’t beunderstood until I examined the first three cards. In other words, I followedmy intuition.

Card#1. Shamael – Serenity Card.

When I first saw the card, I chuckled. I was inthe throws of a major decision about the focus of my writing career, havingdiverted my energy not just between home and family and personal goals, butbetween a variety of different types of writing projects: copywriting,freelancing for magazines, and trying to develop my fiction. At the core of allthese different directions was how what I chose would affect a variety ofpersonal and family matters.

Stewartexplained that Shamael is the Divine Guide whom I beseech and that I am seekingserenity, a state of abundant peace, directly derived from the Source. “Toexperience serenity means we have offered our challenges to God, for the Divinewill always offer a solution nigh on miraculous.” Stewart continued:

Doyou feel tied down by ‘old ways of being’? If so work to developvisionary faith in the ideal of serenity, instead of blindly following the oldparadigms, which led to the challenge that drew you to the Oracle.

At the time I drew the cards, I was, indeed,introspecting on what I would have to change and how to go about it. All I knew — all I felt— was that I was duefor some inner peace and quiet. I needed (and wanted) to let go of some thingsbecause to devote more of my heart-energy to them would only deplete me,further.

Card#2. Gabriel – Inspiration Card.

Stewart explained “Gabriel is the Messenger and heovershadows your writing, as you also bring profound messages to yourreadership.” (I gave Stewart a virtualhug of thanks for saying this!). He then asked me:

Areyou truly breathing in the fire of this Angelic Muse, or are you pushingyourself too hard without taking a breath?

Iloved how he stated this! Once I commit to something—be itrelationships, projects, jobs—I tend to give it everything I’ve got. Even if Iam getting subtle cues what I’ve committed to might not be right for meanymore. Consequently, from the end of 2010 through Summer 2011 I had beenpushing myself very, very hard. I had freelance projects going, websiterevisions underway (and sometimes under water), private client copy assignmentsin place. All while fulfilling my roles as mother, wife, and householdinspiration officer! By fall, I was very keyed-up. I was experiencingimmobilizing headaches. I was here, engaged in everything I thought I “loved”to do but I was not truly present and breathing in Gabriel’sInspiration.

To truly receive Gabriel’s divine influence in mylife, I realized I had to become aware and be present to what truly mattersmost to me. Breathing in divine inspiration wasn’t enough, I had to focus thatenergy and exhale it into my life.

Stewart offered a visualization and breathingexercise that would help me imagine a force of exquisite lapis lazuli lightfilling my whole being, drenching me with the elixir of Gabriel’s love andmight. He advised, when I let go of pushing so hard, “Gabriel will guide you toconnect with the flow of the Universe, and will help you release the holdingsthat have kept you from creating the writing project you most desire.” Headvised (and I had sensed a great need for) rest and stillness over theChristmas season for stillness and to begin writing again on January 1^st.The purpose of this period was to allow inspiration to settle into my bones,“to find the place where ‘doubt’ has noplace!”

Card#3. Raziel - Faith Card.

Once again, I chuckled. After talking about“doubt” with Stewart, to have pulled an oracle card labeled “faith” and withthe angel who had actually named himself in my dream, was much more than achance event to me. Stewart explained:

“Raziel comes to you as the Angel of theMysteries, as you have called the Oracle for an answer to a question that liesdeep with you. Have FAITHlet go and let God in, make that leap of faith, using the courage that allowsyou to flee from all that is familiar.”

In alignment with the message sent throughGabriel, Stewart encouraged me to look at the “complex programs within your process and then release what I know in myheart is holding me back.”

As the Universe would have it, the headachesinsured I developed a new pattern of rest and play. I kept strict limits onwhen and how much time I was giving to work versus my own writing projects. Imade another of other important decisions and didn’t doubt the wisdom of mychoices. I just let them be. I made a conscious effort to look at the places inmy writing life where “doubt” had seeped in. And I engaged in activities androutines that would open up a space in my heart where doubt had no place.

Card#4. Michael – Patience Card.

When I turned over this card, I gasped. Patience is not one of my great virtues. Stewart andI didn’t discuss Michael, due to time constraints. But I worked with this cardusing the Oracle deck guidebook and the Angels of Atlantis book. Both are veryeasy to use. I understood this card as instructing me to have patience throughthis transition. And, like Michael, the great Warrior, with focus,persistence and tenacity I will rise victorious in my endeavors.

A fewweeks into the New Year, I selected three new cards. The inquiry I held in myheart and mind concerned whether I was indeed, on the right path with thechoices I had made since the last Oracle reading. The cards:

Haniel - Willpower; Zaphkiel - Surrender; Jophiel- Liberation.

Takentogether, these three cards represent, to me, a natural progression. Focusingmy energy strengthened my willpower in regards to my goals. Surrendering doubtand placing trust in both my abilities and a power greater than myself was,indeed, leading toward liberation—a freedom from old ways of doing and thinkingand into a whole new world of possibility for my writing.

Q & A with Stewart Pearce:

Ifsomeone is using the Oracle 3 card draw, versus a one card "daily"guide or

a12 month spread, how often should the "3" method be used?

Stewart: Everythingin moderation! Integrate the teachings of a reading into your life beforehurrying into pulling more cards. When you feel you’ve learned what was intended for you, consult the Oracle again.

Afriend of mine, a Tarot reader, asked if one uses the 12 card spread with

eachcard representing one month, how might she combine that with one of the

othermethods?

Stewart: Sure, yourfriend can use the 12 Card spread for each month. This is an Oracle

and so maybe used during each month when change occurs. And on, and on, and

on, andon!

A Valentine for My Demon

2012-02-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

Whatever your creative endeavor may be, you've no doubt encountered blocks in the path of your passion:

- Maybe you're stuck with a big project at work--the one that could take your career to the next level.
- Maybe you broke someone's heart and don't know how to help it mend.
- Maybe you keep putting off going to the gym, even though you want to run that 10k for charity in the spring.
- Maybe you can't get yourself out of a writing (or other) rut.

So, you walk away from the project. Or you turn on the TV instead of going for a run. Or you decide to clean your basement. Or you just move on to the next romantic conquest. Or you're too tired, too busy, too sick, too cranky...

What is it that guides you, like a GPS from hell, away from the path of your passion and into a pit of distraction, even despair?

A demon named Fear.

Most of us understand fear when the object of our paranoia sits right in our path: spiders, snakes, public speaking, going to the beach after a winter wrapped in blankets and bon-bons, annual review at the office... but these are nothing in comparison to the fear that inhabits the deep interior of your heart.

That's the fear that keeps you from your love, your passion, your burning desire to be more of who you really are, and dare I say, to share more of who you are with the world (or being the season for valentines, with one special person).

It takes many forms. You've got to be vigilant about spotting the ways in which it infiltrates your life.

My demon has inhabited all the spaces in my life: woman, wife, mother, sister, friend, daughter and writer. It has come wearing many masks, taking many forms. Like all demons, it often arrives in harmless form, tricking me into thinking of its good intentions but really wanting nothing more than to distract me from the path I most belong on. When i finally took some time to understand these "distractions", I understood the demon was there to teach me things I needed to learn about myself and all in my life that I claimed important. And that meant deciding whether or not I really wanted to claim myself "a writer."
(This being a blog mainly about writing, feel free to superimpose your own terms for "writer." I could easily drop-in "mother" or, given the shape of the world these days, "human being" !)

I am a writer.
Harmless words that took me a very long time to find the courage to state with confidence. And even longer to begin to do something about it, i.e write.

So, today, I write a valentine to my demon. Because as much as I have hated my demon, I have learned to love it. And by loving the ugly that sometimes lies within me, I have learned to harness its energy. No longer does that demon have power over me. Instead, I am empowered by it.

I found the courage to face the fear that I would fail as a writer. That I might not win the kind of success people have come to expect from "being a writer." I was afraid people closest to me wouldn't understand and so wouldn't be supportive. What I realized (and this was definitely not an Oprah "aha" moment), is that my demon was trying to show me:

- I don't need others to understand.
- My success is not measured by others' expectations.
- I don't need anyone's support except my own (but it is appreciated when it comes)

My demon, in its own twisted way, has taught me:
+ I just need to write what stirs my soul.
+ Success is what I define it to be and that may change over time.
+ The only support that really matters is the support I give to myself -- this means giving myself permission to fail.

+ Every choice I make either feeds my demon or grows my passions.

Happy Valentines Day to my Demon.
I love the way you scare me into living my life.

+ What has your demon taught you?

Tame Your Writing Demon: A Lesson from John Nash

2012-02-08T15:03:00.002-05:00

You are no different from Stephen King or JK Rowling or Nora Roberts or Lev Grossman…

Every writer has demons that possess the imagination and spoil every aspect of the writing process. Doesn't matter if you've been in the publishing game for years or are just starting out. Writing demons feed on our fears-- fear of failure, of success, of not being good enough, of being humiliated.

The difference between us and "the famous writers" is this: They have learned to tame their demons by managing their fears.

I'm just emerging from an evolution with my writing. The variables at the vortex of this evolution were my dreams and goals as a writer, quality of family life and personal wellbeing. In part due to the economy but in bigger part due to quality of life issues, I folded my copywriting business at the end of last year. While I'm looking for a regular j-o-b, I'm focussing on fiction and writing for a select group of magazines.

Getting to this place was not easy-- my demons were hard at work, feeding on my fears: how would the loss of even a small second income affect home life? would people think I failed at my small business? what if I never get published? am i just wasting my time? should I, as my parents had said to me when I was younger, "get my head out of the clouds and get real?"

Fear and the Writing Demon
My Writing Demon had a chokehold on my passion, my purpose, my priorities. Fear seeped into everything I thought about myself, about my dream to publish fiction, and the kind of message my choices might send to my young children.

The thing is, like you, I can not not write. More importantly, I refuse to not live by the principles that I teach my children: Dreams Matter. Know what yours is and go after it. Life is about discovering your passion and living true to that passion to the best of your god-given ability. Be fearless going after your dream, even when the outcome is uncertain.

So, how do you knock down your Writing Demons?
You don't.
You follow the advice of Nobel Prize Winner -- John Nash (1994/Economics). Nash's demons were the voices of schizophrenia. When he accepted the Nobel, he was asked if the voices in his head had stopped talking to him. His response:

"I've gotten use to ignoring them (the voices) and I think, as a result, they've kind of given up on me. I think that's what it's like with all our dreams and nightmares..we've got to keep feeding them for them to stay alive."

I think Nash learned to tame his demons. They're still there, whispering in his ear. Clawing at that back of his head.

When it comes to your writing demons, you actually have a few choices:

You can feed them your latest work and everything else your afraid isn't good enough.
You can ignore them (if you've got the will and discipline to keep them shut out).
You can learn to tame them, which means finding out what they really want and why they're clawing at the back of your head.

As far as that last choice goes-- here's what I've learned: My demons have a twisted way of motivating me. If I understand what they really want or what the fear is that feeds them, which means doing a little psychological digging, then I gain the power to use that demon energy in my favor: to create, rather than destroy my writerly dreams.

What did you do with your demon, today? Ignore it? Tame It? Feed It?
What do you know about your writing demon?

To Write v. To Publish: The Writer's Dilemma

2012-01-24T14:41:00.002-05:00

Why do YOU write?

It took quite a while to navigate through my ego and uncover ananswer to this question. In doing so, I realizedthat passion for writing has less to do with results or outcome than it has to do with afeeling--and I will bet this is true for most writers. Here's what a few writers havesaid about why they write-- the source of their passion:

• "I write to better understandmy own world and to learn more about what I feel and believe." Patricia Sheehy, award winningwriter and novelist, Field of Destiny

• "I write to explore thethings I'm curious about and to tell a good story. When I first startedout, I wanted to write to give order to all the 'stuff'that runs through my mind while telling a good story." bestselling (prolific) novelist, Archer Mayor

Thesetwo writers express that writing is related to a feeling, a desire,or the need to satisfy something within themselves (the need to explore, to engage their curiosity).

Archer Mayor knew he wanted to writemysteries but he didn't want to follow the "Murder, She Wrote"format. He told me:

"Most everyone wants or hopes to sell what they write. But, don'tsell out on yourself and the writing that is closest to your heart."
The result, for Mayor, was to gleam from real life experience (things he knew about and things he wanted to know about) to create character-driven, suspenseful stories that were also procedurally accurate.
Carol Higgins Clark, who we all know is the daughter of the Mistress of Murder Mystery, Mary Higgins Clark, said in an interview I had with her that she writes because she is "able to see the absurd in even the darkest situations" and that makes is possible for her to jab you in the funny bone in the middle of a murder mystery. It's FUN for her!

Why DoWriters Publish

Many of the authors I have interviewed expressed that to publish is awhole different game than to write. Publishing, in general, is ego-driven.Publishing is about the product and platform you have and the size of theaudience that will buy what you write. Publishing is a game without a level playing field and the rules are changing by the minute. The first, and only rule that is standard across most genres is that you write an exceptionally good story (and in some cases not even this seems to matter if you can throw money at a marketing plan). I digress.

How the publishing game will play out for you, I believe, is starting to depend on what genre you write in and the audience you write for. What you've got to do is get up-to-speed on the publishing game in the market that applies to your books, your subject matter, your audience. (I'd be interested to see if anyone has done any studies on this. For now, call it a hunch on my part--but given the amount of metadata that can be collected on people I bet user/reader stats for different genres will soon be compiled by publishers).

Still, if you set the ego aside, somewriters have a very philosophical basis for why they want to publish theirwork:

• "I publish to share my insights and provide readerswith meaningful discoveries that last long after ‘the end’ of thebook," Patricia Sheehy

• "I want to share God's grace andto encourage others to discover their spiritual source through God'slove, God's word," Lucinda Secrest-MsDowell(inspirational nonfiction author)

WhileI have more nonfiction published (100 plus pieces to date) than fiction,there is a common thread weaving through the tapestry of my work: to enlightenand to entertain readers. I FEEL (there it is again) great joy when someone connects with me to say "your last article really brightened my day."

Aslong as writing remains a true joy for me (despite daily frustrations andrejection letters), I will pursue it regarless if I am seeking publication(This blog is case in point-- I have no clue who will read, when, or howoften...yet, I write because it feels good to me and it helps me understand myself as a writer-- my passion, my process).

As you experience new challenges and have new experiences in life, the focus of your writing (what your write about) may change, but the source of passion should remain tethered to your heart. So tell me…

Why do you write?
What do you write about?
If you want to publish your work, why is this important to you?

The Writer's GPS: Global Prose System

2012-01-18T15:10:00.000-05:00

Remember that episode of Seinfeldwhere George and Jerry are sitting in the diner talking about Nothing? Georgeis scheming to bring a show about Nothing to NBC studios and Jerry thinks he’slost it. Well, I’m at such a loss for words this week that I’ve decided towrite about Nothing.

For the past week, every post I’ve started writing is lackluster, appearing on the page without direction. Ineed a GPS for writers—a Global Prose System. Instead of admonishing me forwrong turns on the road—“recalculating, recalculating”—my GPS, would, at the keystroke of every cliché, warn me: “Writer’s Block ahead.” It would then followwith “rewriting, rewriting” and it would actually rewrite for me. Of course,the lovely lady who guides the turn of my pen would probably be devoid offlowery language, which would send me (and my dear readers) head first into anabyss of boredom. I guess I’m just going to have to wing it this time (Sigh).

My guess isI’m in this blogger dry spell because, barely recovered from ringing in the NewYear, I’ve had arrows shot at me by Cupid; been cursed by a drunken leprechaunnamed Patrick, and April’s fool has recruited my children for trickery (stophiding Mommy’s car keys!) Last, but not least, all through the holiday season I've been "revising, revising" numerous other projects on deadline.

Please just let me be! Let me do and—yes— even let me write about nothing!

George was really on to something. We all need down time. I guarantee you, onceyou disengage from the drama of life for just a little while, your body, mindand spirit will crave more of it. More of nothing. And nothing just must inspire your greatest written work, yet!

(Bet you never figured GeorgeCostanza for a guru!)

How do you spend downtime from writing?
When you can't cease working because your on deadline, and life is bombarding you with to do's, must sees and various other "urgencies"-- how do you manage?

Angelic Assignment: Interviewing Stewart Pearce

2012-01-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

Do you believe in angels?

If so, what do you think they look like? Winged beings? Prismatic illuminations?

Depending on the source, 90% or more of the people in the world, across religious and spiritual traditions, believe in angels.

I tend to keep my interest in angels private. I much prefer the awesome sense of wonder the ethereal realms cast than to speculate on angel communication. But a recent assignment for Om Times was, well, too awesome to resist.

Just prior to the holidays, I interviewed author Stewart Pearce whose most recent work is the Angels of Atlantis which includes a beautifully illustrated set of Oracle cards. A few things compelled me to volunteer for this assignment.

First, when I saw the video depicting the cards I was entranced. The only time I have ever "encountered" angelic beings was in a dream in which they appeared to me as prismatic orbs of light-- exactly how these otherworldly beings are depicted on the Oracle cards (click image at right to receive a free copy of the visionary story about these beings: THE PARADE ). As I listened to Stewart speak about the Angels in his silk-smoothe voice, I heard something I almost never hear spoken about outside of religious texts on angels: He spoke of Angel Raziel, who had figured prominently in my dream. (Usually, angel "communicators" stick with the popular angels, Michael, Gabriel, Jophiel, Sendaphalon). The synchronicity of this discovery could not be passed off as pure chance. As it turns out, Stewart's publicist was familiar with my work at Om Times and had hoped I'd want to interview him.

Even more than the simpatico of finding Stewart, I was drawn to his perspective on the subject of Angels: It is both scholarly and esoteric. Add to this his insightful and thought-provoking books on the alchemy of voice-- that every one of us human beings has a unique, divinely inspired signature note--well, I just had to find out more from the man himself.

In preparation for the interview, I took seriously the Oracle cards I drew from the stunning deck. Stewart's interpretation of the cards I chose--delivered from across the pond (he lives in England)--was astonishing. We spoke about his angelic experiences at the Harmonic Convergence of 1987, the advent of 2012, hope, suffering and healing, and of course, the Angels. The forthcoming article (February Om Times), you'll find out more about these topics and my personal reading.

But I want to know...

Is there an angel story in your life? Share it.
If you don't believe in angels, why not?
What would it take to turn you into a believer?

Follow this Blog or sign-up by email to receive the "behind-the-interview" post ....with images and details that won't appear in the Om Times version.

Best,

KMR

When To Scrap Your Novel-In-Progress

2012-01-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

… or Why I Trashed Gillette Castle-- the novel set there, that is

Many of you, writer or not, may end the outgoing year and ring in the New Year with what I call The Major Clean-Up. From closets to garages, if you haven't worn it, used it or read it, it's probably on its way to the dump.

That's where my novel-in-progress, The Gathering, has been, shall we say, "submitted"! On a wet, dreary day in early December, I trashed most of my character list and four chapters that had been written and edited at least twice--each!

As much as I said, when I began researching Gillette Castle a few year's ago, I wasn't going to write historical fiction, that's exactly where the plot kept pulling me. Because I had set the story in modern day, I was struggling with time-period shifts: The history of Gillette Castle vis-à-vis dearly departed actor and the man who built the place, Will Gillette, kept interfering with story I wanted to write. The modern-day aspect of the story took place during the restoration of the castle (which happened back in 1999-2000). This aspect alone bogged down my brain with architectural details-- and not those that had anything to do with the aesthetic mystique of Gillette Castle. No, Ma'm! I was drowning in a leaky roof, locating rare Rafia murals, repairing trick mirrors and doors (Gillette was a prankster of the grandest kind)... list goes on. What really blew it for me was writing "in the period voice" of the 1800's. Styles of dress, manners of speech... I just had no desire to spend any more time in a library trying to get those details right. And believe, me if I got even the slightest of any of these details wrong, from social mores to how to clean-up water damage in a historical building... someone would have called me on it. Not to mention that I'd embarrass myself to any agent or publishing house for being careless.

William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes

Maybe this is backstory that I haven't figure out yet for some related novel (prequel?) down the road. All I know is this story may be the one Mr. Gillette wants to channel through me from beyond the grave, but it is not my story. So, to the man who first brought Sherlock Holmes to the stage, I must say this: The curtain has come down on your storyline. At least for now.

Now that a few weeks have gone by, the dismay has washed away and I'm ready to jump back into my files, my character sketches and re-develop my story about what happens to the people invited to THE GATHERING at Gillette Castle.

Writers! Tell me:

What makes you "know" it's time to trash a story?
What do you do with that work?
Do you go through a period of mourning over the death of a work-in-progress?
How do you get your butt-back-to-chair?

Happy New Year to all!
KMR

Return of the Spiritual Thriller

2011-12-26T08:55:00.002-05:00

by Guest Blogger Charles Seper

If you’re not into the party scene this New Year’s Eve, thenwrap yourself in a blanket, pour a glass of champagne and celebrate with a“spiritual thriller.” This week’s guest blogger offers you some great filmchoices to stream into your living room. -- KMR

T. S. Eliot coined the term“spiritual thriller” several decades ago in reference to the seven novelswritten by his friend Charles Williams. The locution never caught on with thepublic, but perhaps that’s because the particular literary environment in whichWilliams cast his stories never quite caught on either. While multitudes ofbooks and movies in both the thriller and horror varieties have come and gone,not only have most of them been poorly executed, the vast majority haveconcentrated on fear for fear sake, or worse yet, they’ve relied on tritehackneyed psychological conventions for the story’s basis.

Charles Williams made you feel thetug of both the malevolent and benevolent upon your psyche in all that you do.Eliot describes feeling this way in the presence of Williams:

“Ihave always believed that he would have been equally at ease in every kind ofsupernatural company; that he would never have been surprised or disconcertedby the intrusion of any visitor from another world, whether kindly ormalevolent; and that he would have shown exactly the same natural ease andcourtesy, with an exact awareness of how one should behave, to an angel, ademon, a human ghost, or an elemental. For him there was no frontier between thematerial and the spiritual world…He could have joked with the devil and turnedthe joke against him. To him the supernatural was perfectly natural, and thenatural was also supernatural. And this peculiarity gave him that profoundinsight into Good and Evil.”

Most writers of thrillers todayfocus on nothing more than creating tension by putting a character into aprecarious situation and then finding a way to get him out of it. Seldom dothey give any attention to the inner workings of the mind, the spiritual stateof the individual, or the plundering of moral principals that got the characterinto trouble to begin with. The same can be said of horror writers even whenthey do in fact focus on the spiritual rather than the mere paranormal. Theyrarely make you think deeply about your own spiritual state. Books and filmsthat do are indeed uncommon, but they are out there and are beginning toincrease in number. And like Charles Williams, some of these authors areparticularly good at using fear for good intentions, to startle the reader outof a spiritual stupor and make us question reality and human consciousness likethe old Twilight Zone show used todo so well. Here are a few films you may want to add to your “must see” list:

Apparitions - A six-part series on the BBC in 2008

Father Jacob (Martin Shaw), a Catholic Priest has the job ofadvancing people to sainthood. However, he is also friends with the priest whois in charge of performing exorcisms. Father Jacob more or less takes over thejob (unofficially) after this friend is forced to relinquish the positionfollowing strange and diabolical circumstances. This is not some corny horrorseries with projectile vomiting and heads spinning. It's more along the linesof The Omen but with better acting and greatscripts. Never have I seen the forces of good and evil so clearly brought outand shown for what they are in a story of any kind. Each episode connects tothe one before with a subtext pertaining to a coming calamity of irredeemablequality. Among his Catholic family, only Father Jacob sees it coming and isprepared to meet the opposition head-on as every new episode finds him battlingthe same evil in a new form. The series aired at Hulu last spring. Each episodeof Apparitions was written by itsdirector—Joe Ahearne.

The Woman In the Dunes - 1964 Japanese Film

During a lone expedition to the beach to collect sandbeetles etc., a school teacher/entomologist becomes a prisoner in a woman's hutthat exists at the bottom of a deep sand pit. The woman has apparently beenthere all her life. The film has a very otherworldly quality to it that’s likewatching a nightmare. Even the sand itself has an otherworldliness about it. Wefind at the end of the film that the man remains with her at least sevenyears--he’s become so acclimated to his surroundings that he doesn't seem towant to leave. It’s as though he’s been swallowed up by Hell itself and is nowa part of it. If you didn’t fear a hell-like spiritual mode of existence beforewatching this film, be prepared to afterwards. This film was taken from a novelby Kobo Abe who also wrote the screenplay. (I haven’t read the book, but I hearit’s just as good.)

Waking Life - 2001 Animated American Film

Waking Lifetackles the age old question of: just what is the nature of dreams and how isit tied to waking reality and even death. A very philosophical film thatdoesn’t frighten you with nightmares, but the dead people who show up in thedreams frequently provide fodder for some of the more thought provokingconversations. Written and directed by Richard Linklater.

2001: A Space Odyssey - 1968 American Film

Undoubtedly nearly everyone reading this has seen the movie,most more than once, and many have read the novel as well. It involves whatwould be called dispensationalism if we were talking about mankind from aChristian religious standpoint. Dispensationalism is the theory that God giftsmankind with new modes of thought and abilities every so many hundreds or thousandsof years when mankind as a whole is ready to progress to another stage. Thesestages of development are tantamount to the way mankind experiences paradigmshifts from the stone age, to the copper age, the industrial age, theinformation age etc. Mankind may have at one time been quite animalistic withlittle or no self-awareness. Then at some point he became a self-aware creatureunlike any other of the billions on Earth. Later he developed ethical means ofliving together in societies. Later still came morals. At some point he beganto contemplate both the future and the past in order to plan for tomorrow. Hebecame clever. He learned to lie. But he also learned the difference betweengood and evil. He began to study his environment and invented science. On andon.

In the film (and the book much more so) mankind’s progressis helped along by beings of unknown origins, originally through large blackobelisks, although we’re never told how these objects do what they do. And bythe film’s end we find one man, the first of a new kind of man, who is oncemore aided by unknown forces to progress to the next level of consciousness.Some think of these beings as simply aliens while others view them as somethingakin to angelic.

Wings Of Desire and Faraway, So Close! (sequel) - Germany 1987 and 1993

Step into the lives of two guardian angels and theirrelationship with humans. Both angels eventually become human themselves, onefor the love of a woman, the other is accidentally led astray by a demonicbeing and “falls” to earth. What’s important here is the interplay between thelives of the angels and the lives of the humans as each one’s actions hasripple effects in both worlds. It’s also interesting to see an angel who longsto be human. After watching humans for so long, he wonders what it’s like totaste food, to sleep, to kiss a woman etc. It reminds one of the biblicalsaying about man being made “a little lower than the angels” because this angelseems to think it’s the other way round. These films have no frightening scenesin them to speak of accept for a suicide jumper, but they’re presented in sucha preternatural setting that the viewer will come away feeling as if he alsowalks in two worlds. This pair of German films were written and directed by WimWenders.

Dark City - 1998 American Film

This film has probably given more nightmares to people than The Exorcist, but unlike the latter, itwas not a movie made simply to terrify it’s viewers. A young man who awakens ina bathtub one night with no idea who he is or where he is. As he wanders thecity at night, he quickly realizes two things. First, he is not like otherpeople because he finds that they all fall into a deep sleep at approximatelymidnight while he for some reason can remain awake. Second, while the othersare asleep he watches as an odd looking race of human-like beings enter thecity and begin to change things. Helater finds out that the entire city has been captured by alienesque creaturesthat have the ability to manipulate matter. But our hero finds that he also forsome reason has this same ability. It’s a gift he cultivates as the filmprogresses. This astounds the aliens, and by the film’s end, this one man alonementally challenges the alien intruders in an all out war of mental creativeGod-like powers as he learns to createhis own reality. It’s an absolutely mind bending film that has the power tocause us to look within for what latent gifts we each may have yet to realize.

A few more movies that may awaken your spirit:

Ink, Spirited Away,What Dreams May Come, Somewhere In Time, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind,The Matrix, Pi, The 13th Floor, The Enchanted Cottage, The Secret Garden

Charles Seper is the author of the biography/commentary - C. S. Lewis called Him Master (Exploring the Life & Adult FantasyWorks of George MacDonald) and The Cistaphasmatis, a recent novella on Horatio Press. He went toSouthwestern Illinois College and lives in Southern Illinois. He is also theowner of The George MacDonald Information Web at:

georgemacdonal.info

Writer Settling for a Long Winter's Nap

2011-12-24T19:35:00.002-05:00

What's your wish this Holiday Season? I'm talking about gifts and gadgets and greenbacks. What's your most heartfelt wish this year?

I'm sitting beneath the Christmas Tree wishing for peace and joy in my life-- a TALL order in a home with young children. (Never ceases to amaze me how quickly abundant joy devolves into mass chaos when a 3 year old goes up against a five year old).

While you're wishfully thinking :) keep in mind that there will be several changes coming to Soul of A Writer during the next few weeks. A new look, punchy new content, publishing news-- and lots of talk about publishing stress.

For now, though, I'm settling in for a long Winter's nap (or at least a good night's sleep).

Thanks for following and I look forward to connecting in 2012!

Peace and Joy,
KMR

The Bully In the House

2011-12-24T19:27:00.001-05:00

Author Guest Post: Trish Lapidus shares the Passion that led to writing Gideon's River

If I had my way no child would ever again suffer brutality, invalidation, and losses of confidence. Confidence is a birthright.

As a social worker, a mother of three, and a one-time child, I had witnessed many families in the grips of a family drama they seemed unable to control. Often they seemed unaware they were acting out of the family script. Meanwhile, I had written a memoir based on a decade of living on The Farm among spiritual hippies, a village where my own awareness was lifted above the fray enough to be able to see what I was doing. And I had read widely in both literature and social theory, adding to my knowledge of human behavior. I was heart sick at the pain I had borne, the pain I had witnessed, and, yes, the pain I had inflicted.

In my novel, Gideon’s River, Rosalie can’t figure out how to help her son Gideon, who criticizes family members and loses his temper at what seems like nothing. She wonders where that bullying comes from, and she ends up having to inspect her own wimpy demeanor for answers.

I wanted the book to entertain and to provide some of the insight and tools I did not have when I was younger. I wanted to offer support to young parents as they strive to provide a happy, confident childhood for their children.

About Trish Lapidus: Trish has published four books, three of which are also available as eBooks. The common thread is a search for kindness and a way to restore it to human living without swinging to the permissive. She had published poems in Perigrine, Off the Coast, and many other literary journals. Her essays appear on ezine@articles.

http://patricialapidus.com/gideonsriver

http://tinyurl.com/pj73ns

E-books Replacing Print Books: Not Inevitable!

2011-12-14T14:11:00.000-05:00

In writing and publishing circles across the globe the popular opinion is that the digital book or e-book will replace print books. M. Scott Douglas publisher of Main Street Rag, offers a few points why this is not inevitable. He argues that the waters will be "tainted" by bad writing that has good marketing; It will become harder for those of us who are working are asses off with quality writing to actually get noticed among the sea of sludge being passed off as good reading. Read on:

1) Technology Changes. Contstantly. I'd like to note the issue with formatting. I'm old enough to still own a few 8-track tapes. I have cassettes galore and boxes of vinyl records; movies on both VHS and Beta. I'm a collector of such stuff. These things have value, but only if you have a way to use them. I have a box of 50 CDs I bought before jump drives came out. I use them as coasters.
My point is this: So, we all lunge into e-book format, what happens when the format changes? And it will. Will all those words be lost, all those books gone?

2) Dollars & Cents. The Writer, The Reader, The Market. An editor friend was discussing publishing options with one of her clients. The client mentioned that she wanted to self-publish and was considering having MSR produce it, a POD place do it or going straight to e-book. I said that, if those are the options she's considering, she should just go ahead and go straight to e-book since it costs less and she can always create a hard copy later. She's 30 years old. All of her friends own Kindles-what better way to have your friends read you. One thing though, how is she going to market her e-book? Is she going to do readings for it? In bookstores? I don't think so. And when she does do a reading, what is she going to offer to sell those who do not have a Kindle-after all, if the purpose of readings is to reach new audiences and sell a written product, don't you have to have something to sell? Or will all the marketing be done through YouTube?
This is all doable, and as another editor said, you can sell it for as little as 50 cents just to get it into peoples' hands. The problem is, at 50 cents, you have to sell a heck of a lot of books to make it worthwhile. So, if all she wants to do is get it in a format that her friends and family can enjoy and they all have Kindles, that's a no-brainer. If she wants to be able to reach a wider audience through readings or even get her book into a library, well…

3. The Cream Will Rise. The rest is in the 50-cent box. That's where lesser known authors are going to end up. And who else is in that box? A lot of folks who could not get published any other way. They and AMAZON are hustling you to buy. Their friends and "agents" are marketing by writing fake reviews online and so, you-owner of a Kindle-have just bought your 5th crappy book from the 50-cent-box … are you ever fishing in those waters again?
Yes, we will be able to get our words out there, inexpensively, as e-books where the whole world can buy and read them cheaply, but will we be punished by the simplicity of it, by the ease of publication. If anyone can have an e-book and most of them will end up in the "cheap boxes" with fake reviews, we've just created a bigger morass for reader to wade through just to notice us. And the waters will be tainted by bad work. Does this really sound like a boon for authors? Maybe 1 in a million and that's about the same odds you can get in print and at least in print you have something tangible to hold, collect, treasure.
I don't want to sound like the old guy who stood out in the rain saying, "What storm?" then gets struck by lightning, but think of all the new formats that have come our way in the past decade alone. In my opinion, e-books are just a branch on the evolutionary tree. They are not the format of the future. In less than five years, there will be something else and the masses will all flock to that making money for Apple or Amazon or Google or whoever is the genius of the moment.

M. Scott Douglass
Publisher/Editor
Main Street Rag
editor@mainstreetrag DOTcom

I add the following:

1. You can read a "real book" by candlelight, firelight or flashlight in a blackout. I know because I lived through the Halloween Storm of the Century-- none of our "devices" worked for reading. And if anything with a connection did work, we reserved the battery power for emergency communication.

2. Have you seen the movie Book of Eli with Denzel Washington? A possible future for a post-apocopylyptic, book-less, low literacy world-- frightening.

3. E-readers and the like will have a time and place in our culture but they are a long way away from sending real books into extinction.

4. E-books will NEVER replace a children's book, held in hand, as I read to my child.

What do you think about the future of THE BOOK and the e-book?

Trees: Bare Bones & Spirit

2011-12-09T16:51:00.001-05:00

"Stripped of pretense and camouflage, trees, like human beings, are bare bones and spirit. They grow, stretch, ache, bend and break...the spirit of trees affects our own--we are profoundly interrelated."
~ Joan Klostermann-Ketels, author HumaniTrees

In Winter, we observe the naked essence of nature. The harvest has ended. The fields are dry. Trees, stripped of their foliage, shiver against a gray sky holding a sun that cannot warm them. Yet, trees go on, reflecting back to us the condition of the human spirit. This is what the book, HumaniTrees, reveals in inspirational passages and stunning images. Inspired by this unique book, I am looking at trees--in particular the giant oak in my backyard whose life will soon come to an end (less its brittle to the bone branches come crashing on my roof in the next snowstorm)--in a very different light.

Does this old oak know what is in store?
Will it feel pain when the umbilical cord, connecting the oak to Mother Earth, is severed in a what can only be described as a violent assault?

HumaniTrees also reminded me of another tree, a Cedar Tree that stood at the center of a garden at my old house in Wethersfield, CT. My husband was supposed to trim the branches while I was out shopping. When I returned home, this is what I found:

In HumaniTrees, each image of a tree is labeled with a single descriptive word to communicate the essence of that tree's spirit: "primal" "lonely" "magnificent" "spellbound" "sisterly" "impish"

An inspirational quote also accompanies the image. For example, I liked this quote that was selected for the tree "Enigmatic"--

"The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different." - Aldous Huxley

IT'S YOUR TURN:

Use a single term to describe the spirt of this Cedar Tree.
Include a quote to go along with it?

Post your response now.

Stellar Flash Reveals Portal To Other Worlds

2011-12-06T10:30:00.001-05:00

I rarely stop what I'm working on to blog or share on FB, but this morning I couldn't resist sharing the absolute mesmerizing beauty of this image with people I know and connect with online. With so much ugliness, confusion and chaos stirring in the world we live in, this image provides a portal to some other-world... a world that each one of us should be blessed with the freedom to imagine:

Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Image Credit : NASA, ESA , H. E. Bond (STScI)

What Is It?

This Stellar Flash is what is going on in the universe while you and I go about the daily grind. NASA describes it as follows:

star V838 Mon's outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the result that it became the brightest star in the entire Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002. Then, just as suddenly, it faded. A stellar flash like this has never been seen before. It's true that supernovae and novae expel matter out into space. But while the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen here is actually an outwardly moving light echo of the bright flash. In a light echo, light from the flash is reflected by successively more distant rings in the ambient interstellar dust that already surrounded the star. V838 Mon lies about 20,000light years away toward the constellation of Monoceros the unicorn. In this Hubble Space Telescope image from February 2004, the light echo is about six light years in diameter.

Hope this stirs your soul as it did mine.

POST a comment answering this question:
What other-world do you imagine exists on the other side of this galactic portal?

Pete Hamill: Writers Must Get Paid-- IMAGINE THAT!

2011-12-01T15:47:00.001-05:00

News Flash! "Those who write for others must get paid for their work." ~ Pete Hamill prolific journalist and author quoted in The Writer Mag December 2011

It sickens me that a writer as esteemed as Pete Hamill has to make this statement-- and that it needs to be broadcast to every print and digital media outlet in existence, most especially the proliferation of new e-journals and digital publications that have appeared not the Web. Electronic publishing is changing the face of publishing, true, but it's also hurting many writers.

I can't tell you how often publications want to compensate me with "exposure" to their audience. This is not applicable only to a subset of digital mags: I've submitted to holistic health/new age (the worst offenders), hobbyist blogs and mags, regional interest and education among other subject areas. Across all of these, I've had editors--or maybe I should say faux-editors because any editor/publisher worth his or her salt will want to compensate a good writer--tell me it is a "privilege" to have my work appear in their digital magazine and the exposure I will gain to their audience will undoubtedly "pay me back". Well, that may be true if the writing I do brings the reader to my website where I have something to sell them, like a book or a service. I am a writer, my words are my work: Words are my bread and butter. The time I take to plan and target an assignment for a specific publication; to interview, research, arrange, and fact check; and edit and revise is time I deserve to be paid in greenbacks. Writing is mentally challenging work that I just happen to enjoy immensely, most of the time, and am game to cover just about any subject (except politics!).

Now, if O magazine or Huffington called me and said, "We like your style and voice and we want to give you a shot at an online column or blog, a trial period for which you will not be compensated, but at the end of which, we may hire you as a regular contributor…" I MIGHT just take that kind of an opportunity. I would negotiate it, for sure.

Or, if I had a new book on the market, there might be certain digital venues where exposure via an unpaid published article helps drive traffic to my website where I can entice the visitor to buy the book... or take some other action that is meaningful to me at that point in time. These are far and few between, I argue.

So, clearly your purpose or goals at any point in time play into the game of when you should allow your content to be published for pay or not. Even if you are just starting out, (as I was just a few years ago and even back then I earned $40-$100 for an 800 word story), trying to build clips and establish your writerly reputation, I still agree with Hamill: Writers must get paid.

What do you think?

A Writer Ponders 2012: Myth or Prophecy

2011-11-22T10:38:00.001-05:00

From Cairo toCromwell, nary a soul on the planet hasn’t heard something about the 2012prophecy. Maybe I should say prophecies because there is dissention among theranks of those interpreting the Mayan calendar and related writings. Accordingto New Agers and scientists from wide ranging disciplines—anthropology andarcheology to physiology and physics—2012 takes humanity down divergent paths.

The belief that12/12/2012 is the End of Time has been pushed into the collective consciousness largelyby New Age and metaphysical thinkers, some of who are scientists. Theevidence: global warming, financialchaos, poverty, war…need I say more. There’s also the GaiaPrinciple, which views Earth as Mother, a living sentient being. As this logicgoes, when you mistreat Mother all hell breaks loose—tsunamis, global warming,earthquakes—you get the idea. Essentially,we self-destruct. When you look at what’s going on in the world, the idea that,“This is the End” isn’t far fetched.

A morespiritually-minded group believes 2012 marks an initiation into a new phase ofexistence that will take anywhere from six to twenty years to be fully realized(there’s a lot of talk about 2032 being the year of total transformation). Thisnew era of human evolution will bring about what Alberto Villoldo, anthropologist and shaman, calls the homo luminous—we become beingswhose energy fields are luminous. Barbara Hand Clow, a Cherokee elder andwriter, calls the new human homo pacem, to indicate we are becoming aspecies focused on peace. Both sound pretty good to me. Evidence for this sideof the story is attributed to the Green Movement, which supposedly symbolizeshumanity waking-up to the needs of the planet. “If Earth doesn’t thrive, thenno one survives.” The Gaia Principle applies here, also. Treat Mother Earthwith love and kindness and she sustains you.

I’d be remiss to leave out the group who seemsleast popular in their thinking—the folks who say nothing will happen in 2012because the Mayans just didn’t calculate the calendar past that date. Why is nothing so unpopular? Because it doesn’tsell advertising spots. (Even “hard”scientists, like theoretical physicist Stephen Hawkings, say it is more likelythat an asteroid will crash into Earth than 2012 being the end of everything.Sorry, no date provided to mark your calendar.)

Don't forget, there are matters of religious faith to be considered. Many contemporary religions don’t have an opinion on 2012 because it is not relevant to their teachings. The Bible, for example says something about “the end coming like a thief in the night.”

Cataclysmic shifts. Spiritual Enlightenment.The Status Quo.

Does what we believe about 2012 really matter? It does if you believe you create/co-create your own reality. If you think 2012 is the end, it may very well be the end for you. If you believe you will transform, maybe you will. Who am I to say to to doubt? But aside from the quantum and string theory approach to how we create and experience life, shouldn’t we all be living by the GoldenRule, anyway? Honestly, didn’t kindergarten teach us all we need to know abouthow to live a Happy Buddha life?

I don’tthink it matters whether or not 2012 is the end or the beginning, or both. For one, I learned a lot in kindergarten. Second, my guiding philosophy is "dream, believe, DO, achieve." (Not just for my writing life, for the whole of my life including spirituality. I believe that we are evolving toward a God-consciousness and I ACT in ways that support this belief-- please refer to above paragraph). That's not to say I don't speculate-- after all that is the life of a writer!

Perhaps the best way for any of us writers, agnostic to devout, toapproach 2012 is like this:

If you knew with certainty that you had 365days left on the planet, how will you live your final days? Will document every moment and store in a time capsule?
If we are, destined to evolve intoluminous beings, what steps will you take to insure you complete thetransformation, fully prepared for the grace and wonder promised by such anexistence?
If nothing happens at all—are you happyenough with life as you know it to go on living the way you do?

I realize I’vebarely covered all the hot points on 2012. And that’s because we just don’tknow—we can’t know—what’s in storefor us, locally or globally; physically or spiritually. So, whether you’re inCromwell or Cairo live your best life now because that choiceis entirely up to you.

What are your 2012 Predictions?

Post your Prediction in the Comments or Email me via the form on my website.

Check out this website: End-of-the-World Myths and the Mayan Calendar

Spiritual Horror: Is it possible to scare an audience into Enlightenment?

2011-11-20T14:39:00.001-05:00

M. Night Shyamalan's films do a frightening good job!

known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending, Shyamalan's film, Devil (2010), was not a blockbuster hit but it does get you thinking about a new type of horror film-- those with a spiritual theme. The popular screenwriter/director has been quoted as saying that that not all of his films are scary but "all my movies are spiritual and all have an emotional perspective." Still, the response to many of Shyamalan's films is a darn good scare.

In DEVIL, Shyamalan superimposed the spiritual concept of forgiveness against the evil that lives in some men's (and women's) hearts--i.e., the Devil lives among us. What if, to set someone free from the grips of evil, you had to have forgiven an unspeakable act before you ever crossed paths with the person who committed that act? In DEVIL, a drunk driving accident takes the life of a detective's wife and infant son. After a period of drowning his grief in whiskey, he remerges faithless. A strange series of apparent suicides eventually bring him to confront the face of evil-- trapped in an elevator with a group of unsuspecting passengers, one of whom is the Devil incarnate, taking souls in a twisted game of elimination. (I don't want to give the plot away).

I'd much rather a horror film scare me into thinking about spiritual matters than watch a blood-and-guts spill across the screen. This is also probably why I stopped reading Stephen King's horrific novels-- I hated getting to the end of story that scared me senseless but made no real point about the human condition (disclaimer, I have read King in many, many years).

What Shyamalan does so incredibly well is getting you to think about what you carry around in your heart and how it could not just kill you, but cost you your soul-- or cost someone else theirs.
And you didn't think you had any power in this world.

Do you know of any other spiritual horror films? Share and comment now.

Rules for Great Writing: To Each Writer, Her Own

2011-11-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

Guest Post from Novelist & Writing Coach Annie Kelleher on "What a Writer's Learning Curve Should Look Like"

Dear Lisa Mae:
When it comes to writing, I'm not sure there is a "learning curve," or at least not one readily identifiable. A learning curve suggests that there is some trackable, documentable, progression that a writer might follow. Alas, I doubt there's any such thing.

According to recent studies, true mastery of any skill is generally achieved after approximately ten thousand hours of practice (Note from KMR: Malcolm Gladwell illustrates this point in his book Outliers.) If you've really been writing for all of those two and a half years, you have not wasted your time.

Two and a half years is a drop in the bucket for most of the writers I know. And while I sold my first novel within two and half years of beginning to write it, my learning curve began when I began to write as soon as I learned to read – little two and three sentence stories. I wrote my first novel in high school as a senior project. I was blessed with parents who not only valued education enough to provide me with one of the best available in late 20th century America, but also generally supported my first literary attempts. Writing fiction is something I've been practicing since I was five.

According to Somerset Maughan, there are three rules for great writing, but no one can agree on what they are. No one can tell you what they are for you, anyway, and that for me is the number one difficulty when it comes to discussing measures by which a writer might gauge his or her progress.

In terms of progress, I believe much depends on where it is you want your writing to go. For me, as a novelist, the progression might be described as finishing a publishable manuscript, submitting that manuscript, getting an agent, selling that manuscript, and then going on to write and publish more.

But what exactly a publishable manuscript is, and how you go about producing one, are subjective matters all their own. Until relatively recently, memoir wasn't a topic you saw much of at writers' conferences.

The effective practice of writing involves craft, skill and art. In terms of skill and craft, certainly there are things one can learn and whether one learns those things in grammar school, high school, college or absorbs them on one's own doesn't really matter. I think one might identify a goal for yourself (I want to write a memoir as affecting as Angela's Ashes, or, I want to write a novel as great as Ulysses, for examples) and then plot a trajectory backwards. Just understanding that there are things you need to learn is a step in the right direction..or write direction if you will pardon my very dreadful pun. Writing coaches, mentors, critique groups, community colleges, online courses and writing conferences can all be very helpful in determining specific steps to take.

But the real reason there is no definable or readily perceivable learning curve for any individual writer is that beyond acquisition of the skills required, beyond the practice of the craft, is the art of writing itself. I practice the art of writing every day not because I write well or badly or anywhere in between but because I must. And even after years of practice and a list of published work, the learning curve I perceive ahead of me is still a straight arc up.

Sincerely yours, Annie Kelleher

anniekelleher@aol.com
Find me at about.me/anniekelleher

The Aspiring Writer's Learning Curve

2011-11-06T15:06:00.002-05:00

What should a burgeoning writer’s learning curve look like?

Recently a "Soul" blog follower, Lisa, posted that question, which is probably burning in the mind of every writer--established pros, too. It's hard to start writing, submit your for consideration, and stick with it through rejection. Lisa goes on to write:

"I started writing without KNOWING how to write i.e. creating a scene, plot development, arc, transformation. I’ve been to writers conferences for memoir over the past couple of years, and no one addressed these subjects! I understand the first book is the hardest, but I sure wish I knew the elements of writing a long time ago. I wouldn't be feeling so burnt out and frustrated."

Here are a few thoughts on the aspiring writer's learning curve:
1. Your learning curve won't look like anyone else's, Lisa.
2. What you see and hear about a published author's work is not indicative of the time and energy and sacrifice it took for that writer to go from "burnt out and frustrated" to successfully published.

I would also bet money that many of the stories perpetuated about "overnight successes" are marketing ploys. True, JK Rowling was on skid row and HP-1 was rejected numerous times-- Rowling worked on the first book for many, many years. Yes, Stephanie Meyer built Twilight from a dream, but the book didn't write itself.

Lisa: "I’ve been writing full time for 2 ½ years, and am just beginning to incorporate what I've learned. I feel like I wasted so much time."

I began researching my novel, The Gathering (still in development), in 2007, about a year after my daughter was born. I realized if i was going to raise my daughter to follow her dreams, I damn well better lead by example, regardless of the outcome. Just over a year after I started that process, my second daughter entered the picture. The following year brought two surgeries. I also started freelancing and copywriting on the side, to keep up with the costs of raising two children, a dog and a husband. AND STILL, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT MAKING PROGRESS WITH THE NOVEL or any of my other works of fiction.

At some point, about a year ago, I realized Everything I have been doing, including raising my children, has taught me something about myself as a writer, the writing process and publishing. Writing nonfiction and copy has taught me the economy of words and getting to the point fast(er) (very hard for an extroverted person like me). Raising my children teaches me to trust my instincts/intuition, to make tough decisions and to keep my priorities in order. That being said, I just tossed out 4 chapters of my novel and am going in a totally new direction. That Was Hard. But, that is my learning curve.

Lisa, look back over your 2.5 years. What have you learned? What has the process of learning how to write and to be a writer brought to your life? Make a gratitude list --it puts things in perspective and keeps you from getting frustrated. And don't forget, it's important to step back from your work and let it breathe.

Writing is an energetic process that emerges from deep within you. You've got to replenish your mental, physical and emotional energy if you want the words to flow and have any meaning for you or your readers.
KMR.

Book an Event with Karen - ideal for writing groups, organizations and libraries.

Nor'easter and Steve Jobs Writing Tips

2011-11-02T09:01:00.002-04:00

Just looked at my blog activity for October. Can't believe I only posted twice. Where was I last month? Well, updating my website-- taking it to the next level--has been a real pain in the neck. Seriously, I've spent more time with the chiropractor than anyone else in the past month. I'm nearly done, so keep an eye out for what's going on at karenmrider.com (There's a free gift to subscribers of my enewsletter and lots of new content).

I've also been reworking scenes in The Circle Garden thanks to feedback I received from a very well established writing colleague who shall remain nameless. The story is still out with a few magazines in its most recent rendition -- but it's always the one that rejected the story where you want to get it published. So, that's my goal.

And that's what the freak Nor'easter we New Englanders are dealing with has taught me. Oh, and reading about Steve Jobs's final days on the planet (as described by his sister in a NY Times article.) Sure, Steve had setbacks but he was a dreamer, an artist, a visionary. He never saw what he did as work, but as passion. Once he set his mind on a goal--a vision for what could be and what he could bring to the world-- he kept at it. He lived simply and with meaning, despite having immense wealth. He walked with grace to the very end of his life, never once relenting on the next goal, the next vision.

So, sitting in the dark, reading by flashlight about Mr. Jobs, it struck me: There's no excuse for failing to live up to one's potential in life, as an engineer, as a writer, as a human being. So here are a few writing tips that stirred in my soul as I sat in a the dark:

1. Find your passion. Believe in it. Believe in what you can do with it.
2. Write because you love it, despite the days when you're "in the dark" and the page or screen screams "WASTELAND" in your face.
3. No matter what comes way your way, keep shining your light on the goal, the vision you have for your book, your writing life--whatever that means to you.
4. When you are setback, remember it's only temporary. Go back to the drawing board. Don't be afraid to trash three chapters (like I just did) and start over.
5. Never ever (never) listen to what "they" say.

Write On,
KMR

Taking My Website to the Next Level

2011-10-21T16:13:00.001-04:00

Recently, I wrote an article for Writer's Digest magazine, "Take Your Website to the Next Level" (in the current issue, Nov/Dec 2011). By the time I finished interviewing all the experts and writing the article, I realized my website was lacking a few crucial features if it was going to do more than be just another pretty page on the Web.

For starters, I had to re-Vision the purpose and goals for my website in relation to my writing goals. Obviously, I had to review my writing goals, which sent me back to Jeff VanderMeer's book "BookLife: Strategies and Tactics for the 21st Century Writer- if you don't own it, run out and buy it now. You can learn how to use this book to face your writing challenges - and subdue your writing demons.) Once, the re-Visioning was done, I sent my website-wishes over to webmaster, Mark Hollis at Hollis Internet Marketing. He just finished the new page structure (I'm going to be verifying everything and uploading new content over the next week).

When I get through all of these steps (or at least the once that apply to me at this juncture in my writing career), I'll tell you about my success in taking my website to the next level. Before I leave you, let me tell you about the one step I made a few weeks ago. This one step has increased the number of contacts I receive and the number of sign-ups for my newsletter. You can take this step right now with your website:

Provide a Call to Action to Visitors (ask visitor to sign-up for something or do something at your site)
Offer a Reward for Visitor in response to that Action

If you want to entice someone to register for your newsletter, thank them by offering a free download that you will SEND to them after you receive their contact info. In the two weeks since I implemented this I've added ten new contacts to my e-news subscriber list.

More on this next time. Right now this writer has to stir her soul with some after school fun with her daughters!

Visit my website www.karenmrider.com and tell me what you think!

What's to Like/ Not Like About Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine?

2011-10-11T11:39:00.002-04:00

Review of Fantasy & Sci Fi September/October 11 Issue

If you aren't familiar, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (FSF) is one of the premier literary journals in the genre. In print for 62 years, many famous (and not-so-famous) writers have had their stories published here. I discovered the publication a few years ago, when I first took seriously this dream of mine to be a published writer. I've read several issues, thinking one of my stories might find a home between the covers of FSF (I am still trying).

The opportunity to review a recent issue came my way, and hey, who doesn't like a free magazine every once in a while! There are some things to really like about this issue (all the issues I've seen) and a few things that just don't stir this writer's soul. The list of likes/not likes is followed by my favorite stories (and why) from the September/October issue.

What's to Like (or Love) about F&SF

Great cover art that draws you into the magazine.
Excellent writing from writers of all experience. Even stories I don't find particularly interesting, the writing is darn good.
It's not digital. I can relax on my back porch & turn pages that take me into other worlds.
Book Reviews by Charles DeLint- I have discovered incredibly talented authors and their books from this column. I also love DeLint's stories and books.
Film Reviews by Katho Maio- I truly enjoyed this month's take on Johnny Depp and the latest installment in the Pirates series.
The introduction to each story written by the editor. Not your run of the mill bios; these are creative, funny and always warn you if the story you are about to read contains graphic content not suitable for the faint of heart or young readers.
I always learn something or am given something to think about when I finish F&SF. Isn't that why we read (and write) to see the world through a different lens? F&SF delivers.
Hilarious cartoons pop-up when you list expect them. I alway get a chuckle, if not an all-out full-belly laugh when I come across the illustrations.

What's Not so Likable about F&SF

Not enough Fantasy. The last few issues I read contained much more sci-fi than fantasy. And sadly for me, some of the fantasy I didn't enjoy.
No enough female writers. Now, I can't tell, always if JD Writer is male or female, so I could be wrong. Maybe they don't get enough submissions from women writers. Who knows! I sure would like to see more stories/novellas from women. Maybe they can do a special issue? (Maybe they'll reconsider my story, The Circle Garden-- I'm willing to make revisions that suit their needs).
Small typeface for my aging eyes (very personal opinion).

Stories I Loved (and some I didn't)

I don't like to start off on a sour note but I have to because the first story in this issue is a novelet, "Rutger and Baby Do Jotenheim" by Esther M. Friesner. I could've sworn I read this story someplace else before. It's hard to forget a title like that and as I read the opening I either had de je vu or this has been published elsewhere. I didn't like it the first time and I liked it even less the second time. Baby and her poodle were irritating, as they should be but I just didn't care much about what happened in Las Vegas to either of these two miserable people whose car ran of gas.

I am a very particular sci-fi fan. That being said, I loved The Man Inside Black Betty a near-future joy ride into what might happen if the sky, literally, opens up above us: 2012 ushers in collapsed stars, altered gravitational trajectories and a variety of other scientific anomalies affecting the entire planet, from human behavior to the disappearance of entire species of plant and animal life.

Equally enjoyable and entirely different was A Borrowed Heart by Deborah J. Ross. This story met my needs as it is written by a woman and is period fantasy. It's the story of Lenore Hasland, and her dealings with vampires. The language is evocative, the setting perfect and the storytelling lyrical.

Another favorite was Time and Tide by Alan Peter Ryan. I spent many a summer at Seaside Heights in Jersey, where this story takes place. I loved every word of this tale of young boy who witnesses his younger brother's death by drowning and the haunting aftermath.

Anise by Chris DeVito is another near-future tale (with graphic elements). The premise for the story takes "life support" and the idea of the "living dead" to a completely original and frightening place.

That's enough reviewing for a blog. If you have a favorite story from F&SF, tell me about it!

Shopping a Short Story Manuscript

2011-09-27T14:34:00.003-04:00

Been incredibly busy shopping The Circle Garden, a short story, to various publications. My top two journals rejected the story but encouraged that I continue to submit my work. One commented on "good writing" but the story didn't "grab him" enough. I worked on the "grab factor" in the new submissions that went out.

Seems it takes nearly as much time to find the right magazines that are a match for a story as it does to write a story!

Next two stories are in process. Revamping the premise for the Gillette Castle novel, too.

Oh, is that the sun shining outside? I really need to get away from this computer!

New Spin on Faery-Human Realms

2011-09-23T16:57:00.002-04:00

Freda Warrington Rocks Faery with Aetherial Series

Everything you know about faeries and humans, from magical powers to interspecies sex; from crossing between worlds and searching for stolen children, is rocked by fantasy author Freda Warrington in her Aetherial Series. Thus far, the series includes two books Elfland and Midsummer Night. Don't let the titles fool you. These are not tales of tiny creatures with pointy ears who live under red-capped mushrooms. Warrington has created a fully-formed race of otherworldly beings living and lusting among humans.

This is the kind of metaphysical magic that adults who love Celtic inspired faery lore have been waiting for. If you love what Peter Jackson did visually with Lord of The Rings, you are prepared for the world of Aetherials. If you were enchanted by Pan's Labyrinth, you'll love this series.

I am in awe of Warrington's skill for transporting the reader into the interior realms of faery, which she calls The Spiral. Layer upon layer, she transports you deeper into the world of a magical species that rose from the ether alongside humans. She never bogs you down with the backstory; it is seamlessly and magically woven into the fabric of her character driven novels. Warrington masterfully creates conflicts that bridge both human and faery, showing the human in the fantastic and the fantastic in the human with every nuance, every gesture, every plot-twisting scene.

I was not familiar with Warrington's work until a chance encounter with one of her books at my local library. While scurrying through the stacks with my notebook, crossing off titles I was in search of, I dropped my pen in front of an end isle display. As I got up, I whacked my head on the lip of a book holder-- hard enough to knock the book out of its slip. This gorgeous book cover mesmerized me:
Warrington is truly fortunate to have had her book cover illustrated by the highly regarded Kinuko Y. Craft . I can only hope, someday, when my book is completed and ready to be published that the metaphysical world I envision in my story can be rendered in such ephemeral beauty as Craft creates. Warrington charms you into the lives of her characters. You find yourself rooting for a character you hated just a few chapters before because of the way she tears down the layers that the character was hiding behind. She has a way of illuminating pain and desire, hope and fear in both her human and faery characters that makes it difficult to choose sides. And just when you've given your allegiance to one character, she peels back another layer of conflict and mystery, making you hunger (as if you've eaten forbidden fruit of the faery realm and can't help yourself) for more. And that is what stirs my soul…if you read these books, I'm certain it'll do the same for you.If you have read any of Warrington's books, please share your comments! KMR

2011-09-06T15:34:00.000-04:00

GuestBlogger Series "Writers on Writing"

This series presents essays from popular and emerging authors and freelance writers, essayists and columnists. I tapped an eclectic group of writers, asking them to respond to one of several different questions pertaining to "what stirs the soul of a writer." That is, why are they compelled to write and what keeps their creative muse juiced.

The first guest blogger is Catherine Ann Jones. Jones might not be a household name, but her work will be familiar to you, especially her scripts for the TV series Touched by An Angel and her book, Way of Story, which is a required reaning at many film schools across the country.

Catherine's thought provoking essay, which I titled, "Cobra Tango" was submitted in response to this question:

"What compelled you to share details of your life in a personal essay?"

As you will see in this piece from Catherine, what stirs in a writer's soul is sometimes hidden until we open our eyes to what is right before us and, frightening as it may be, learn from the experience.

Catherine Anne Jones ~ "Cobra Tango"

Several years ago, I was living in asmall village in south India pursuing spiritual studies. Earlier in Paris, Ihad wed a brilliant Brahmin and was now, years later considering a divorce.

I stand near the sacred river Pampain Kerala where it is said Rama sailed to Ceylon to rescue his wife, Sita, fromthe ten-headed demon, Ravana. Immersed in the humidity and sensuality oftropical India – itself a living dream- it seems natural when two five-foot longcobras slowly approach each other. Will this be a fight to the death? What willhappen? I sit nearby and observe theoldest ritual in the world, the mating dance. Their tails intertwine while theupper bodies face each other and sway to the silent sounds of Eastern erotica.It is no less than the cosmic dance of Shiva, enticing and sublime. (Shivadances as he destroys the world in order that life return and start all overagain.)

A local village girl began togesture wildly. She said I was in grave danger so close to the dreaded cobras.Despite this warning, I returned to view the ongoing mating dance, thoughadmittedly standing not quite so near .

Later, after two hours of sexualdelight, the two serpents shot upward in rocket orgasm then slowly, slowlyuncoil, slithering away in opposite directions!

The answer was clear. What issublime and true today may tomorrow fulfill its karmic purpose of comingtogether, and afterwards those bound, may – as in nature-unbind and go theirseparate ways. Such is the memory of marriage, where sex, bliss, and negativeresidue reside. Let each moment be sufficient unto itself. And when over, allowthe simple act of going one’s own way, without judgment or regret. So, afternineteen years of marriage, I decided to end mine, and begin a new life.

Years later, I am ever grateful tothose two cobras on the banks of the holy Pampa.

CATHERINE ANN JONES, award-winningauthor, playwright & screenwriter whose films include UNLIKELY ANGEL, THECHRISTMAS WIFE, and the popular series, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL. A FulbrightResearch Scholar to India studying shamanism and winner of the NationalEndowment for the Arts Award, her book, The Way of Story: the craft &soul of writing, is required for NYU and other schools. A graduate of Pacifica Graduate Institutewhere she has also taught, she works as a writing consultant, keynote speaker,and teaches internationally.

What I learned from Harry Potter: There's More to Magic than the Wand

2011-08-20T20:56:00.000-04:00

No Wizarding Skills Required to Cast Your Own Petronus Charm

Something about seeing the Harry Potter series come to its full-screen conclusion has had my soul stirring in the realm of magic and mortality. It's made me think about what mortality means for the life I have and how I’m living in the Now. How am I doing in terms of the dreams I have as a writer, which are often plagued by greater fear and uncertainty than any other aspect of my life.

There’s no denying the Potter books, better than some adult fiction, deal with love and loss; hope and fear; life and death. And, perhaps most importantly, beneath all the coming-of-age angst for Harry, Ron and Hermione, J.K. Rowling’s fantastical septology compels us to think about how we choose to live and make meaning of the life we have be given—even if we’re not the Chosen One.

And that’s just it, isn’t it. Most of us are not aware that we’ve been chosen for anything. Most of the time we go plodding through life like Hagar meanders through the woods at Hogwarts. Circumstances, however trite or serious, can freeze us in a moment of angst and, quite a lot of us get stuck there. We can’t go back and change things, though the “what if’s” that haunt us in these moments would have us think otherwise. Even Harry wondered what if he hadn’t survived that fateful night Voldemort came for his Mum and Dad. Trapped between fear and hope for what might (or might not) come next we are unable to step forward into the uncertain future. But, what if (ah, there she is again), we could summon the courage that is born of that strange combination of fear and hope, and thrust ourselves into the unknown?

Wait—you say. Harry had wizarding skills! Ah, yes, but magic never made Harry’s pain—the loss of his parents—disappear. It never made being a teenager easier for him. It never made finding his true place in the world simple. If anything, his prowess with magic often made life more challenging, not less, for the young wizard.

True, who among us wouldn’t want to yield a magic wand to call forth a spectacular Patronus Charm—especially is these times when people are losing their jobs, their homes and even their faith? Even if our circumstances aren't quite so devastating, as writers who among us hasn't wished for magic wands (or pens) of our own? To have enough money to write full-time and know the rest of our lives are taken care of? Or that we would cast our own valiant Patronus to fend off the rejection letters from agents and editors?

I have a surprise for you: Wands are not necessary. Harry’s galloping Patronus Charm did not just come from his wand or even the wizard’s natural skill. The expecto patronus charm derives its meaning from the classical Latin for “I desire a protector.” The true source for manifesting one’s protector lies not with the wand, but with the bearer’s ability to conjure in her mind a happy memory. A positive emotional state is the true source of the patronus—and, I would argue, of most magic. (Unless, of course, you’re into the Dark Arts).

When you find yourself coveting a magic wand or pen to take down the Voldemorts closing in on your world (be it the real one or one of your writerly imagination), remember what sustained Harry through all his trials had less to do with the power of the wand in his hand and much more to do with the power of love in his heart.

What about you? What sustains you when the Voldemorts come calling upon your life and your dreams?
KMR

Perseverance through Revision to Publication

2011-08-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

The verdict is in: My revisions to the Writer's Digest article, "Take Your Website to the Next Level," were approved for publication. I have to tell you I was really sweating the final decision. Would the editor want more revision? better quotes? Would he kill the article?

These questions and myriad other doubtful thoughts about whether or not I was going to nail the content the way the editor wanted chased me in my dreams and intruded upon my daily routine with my children and family. My husband was sure I didn't have a single word left in my brain that could be put down on paper. He joked that I had gone through a gallon of red ink during the revision process. I digress.

I know exactly what source was feeding my subconscious those wretched thoughts about failure. I've mentioned The Burglar, my demon-inner-critic, in past posts. He was working hard at his job, robbing me of creative energy as he filled me with doubt about my writing abilities… telling me I wasn't good enough to be in Writer's Digest. Then, he laid on the guilt about how writing into the wee hours of the night would lead to me disappointing my kids the following day, when I should be full of vim and vigor for their activities. Need I go on? I think not. So, how I did persevere through this warfare on my writing?

First, I confided in a trusted editor and friend. We'll call her Liz. Liz reminded me that the editor wanted clarifications and revising, not a total rewrite. I pointed that out to my demon-critic, then I told him to shut-up and let me work peacefully so I wouldn't be too tired for my kids. Next, I surrounded myself with things that sustain my energy and my Stir my creativity in a soulful way: Pictures of my daughters and spouse; almond verbena and vanilla orange scented candles; and Celtic music-- both the bold Pagan-style drum-beating time and the peppier style featuring flutes and violins. Last, made a cup of tea and I set the timer on my iPhone. I brewed a blend known for balancing the Chakras that are most important to writers: green and white tea leaves hinted with orange rind (orange for creativity), raspberry (red for grounding), blueberry (blue for communication). The timer helped me stay focused on how much time I was spending on a section in the article and whether or not I was actually making meaningful changes or letting perfectionistic tendencies keep me from working through the article.

All of this may seem like a bit much, but it worked:

RELIEF ran through me like a drug the day the editor emailed that my revisions were "good to go." Then, I got a real surprise-- my photo and a brief bio is to appear in the front-of-the-mag on the Contributor's Page. Now, that news in itself is as good as a paycheck for a writer!

This news, combined with tapping into my creativity inducing "superpowers" drove The Burglar back into hiding--for a while, anyway.

Look for the Nov/Dec issue of Writer's Digest available for purchase in October 2011.

How do you persevere with your own writing when your demon-inner-critic rears its ugly head?

Creativity Stifled

2011-07-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

With the heat index breaking records in New England, it's no wonder my creativity is stifled. But heat isn't the only reason why the Fiction Muse isn't singing to me, right now.

I've had any number of nonfiction assignments draining me, along with the heat, during recent weeks. Don't get me wrong--I love working with the people who come into my life through these assignments. I've met a Plant Spirit Shaman, several psychics, an Aura reader, and a master dream interpreter from Australia. I've been on power animal journeys in non-ordinary reality; interviewed people doing amazing work with "challenging" children and children with autism spectrum problems and so much more. By the time I get to the "me time" for writing fiction, there's not much left to draw on. My back muscles are cramped. My brain is drained of creativity and my aging eyes can't see the computer screen in front of me.

That's when I go to the old fashion notebook. Or I pull out a folder of research articles to read on my favorite subject, Gillette Castle. Or I just play with "what if" questions. Before I know it, 30 minutes has gone by and I've made a dent in a story or fleshed out a character.

Whatever your excuse for feeling blocked-- every writer has felt it, said it, been there and done it. So find a way around it because every word on every page takes you one step closer to making your writing dream a living, breathing reality...even during the hottest days of summer.

A Writer's Identity

2011-07-19T11:20:00.000-04:00

It's not enough to establish my identity as a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend and a spiritual being having a human experience. No, I have to add writer to the list.

The way publishing works, today, you have to have a bonafide identity as a writer. Who are you as a writer? Nonfiction writers with platform, or at least a specialization, can find this answer a bit more easily than those who write fiction. What about those of who cross the border between writing in both genres? That's my question. Do I have two different writer personas? How do I distinguish myself? How does even asking these questions help or hurt my writing?

Part of discovering who you are as a writer is what you write and how you write. Part of it is how you use (or don't use) language. Part is the experience you bring to your writing from all the other facets of your identity. And the only way to discover your writer persona is to write. To write what ignites the passion in your soul. To start a project and see it through (unless it is really dragging you down, then set it aside). To trust your gut and follow your instinct-- therein lies the answer to Who YOU are as a writer.
KMR

Writer's Test of Patience

2011-07-16T16:32:00.000-04:00

I've always been the "jump in with both feet before looking and preferably blindfolded" kind of a person. Raising my daughters has curtailed that compulsion, at least to a certain extent. Still, patience is not my virtue and waiting is not a game I like to play. As a writer, though, the waiting game is one I must learn to play well--and by the rules.

Case in point: In November 2010, I pitched a story on what writers need to know before launching a website. I wanted to share with fellow writers all that I had learned, including mistakes I made, in planning and launching my website. One popular writing magazine, where I had published articles before, turned it down. The other I hadn't heard from--not even after I sent a follow-up inquiry in January 2011. Fast Forward 8 months and one new computer later, the query I'd long forgotten about--because that email didn't transfer over from the old PC to the new Mac--got a response. (Good thing I had the same email address). Sure enough, the editor wanted to reposition my original content and he wanted the copy within 3 weeks--including one week when my family was on vacation. Not only that, I had to verify quotes/acquire new quotes from my sources to match the new slant.

I beat the deadline and the copy has been submitted. I haven't heard from the editor --except to confirm he received everything. Did he like what I sent, or not? No clue. Of course, my inner critic (whom I call "the burglar") is hard at work trying to rob me of this publishing moment by taunting me with thoughts of the article getting killed at the last minute. So, while I'm waiting (yet again), for the "thanks, great job email" from the editor, I'm also trying to shut down the cries of The Burglar.
Neither is a small task for this writer.

When a writer's patience is tested, it's a good idea to have an arsenal of writing power tools to keep your inner critic from chipping away at your sanity. After I've spent hours and hours on an article, often working into the middle of night more than is good for me, I schedule serious downtime for playing with my children, connecting with friends and booking date night with my husband. (We're scheduled for a dinner date and the final film in the Harry Potter series.) I spend time in nature -- even that simply means I'm playing at the park with my daughters. I get to the gym almost daily--even if I'm dog tired. These are the things that stir my soul when it's forced to play the waiting game.
~ KMR

P.S. I'm still waiting for an answer on the submission of my short story, The Circle Garden, to Albedo One, Ireland's premier journal of fantasy and science fiction. They take up to 3 months to respond. I'm in the middle of month 2. I keep telling myself, the longer they take to respond (and I wait), the better.

International Women's Writing Guild Conference at Yale

2011-06-30T10:58:00.000-04:00

As a new member of IWWG, International Women's Writing Guild, this is my first conference with the organization. Hundreds of women have been writing and experiencing powerful, transformational workshops since the conference opened last Friday night. I'm here for the day and am already impressed with caliber of speakers and what I've learned in workshops I've attended, thus far. I'm participating in workshops on dialog, plotting, character development, legal issues in publishing and editing.

Even though mot of the attendees have been here for days ahead of me, the atmosphere is one of support and empowerment for women to explore their lives through the written word and to improve their craft--be it fiction, memoir, nonfiction or playwriting.

If you are a woman writer I encourage you to look into IWWG.

Well, it's time to work on PLOT in the next workshop.

How Writers Can Take Their Website to the Next Level

2011-06-25T14:50:00.005-04:00

All writers -- from hopeful newbies still exploring the craft in a dark corner of a local library to midlist authors to the authors at the top of the bestseller list-- all of us want to know how to take our websites to the next level:

What are the essential website pages for an aspiring / established author or freelance writer?
What's the difference between SEO and SEM? (what do those letters mean, anyway?)
What to do if your website isn't generating sales, reader interest or helping you land new freelance gigs/ clients?
How do you take a website from static e-brochure to a powerful marketing tool that evolves with your writing career?

These are just a few of the questions I will be tackling in the feature article I am writing for Writer's Digest magazine. I just landed the gig and am in the process of interviewing the best minds in Web Design and Internet marketing for writers and authors at all levels in publishing.

The article will publish in the Nov/Dec Issue, available for purchase (or in your mailbox if you subscribe) in October.

KMR

Magical Realism: What is it? Who's writing it?

2011-06-19T15:43:00.001-04:00

What's old is new again and what's new is constantly turned on its head. This couldn't be more true than it is for the growing list of genres in the fiction category. Perhaps you're a fan of the following and you didn't even know it:

Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Surreal Fiction, Pagan Fiction, Mystical Realism, Magical Realism, Christian Sci Fi, Christian Fantasy, Literary Fantasy, Metaphysical Fiction, Visionary Fiction, Spiritual Fiction…

The last three items in that short (yes, short) list were discussed in a previous blog post. This time we're going to look at Magical/Mystical Realism.

WHAT IS MAGICAL REALISM?
Magical Realism explores the paradox of the union of opposites within the plot/narrative and through characters. Magical realism is characterized by two conflicting perspectives, one based on a rational view of reality and the other on the acceptance of the supernatural as prosaic reality. Unlike pure fantasy, including urban fantasy, Magical Realism is set in the typical modern world with average Joes and Janes going about their daily life. What makes MR so intriguing to so many readers (and writers) is the ability explore a worldview where the natural, physical laws of the universe are not the only plausible explanation for events in the story (or in real life, for that matter). Supernatural/fantastical elements are weaved into the narrator's voice and the normal perception of characters within the fictional plot. While the reader realizes that the rational and irrational are conflicting polarities, they are not disconcerted because the author has established the supernatural within the context of the natural or ordinary world.

I also like what Bruce Holland Rogers writes on this subject, which further distinguishes MR from fantasy and other speculative and "escapist" reading pursuits: "magical realism is always serious, never escapist, because it is trying to convey the reality of one or several worldviews that actually exist, or have existed. Magical realism is a kind of realism, but one different from the realism that most [people] of our culture now experience."

Science fiction and fantasy plots always speculate on the WHAT IF… question. What if vampires lived as average citizens and didn't dine on human blood? What if aliens lived among us? What if a demon did possess a child?

Writers of MR craft stories from the perspective of people who live in our world but who experience a different reality from what we consider objective, linear or natural. Demons in a story of magical realism, are not fantasy elements but a manifestation of the reality of people who believe demons exist and experience them as such. Think about the people who call upon the services of an exorcist. In their worldview, demons are real, they possess human souls and a priest is required to expel them and hopefully, save the life of the possessed. Holland Rogers goes on to say that in MR there are three key elements:

time is not linear,
causality is subjective,
and the magical and the ordinary are one and the same

It is interesting to note that both magical and mystical realism originated in the art world-- as ways to describe and classify paintings (Google Mystical or Magical Realism in Art). The key elements remain the same whether the terms are applied to visual arts or literature. By the way, mystical realism appears to be a recent addition to the categorization of literature. The only real difference I could find is that MYSTICAL Realism in storytelling is deals with themes and plots regarding the nature of the divine/Divine. It may be more closely linked to Visionary Fiction (think, Celestine Prophecy) than Spiritual Fiction, the latter incorporating more moral and dogmatic themes than the others.

WHO'S WRITING MAGICAL REALISM?
Perhaps the best known contemporary author of magical realism is Alice Hoffman. She's also one of my favorite writers (that is a gross understatement; I love her books and short stories). Other authors include:

Paul Corso
Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist)
Aimee Bender
Salman Rushdie
Sara Addison Allen (Garden Spells)
Joanne Harris (Chocolat -- film starred Johnny depp)
Audrey Niffengger (Time Traveler's Wife)

Of course there are many others-- in fact, as a genre MR is intricately linked with Latin American writers (as any history of MR on Wikipedia will inform you--but that's beyond the scope of this post). And there are many contemporary writers whose work is high literary, but also overwhelmingly popular as commercial fiction, regardless of how the "experts and reviewers" classify it.

Who's your favorite Mystical/ Magical Realism Author or Your Favorite Book in this Genre? Share it here!
Have you found other descriptions of this literary genre? Share your thoughts and your knowledge!
~~KMR

Motorcycle Madness: My Next Story

2011-06-09T16:13:00.001-04:00

Do you ride a steel horse? Blazing a path of glory down the highway of life?
What kind of motorcycle do you ride?
Have you ever been in an accident? or
Have you ridden in bad weather knowing you shouldn't, but your state of mind compelled you to ride?

My next story is about a badass dude who rides in a snowstorm. He's at the end of his mental rope and doesn't really care if he makes it over the mountain road he's tearing up on his (at this point) Harley. Or does he care? He'll find out when the bike skids on black ice and sends him repelling down a slope of jagged rock and ice. Who (or what) he encounters out there in the black of night is what this story is about.

But I want to get the details right. The right bike for this badass dude. The feel of the road beneath the tires. The rush of being flung from a bike and the shock of impact when the body slams into the earth.

Comment here, on the blog. OR
Email me privately through this link.
All identifying information will be changed for the story.

The Doors at Gillette's Castle

2011-05-31T08:17:00.001-04:00

“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is - infinite” ~

William Blake; inspiration for the name of the band, The Doors

I've been a big fan of the music of The Doors for as long as I can remember. I remember first hearing LIGHT MY FIRE and when I was seven years old. Mom would play the "oldies" station every morning while we kids were eating breakfast before going to school. We'd dance to WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE contorting faces, arms and legs swinging in exaggerated gestures as we let out our inner strange. And, when writing feels akin to swimming through a pool of sludge, BREAK ON THROUGH helps me shatter writer's block.

Themes inspired by these three songs keep creeping into my stories without my planning for them to be there. For one, nothing lights the fuse beneath my muse like listening to The Doors. From time-to-time, I wonder what it might be like to channel Morrison and get a look inside his brilliant mind (it was reported he had an IQ of 149). I digress.

In fiction, as in life, the characters I encounter are strange. Maybe not right on the surface, but deep down, everyone (real people, too) has some quirk about them…something that makes them do things the way they do them, that makes them who they are and makes the rest of us cock our heads in confusion…people are strange. I also find that most people are trying to break through something-- and I think what every one of us is trying to break through is our perceptions of this strange life.

So, it should come as no surprise that what first drew me to wanting to research and write a novel set at Gillette's Castle was "the doors." There are 47 doors in the home, which Gillette himself never referred to as a castle though it is certaintly constructed to resemble an ancient ruin one might find as they meander down the Rhine. Gillette, an engigma of a man, designed each carved wooden door, no two alike in any way. Not in appearance, in locking or latching mechanism.

So, I started wondering-- to what might these doors lead? Altered realities, shifts in perception, second chances, the road not taken…

as Morrison himself was asking, What's on the OtherSide? I hope he found what he was looking for.

In my novel, what's on the other side of the doors is the pulse of the story. Every character has something they want--to change, to attain, to forget, to remember. But what are they willing to risk to have what's on the other side?

Have you visited Gillette's Castle? What did you think?

Did you have any strange experiences on the grounds? Tell me! Share your story as a comment, here on the blog or email me privately through this link. Be sure to type "My Gillette Castle Story" at the top of your message.

I hope your day is full of strange inspirations!

KMR

Talking to Kids About bin Laden: The Big Bad Wolf is Dead

2011-05-19T17:08:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the soul of a writer is stirred by the world around her in absolutely amazing ways. My mind fills with awe and story ideas rise from the depths of imagination and real life.

Sometimes the soul of a writer becomes disturbed and distressed by the very same process. The assassination of Osama bin Laden was not something I ever intended to write a single word about on this blog except for the fact that my five-year old daughter brought up the subject. Now, how do I tell her that story?

When she asked me, "Mommy, what's a binladen?" I was driving her home from the library. Good thing it was a short trip back to the house because my oldest daughter is persistent. I could tell from her tone, and the fact that she asked me to turn off the radio, that this was going to be a conversation I could not redirect.

So, how does Mommy tell Little Red Riding Hood about the Big Bad Wolf? How much do I tell her about the "houses" and lives he destroyed? And, do I tell her "we" killed the wolf?

As it turns out, my daughter heard bin Laden's name mentioned on the "news programs on the radio and TV." Now, I listen to NPR, my husband listens to talk-radio on the way to work, and we hardly ever sit in front of the TV for the news while the children are awake. Apparently, my five year old was paying more attention to the radio broadcasts than I ever could have imagined.

As I pulled into the driveway, I thought how she would ask, at age 3, "why did the big bad wolf want to blow down the houses and eat the piggies." The wolf now in question was very bad. How could I possibly explain that kind of evil to my child? I don't believe a child her age needs all the facts, but she is far too perceptive for me to dummy down things too much, as you can see:

“bin Laden was a person. A few years ago—before you were born—this man did a very bad thing. Now, he is dead.”

“What bad thing did he do? How did he die?” Her questions came at me like a round of gunfire. She looked be right in the eye when she questioned me.

“He made a plan to send airplanes crashing into the big buildings in New York City and a few other cities. The buildings in NYC were called the World Trade Center.”

She went on to ask if the people died; why did "the man"want to kill those people and she commented on how sad it was. Then she asked the dreaded "why"-- why did he do that? Her gaze was intent upon me. Her attention hung on my every word. I was in dangerous territory. I proceeded with extreme caution. I didn’t want her to only know of Osama bin Laden the terrorist who orchestrated an attack on America and her people. There had to be a lesson here. Didn’t there?

“It’s hard to understand, even for a grown-up like me, sweetie. But there are some people in the world who don’t have goodness in their hearts. When they don’t agree with the way things are going in the world, they try to change them to the way they think it should be. Sometimes, instead of talking about differences or problems, some people get very upset and they act very badly. Mr. bin Laden was part of a group of men who wanted the rest of the world to see and do things their way. They thought the best way to get people to understand what they wanted was to hurt them in a really big way.”

“I don’t know why he thought that but I do know one thing for sure: After that terrible thing happened, the people in our world came together to help one another. Instead of getting afraid, which is one thing I think Mr. bin Laden wanted, for us to become scared of living in the world, we were brave. So, while that man did a very bad thing, and it is sad so many people died, we learned no one could take away our freedom to think and to act in really good and loving ways toward other people. You know to help our friends and family and neighbors here in Cromwell and other parts of the big world we live in.”

She stared out the window for a moment. I asked if she was ready to get out of the car.

“One more thing, Mommy. Who killed the bin Laden man?”

The heavens intervened once more as my daughter spotted a butterfly dancing across the stone walkway. She dashed from the car, leaving with “be right back Mom.”

I was relieved that I did not have to explain the only answer that I could have given to her last question: “We did.”

My daughter hasn’t brought up bin Laden since that week in early May. Consequently, I don’t know if anything I said made any sense to my little girl. And I don’t know exactly what I will say to her if (when) she does ask me why our country sent in Mystery S.E.A.L. Team 6 to kill him. After all, there isn’t a child development book in the world that deals with how to tell Little Red Riding Hood that "we" Killed the Big Bad Wolf. And, maybe those are the terms my husband and I will have to use; the conversation with my daughter going something like this:

“Sometimes people in real life act like the monsters in fairy tales. And sometimes, in real life, we have to send in heroes and warriors—men and women—to help get the monster under control. But when the monsters keep fighting, because there is so much evil in their hearts, the good guys and gals have to get really tough. They may try to catch the person and put them in jail for a long time. But if that person keeps trying to hurt others, then the heroes have to stop him and that may mean hurting this other person the way the hunter kills the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood.”

Maybe my daughter asking these questions is not so much about what I teach her. Maybe the lesson is for me. Maybe for all of us whose students, children and grandchildren will undoubtedly ask these questions again and again throughout their development the lesson is to look at what is going on in the world through the eyes of a child. How absurd this story must all seem to them.

Banishing Writer's Stress

2011-05-10T07:43:00.000-04:00

What writer doesn't struggle with the stress of not knowing if the words they commit to the page will ever find their way to an audience of readers let only produce a paycheck? This is why so many writers have "real jobs" while they hone their craft, burning the midnight oil even as they juggle home, family and paying the bills. I not only have the juggling act to perform as I develop my fiction projects, but as the second-income earner in the household, I add to that the stress of earning a paycheck through nonfiction writing--be it articles, coaching or ghostwriting and web copywriting.

Here are a two tips that help me to get out of the stress pit so I can focus on my writing:

1. Know your purpose as a writer, what you value and write true to that which sparks your passion.

When I am presented with a new writing assignment, or when one of a thousand new fiction ideas pops into my overactive brain, I have to ask myself, "Is this aligned with my purpose and values as a writer? Will writing this enrich, enlighten or entertain the reader is some way?" If so, then the assignment/idea is a good one for me. But hold on a sec-- just because something fits my purpose as a writer doesn't mean I should accept the assignment. There's nothing worse than getting started on something only to realize you'd rather be vacationing in hell than keep working on it--even if you're being paid! for new nonfiction assignments, especially, I measure what is being requested of me against the values I hold-- to be able to write with clarity, integrity and creativity. For fiction, the idea or subject must light my fire, to borrow a line from Jim Morrison. Your writing will feel more fulfilling to you if you orient your subjects around who you are, what you value and what keeps your passion alight.

2. Clean-up the clutter. What do you surround yourself with in your writing space? Some people can work with clutter all around them. I'm no neat-freak, but I just can't tolerate dust bunnies hopping across my keyboard, toys strewn across the floor and a dirty dishes piled in the sink. (Of course, that may change the day I receive a publishing contract!) For now, my Muse enjoys a wide open space in which to play. So, if you are feeling stuck, look around you. If the space around you reminds you of the aftermath of a violent spring thunderstorm, either get out of the space or clean-up the clutter.

3. Get Out. Not only to escape the mess you are avoiding cleaning-up, but mostly because moving the body moves the Muse. Explore nature, walk around your neighborhood, go to the mall, bring your kids to the park and play with them. Bring your notepad or use that recording device on your iPhone to capture the ideas that moving shakes loose from your imagination.

Keep Writing.
Karen

When a Writer Get's Her Groove On

2011-05-03T17:44:00.000-04:00

Today, for the what seems like the first time in eons, I dove into The Circle Garden. I pulled out my notes from my favorite writing book The Way of Story, as well as notes from my critique group, and baby, this writer has got her groove on!

Moving action around, making the opening scenes more compelling... leading the reader into the story by making them wonder, "how did this gal get stuck with this creep for a husband?" and "how will she get out of the grips of the dark Fairy Queen who wants the soul of of her unborn child?" Hopefully, dangling the carrot just far enough out of reach that the reader is pulled through the story.

Feels awesome to be writing fiction, again.

Meeting Agents at Unicorn Writers Conference: What Happened?

2011-05-02T06:50:00.000-04:00

In early April I attended the Unicorn Writers Conference where I met with two literary agents-- both highly regarded in the industry. The subject of our meeting was the book Eating~The Angel Way. The feedback was invaluable and I passed extensive notes to the first author, Annie Kelleher, who could not be present due to the sudden loss of her father. For those of you who don't know the backstory on my involvement with ETAW, this was a ghostwriting project that became a "coauthored with" book due to my extensive contributions to the development of the MS. A writer has to pay attention how her energy is being spent and if, in fact, she is making deposits into her own writing dreams or something else entirely.

During the discussion with one of the agents, in particular, the subject turned to why I write and why I want to pursue a life as a published author. In responding to this woman's question, I experienced an Aha! Moment that would have had Oprah turning cartwheels in front of an audience. I responded to this woman that I had always felt compelled to write but hadn't really taken it seriously until the birth of my first daughter. "How," I asked myself at that time, "could I encourage my child to pursue the dreams in her heart if I didn't live by example and pursue my own dreams?"

In that moment, I realized I was spending energy in a book that was not my dream to publish. Life is too short and publishing too competitive for me to have significant investment of my time to the success of a book that I don't feel is truly "mine". Now this feeling does not arise from anything the coauthor ever said to me. In fact, she often said just the opposite. Deep down, and for quite some time, I knew something wasn't right about my role with this project. To step away from this project was not an easy decision: I believe in the message the book delivers on eating and body awareness and I believe the world needs to hear it-- our bodies and minds are out of synch not only within ourselves but with the planet and one another. I applaud Annie, my dearest friend, for her courage to come forth and share these channeled messages. After all, if people won't listen to their doctors about how and what to eat, maybe they will listen to Angelic guidance! I digress.

Once I shared my decision with Annie, I felt a lightness of being that is now showing in a flow of energy toward my other writing projects, most especially fiction. Looking back over recent months, I'm certain my Inner Guide/Muse was trying to tell me I was tying up my limited energy in ETAW. A few times, I suggested that ETAW may need a different approach to co-authorship. Put another way, God may have been tossing pebbles at me for a while. At the conference, he dropped a boulder!

I know Annie will continue with ETAW and I have offered to consult on research or editing, as needed. I also hope she'll pursue resubmitting the MS to these agents, as both expressed an interest in seeing it again.

I've spent some time in the past two weeks getting a handle on my schedule, the needs of family and my children, and how writing will be prioritized into the big picture. I'm getting back on track with my BookLife.

Power Animal Journey for Writers Part II

2011-04-12T08:20:00.002-04:00

If you don't identify your Writing Power Animal (WPA) as a Grazer or a Predator, consider one of these two categories (adapted from Writing Spirit, as noted in a previous post):

Are you a SONGBIRD? More fragile than a grazer or predator, the songbirds "flit, fly, mate and create" in this case, stories. But don't let their delicateness fool you-- these birds are agile creatures able to spot trouble from afar and soar away from it. They are colorful, whimsical and musical, of course. They entertain with their song. Romance writers and storytellers (the oral tradition) fall into this category. Research and detail work is more challenging for the writer whose WPA is a songbird. Your writing, though, has a flowing, lyrical style that moves spirits.

Are you a WHALE or DOLPHIN? Diving the depths of the sea, soaring through cresting waves and emerging into brilliant sunlight--this is the dance of the whale or dolphin. Intelligent, curious, quiet explorers of the deep, these WPA symbolize the subconscious/unconscious world. Do you plummet into the depths of your psyche, or that of your characters and emerge with great insight? These power animals take you into unseen worlds. If you enjoy writing science fiction, fantasy, magical realism, then whale or dolphin may be your power animal. These ocean dwellers are capable on their own but also enjoy playing (writing) in a group. They are migrators and as your power animal they remind you to stay focussed, don't become too obscure in your narrative. "Discern what you are really trying to accomplish and stick with it." Pay attention to whether or not you are "writing all over the map" and be mindful of staying close to your original ideas." I have a good bit of whale and dolphin energy running through me.

How to Identify Your Primary Writing Power Animal
There are myriad books and audio programs that you can use at home to journey into a "non-ordinary reality" to meet your Writing Power Animal. Personally, I prefer to do this with a guide, a modern-day shaman. Sandra Diamond, M.A. works with writers and artists, helping them deepen their connection to the source of creativity that dwells within.

"For a writer, whose focus is to capture the imagination of his or her audience, boring and mundane are left far behind while abilities to catapult the reader's imagination are magnified," she explains, "A Power Animal embodies a new, bold state of awareness [for the writer to engage]. The animal spirit advises and guides both the writer and story."

Sandra's Writing Power Animal Journeys are designed to help you overcome writer's block, solve problems in your story arc and to encounter new characters and worlds that you might develop into stories, plays, novels, film or other art. (and that's just the short list!). My first power animal journey with Sandra was a few years ago. I'm in a different place, now, as a writer and due for a new adventure (which I'll discuss in a future post).

WPA Journeys can be done individually or in a small group setting. In fact, my writer's group is embarking on a WPA Journey in May. Since the energetic dynamic is different in a group setting, I still plan to embark into my subconscious terrain on a solo journey before the group journey. In a future post, I'll compare and contrast these two approaches to tapping and magnifying creative energy.

Resource: Writing Spirit by Lynne V. Andrews

What's Your Writing Power Animal?

2011-04-07T08:36:00.000-04:00

Black Hawk. Sitting Bull. Crazy Horse. White Dove. Bear Claw.

Native Americans have long honored the animal spirit that dwells within and along side the human spirit. Totem Animal Names that reflect the animal spirit are bestowed upon members of the community. It is a reminder of their strengths and weaknesses as well as the unbreakable bond between the human world and the animal world.

Writers, too, can benefit from naming their power animal. We can even find modern-day shamans (hypnotherapists and meditation teachers) who can take us on a sub-conscious quest into 'non-ordinary reality' to find our Writing Power Animal.

Your Writing Power Animal is a symbolic representation of your creative-self. The qualities of the animal align with your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. If you can't find a "shaman" in your neighborhood (or aren't up for the hypnosis), you can do the following exercises to identify your personal writing power animal. Just remember that the WPA symbolizes your inner nature as a creative person which may be very different from who you are in other life roles (parent, partner, professional employee).

The following is just one way to categorize Writing Power Animals, which is presented in the book Writing Spirit by Lynne V. Andrews. If you work with a skilled "shaman" who understands the creative process (such as my colleague, Sandra Diamond), or if you are familiar with other Native traditions you can apply their interpretations. (For example, their are subtle, though striking differences, between Native American tribes because of geography and the influence other spiritual traditions may have had on their people over centuries. I especially like the work of Ted Andrews*). Also, if you write in many different genres/pseudonyms --or, like me you bounce between nonfiction and fiction assignments-- you may tap the energy of more than one power animal. However, there should be one WPA energy that speaks to you and best represents your strength and weakness as a writer.

Are you a GRAZER? Wonderful at research and perusing academic subjects, Grazers take in the information they find in "green pastures" and reform that information for use by others or in combination with other types of writing/media. Do you have an affinity for horses, deer, elk or other creatures who graze to survive? The grazer-writer struggles to find her own voice and style. The Grazer's strength is in her ability to take in information and then share it with others in a way that is easy to understand. When I am ghostwriting or working on an academic project, I am writing with the energy of the grazer, but this is not my primary writing power animal.

Are you a PREDATOR? Great hunters who kill to survive. Wolves, the Big Cats, Eagles, Hawks "speak" to the predatory energy of some writers. An aggressive writer, they never stop "sniffing the wind" for prey. You are a predatory writer if you have an insatiable hunger for knowledge and/or for story. You thrive on excitement and danger (the hunt). You are up for any challenge, choosing your prey (stories and assignments) carefully. Like the big animals, when there is resistance you'll leave the fight (lose interest in the story) and move on to something else (just like the lioness that gives-up on an elk that just won't lay down and die fast enough!). The energy of this WPA reminds you that you are strong enough to follow through to the very end. (Now every writer can use that energy!)

In the next post: Are you a SONGBIRD? Are you a WHALE OR DOLPHIN?

What is Metaphysical Fiction?

2011-03-21T15:39:00.000-04:00

With rapid-fire change taking place in the publishing industry due to the introduction of social media, tablets and portable e-readers, the look and feel of "the book" is in all new territory. New genres are appearing and the way books were once categorized is shifting. Who would have thought that "vampire romance" or "young adult fantasy romance" would be a hot category? And who would have imagined a category called "Spiritual Fiction" when spirituality had always been relegated to works of nonfiction. So, it's no surprise when someone asks me to explain exactly what encompasses a work of metaphysical fiction.

Keep in mind that no work of fiction is worth reading without compelling characters, a strong plot and a storyline that pulls you through to the very end. No matter what genre you most enjoy reading or how a book is categorized, all of these aforementioned elements must be weaved into a tapestry of action, suspense, romance, fantasy--you get the idea--to make the book worthwhile to you.

Metaphysical Fiction -- Karen M. Rider's definition

Metaphysical usually is not the same as fantasy nor is it science fiction. In fantasy, "otherworlds" and new creatures exist and those worlds and creatures - the existence of such things isn't even in the realm of possibility in the world as we know it. Fantasy is, well fantastical! Science fiction, broadly describes stories where the worlds and creatures that inhabit it operate by a set of rules that is possible, but not probable (at least not according to current scientific knowledge). Star Wars is science fiction. Clash of the Titans is fantasy. Harry Potter is fantasy. Armageddon is science fiction. The Hereafter is metaphysical.

Metaphysical can encompasses topics like energy healing, past lives, the power of the mind over matter. Themes of spirituality and even fantastical creatures may inhabit the story, but the story takes place within 'real worlds' and real time. Think Practical Magic (book by Alice Hoffman made into a movie of the same name) or the film What Dreams May Come. Also the books by MJ Rose are metaphysical novels dealing with the subject of past lives through a suspense plot full of twists and turns but set in contemporary times.

Related categories: Visionary Fiction and Spiritual Fiction. Visionary Fiction is a bit tough, for me, to pin down. A book like the The Celestine Prophecy by James Redman comes to mind. It is set in real time, plays with concepts of time, energy, the nature of God/creator, and the power of the mind but it has an instructive purpose rather than a purely entertaining purpose. Spiritual Fiction, a close relative of Visionary Fiction, is a bit easier to spot because it deals with themes such as good and evil, God and morals in much more direct way. The series, Left Behind and the novels, Rooms by James Rubin and The Shack come to mind.

"Karen Rider is most in command of dialogue and action throughout a story. She capably weaves folklore and contemporary dilemmas into both plot and the characters.”

“I love The Circle Garden so much; I just can’t stop thinking about it! The way the story moves between the two worlds is mesmerizing. The writing evokes vivid images for the reader. I wanted this garden in my back- yard—until I found out what was on the other side of the portal.”
~ Shirley Webb, author Echo of a Dream; Tales from the Keeper of the Myths

Talking to Dr. Joan Borysenko: Danger & Opportunity in Chaotic Times

2011-03-18T08:09:00.000-04:00

Last Fall I had the great pleasure of speaking with Dr. Joan Borysenko. From the back porch at her home in the Colorado mountains, with her new puppy nibbling geraniums at her feet, Dr. Borysenko shared the wisdom she has culled over the course of her career. We spoke about the rapid fire changes taking place in the world and how people can go beyond just coping to thriving as they move through such times. She illustrated her points using the Chinese symbol for change, which combines characters representing both danger and opportunity:

“The challenge,” says Dr. Borysenko, “lies in how we cope. We can choose to helplessly shrink from change or we can choose to grow through it, thriving in the opportunities it presents.”

If you aren't familiar with her work, Dr. Borysenko is a distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine. After earning her graduate degree in medical sciences at Harvard Medical School, she completed post-doctoral training in cancer cell biology. Soon after her father died of cancer, Dr. Borysenko became more interested in the person with the illness than with the disease, itself. Since making that shift, she has been at the leading edge of research on the relationship between mind, body and healing.

Dr. Joan, as she is affectionately known, is warm, funny and endearing. I was touched by personal stories she shared about challenges in her career and with her own family members as they confronted change in their lives. It is rare that an interviewee gives such a genuine glimpse into their inner world. What I took away from my time with Dr. Joan, is that resiliency--an area of focus in her research--is essential to our ability to not just survive, but to rise above and move beyond any challenge in our life. On this subject, she said:

"People need to understand they are not limited by genetics; shaped, but not limited. Anyone can learn to be more resilient and happier, too."

Resilient people, she went on to say, are unselfish, creative and visionary. Even when times are tough, they reach out to others and lend a hand. When problems arise, they think outside the box. They don't allow themselves to get mired in the problem, they look for what's possible and follow that vision out of a tragic or difficult situation.

I asked Dr. Joan, what holds us back from being resilient. The answer: FEAR.

"I have traveled around the world and I have seen it over and again in all cultures. People become paralyzed by their fears. The danger in this is that we allow fear to drive our behavior; our coping responses become more primitive. Fear gives rise to a child-like way of dealing with the world. People take sides and different points of view. It happens within families and social organizations and between political and religious institutions. [When people] don’t look for common ground, fear escalates and protective instincts go haywire."

Dr. Joan points out that fear operates on all levels, subconsciously most of the time, in both the tedious "little things" of our daily lives and in "the big events" such as we have seen with the economic crisis in recent years. "When we act out of fear, rather than hope or even love, we develop a ‘ready, fire, aim’ mentality. We do things just to get them done, without considering if the timing is right or what might be the consequences of our actions."

Sound familiar? So what can we do?

"We would be wise to allow ourselves to match the heart with the mind to find inner knowing. In this way, we aren’t reactive. Instead, we are responsive to our circumstances. When we are grounded, mentally and emotionally, we can revive hope."

HOPE? Even in these chaotic times? YES. Again, Dr. Joan points to the Chinese symbols.

"Sometimes it takes an enormous event—crisis—before we can make this shift to a higher order and create a world all of us cannot only live with but thrive in. Sure, we can say war shouldn’t happen, oil shouldn’t be covering the ocean, but these things happened. What shifts will we make, personally and globally, to move beyond all that led up to those events [and to rise above them]? There is opportunity for growth on a personal and global level. At these tipping-point times, the best that can happen is that people and organizations make a jump in consciousness."

To find out how you can make a leap in consciousness even during the most chaotic times of your life, visit In Light Times and click on the March 2011 issue. The print edition of In Light Times magazine is available now, on the West Coast.

Evil Fairy Queen vs Pregnant Human Female Heroine

2011-03-10T18:16:00.000-05:00

Strange headline for a post? Only if you don't understand that these are the two characters in my short story, The Circle Garden, who want to get something from one another. One, Queen Orlea, wants to save her Kingdom and preserve her ruling power while saving the life of her dying newborn. The other, Rachel, wants to save the life of her unborn child, escape from the bizarre world into which she has fallen and get out from the overbearing rule of her bastard husband.

As I'm reworking the scenes to make the story more compelling, the tension thicker and the characters more dynamic, I have to remember an important rule of storytelling: keeping it simple. When paring down a story a writer has to look at things in broad strokes. In film, storyboards and scene "treatments" help writers, directors and actors understand these elements:

Who
Wants What
Why do they Want It
What will they do (or sacrifice) to get It
How
What's in their way

Hidden Worlds

So here I am with my Evil Fairy Queen (can't get much more bare bones than that) and my Pregnant Human Female Heroine. How do I make this an unconventional story-- one that is publishable and not just another humdrum evil fairy story?

For starters, when was the last time you read a fairy tale in which human breast-milk was the commodity in need? How about unborn human souls as an instant power supply for evil fairy bitches? And how exactly, did this pregnant woman land herself in this Fairy Realm? And what's with the husband-- why does she want to leave him-- and if she does, why not just strike a deal in fairy land with the Evil Queen? (hint: You can never trust those chicks). Since she's due to deliver any day, how is she supposed to figure all this out by herself? Aha! She is not; Rachel has the equivalent of Frodo's Six to help her out- well, she doesn't have six, but in this short story she does have one very helpful Halfling spilling fairy secrets.

The story concept was fun when it first came to me, in the hospital after the arrival of my second daughter. Even the first dozen drafts have been pretty cool to work through. Rewriting for IMPACT, however, is only fun for me when I can do it in long intense spurts. I am getting none of that time. So the story has been punching and jabbing inside my skull, not unlike a fetus. Patience is not one of my virtues, but lately, this baby has had to wait and and wait and wait.

I have a feeling, before March 30 the wait will be over and I'll make that short story contest deadline, finally, this year.

Writer's Write Because...Fear, Lies, Hopes and Love on the Page

2011-03-08T17:21:00.000-05:00

Writer's write for a lot of reasons, which we often don't fully understand until we're in the thick of the writing (and rewriting), never mind finishing a manuscript. Sometimes, though, all I have to do is watch the news, listen to a song or read some quirky billboard statement to understand more about why I--or any other writers-- put pen to page. Here are few things that come to mind:

I'm sweating on the eliptical at the gym when a news headline flashes on screen: Girl-6, Boy 11 found floating in suitcases on Florida River. I nearly yelled out in shock and disgust (but swallowed my howls so not to frighten other gym patrons).

Almost as fast as my legs churned on the machine, my writer's mind sprung to life with questions: Who did this? Why? What's wrong with these people? Who found them? When? Was it night or day? Where are the parents? How were they killed?

The answers that I both research and devise with my own twisted imagination could become a book.

Somewhere I saw this phrase: "Some goodbyes were never meant to be forgotten." What came to mind for me was the bittersweet good-bye between a girl and her first love at age 16. The boy was leaving. He told her "I love you. Don't forget me while I'm gone." She knew he meant it. There are some things you just know like that. But as Richard Marx sang "ocean's apart, day after day, and I slowly go insane" from the radio in his car, she stood, tears rushing down her cheeks, before him, wishing that those very tears could speak words her lips would not. She was too afraid. He drove away and off to his new life in Kansas. She back into her house and on with her own life in some small town in Jersey.

And my writer's mind ventures into the land of WHAT IF? What if the girl lived with regret for that moment, deeply buried regret, for most of her life? What if the boy always wondered why she never said it back? What if they got a second chance that would, no doubt, complicate the lives they had each gone on to live?

Lately, I've just been wondering what if I could replicate myself so that Karen-the MOM could do all the things that need doing with kids and family, while Karen-the WRITER could go play in her pretend worlds and answer all these questions and get some really good writing done! And what if Karen-the Human Being could just get some sleep while these other Karen's do all the work. And when we all come back into the same body, every part of me feels totally fulfilled, totally sane and ready to take on the world.

My daughters at one of my favorite Otherworlds the veranda in front of Gillette Castle, setting for my novel, The Gathering, currently under construction (the novel, that is)!

Websites for Writers: Does Yours Rock n' Roll?

2011-03-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

The content you write for a website is not the same as content created for print media. If you create a website from this vantage point the website will fail to do its job: promote, market and sell your work.

In this workshop, participants will work with a set of key questions aimed at helping them set goals for creating powerful website content. You will learn how to avoid the woes I encountered before the wonder of the final product manifested in my new website. By the end of the workshop, writers will have a template and resources to plan a website that is ready to rock n’ roll: getting your writing found by the people who want to read it, buy it or represent it.

I will be joined for this presentation by my Webmaster Mark Hollis who will show you how to tune your website so that it is easily found by search engines on the Internet-- and get your site running among the top pages for what you offer, be it books, editing and writing services or publishing design services.

Where & When?

CT Authors and Publishers Association -- Southwest Chapter -- April 11, 2011 6:30pm Shelton - Plumb Memorial Library 65 Wooster Street in Shelton
CT Authors and Publishers Association -- Main Chapter -- May 21, 2011 10:30 am Avon - Sycamore Hills Community Center - Avon 635 West Avon Road

Membership in CAPA is not required to attend a meeting as a guest. One guest meeting per calendar year. Visit CAPA for details.

Passion to WRITE vs Passion to PUBLISH

2011-02-28T20:14:00.000-05:00

Over on my "old blog," The Writing Parent, I discuss The Writer's Five P's that have guided me, for nearly four years, as I seek my writer-dreams. Lately, I've found people asking me why I write and why I'm so interested in getting published. To me, it's like asking a bird why does it fly- and if it could answer it would say, "I just do."
On my website, where you might want to cruise over to when you are done here, I describe how my daughters have inspired me to pursue the dream that has always been in my heart. It seems, though, that hasn't been quite enough for some of my neighbors and even family members. So, I offer an updated post about why writers write versus why they want to be published. --KMR

Why do writers write?

It took quite a while to navigate through my ego and uncover an answer to this question. In doing so, I realized that passion for writing has less to do with an outcome than a feeling--and I will bet this is true for most writers. Here's what a few have said about why they write-- the source of their passion:

"I write because I experience a deep, abiding joy creating stories. I write to explore and to experience, to make sense of who we are as human and spiritual beings." -- KMR

"I write to better understand my own world and to learn more about what I feel and believe." Patricia Sheehy, award winning writer and novelist, Field of Destiny

"I write to explore the things I'm curious about and to tell a good story. When I first started out, I wanted to write what I knew and to give order to all the stuff crammed in my mind AND tell a good story." paraphrased from an interview with bestselling novelist, Archer Mayor -- 20 novels to date.

These three writers all express that writing is related to a feeling, a desire, or the need to satisfy something within themselves (the need to explore, to tame curiosity). True passion for writing is not about the outcome, the result or even about the topic of your work. Archer Mayor knew he wanted to write mysteries but he didn't want to follow the "Murder, She Wrote" format.
Archer said to me:

"True, most everyone wants or hopes to sell what they write. But, don't sell out on yourself and the writing that is closest to your heart."

The result, for Mayor, has been to take from real life experiences (things he knows about & things he wants to know about) and create character-driven, suspenseful stories that are procedurally accurate.

Why Do Writers Publish

Many of the authors I have interviewed expressed that to publish is a whole different game than to write. Publishing, in general, is ego-driven. Publishing is about the product and platform you have and the size of the audience that will buy what you write. First, you must write-- and write exceptionally well. Then you must learn the publishing game. Still, some writers have a very philosophical basis for why they want to publish their work:

"I publish to share my insights and provide readers with meaningful discoveries that last long after ‘the end’ of the book," Patricia Sheehy

"I want to share God's grace and to encourage others to discover their spiritual source through God's love," Lucinda Secrest-MsDowell

While I have more nonfiction published (100 plus pieces to date) than fiction, there is a common thread weaving through the tapestry of my work: to enlighten and to entertain readers. I want to publish because I think it is a really cool thing to have happen in my lifetime. To have chased the dream, caught it and shared it with the world-- even if that world is only made up of my two daughters. (And, Hoping the end result will be a bit wider of an audience than that!)

Behind the Scenes: Dr. Judith Orloff Interview

2011-02-21T15:53:00.000-05:00

Another of my favorite interviews was with internationally respected intuitive psychiatrist and NY Times bestselling author, Dr. Judith Orloff. Not only did I have the great pleasure to interview Dr. Orloff (twice), she also hired me to assist with placement of interviews and a few of her bylined articles and book excerpts.

“Intuition in Motion with Judith Orloff, MD”
Inner Tapestry Holistic Journal, Sep. 2010

“Dr. Judith Orloff on Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life”

Just published in The Door Opener Magazine (on sale now)

Dr. Judith Orloff

Dr. Orloff is a real delight for an interviewer. She keeps you at ease, stays focussed on the questions and responds in earnest. Orloff comes from a long-line of physicians -- 25 in fact, in her family. In the published interviews, Dr. Orloff speaks candidly about her struggle to integrate her intuitive sensing with medical practice. Beyond her personal journey and how she integrated intuition into ethical psychiatric practice, Dr. Orloff makes it so simple for any person to understand how intuition (a form of knowing-- intelligence, even-- beyond concrete data or logical analysis), 'works' and can be developed.

Dr. Orloff's recent works focus on understanding emotions--on biochemical, physical, energetic and spiritual levels. I learned so much from speaking with her in great detail about what it truly means to transform emotions as a pathway toward having great meaning, insight and abundance in life. For example, she presents Seven Transformations:

"The seven transformations teach people an easy, hands-on approach for moving through the most prevalent negative emotions and building positive ones. On the other side of these transformations, we become the hero of our own life. The transformation for fear is courage. For frustration and disappointment, the transformation is patience. For loneliness, the transformation is connection. If we experience anxiety or worry, I teach how to transform this into inner calm. For those facing depression, the transformation is finding hope. If jealousy eats away at us, I teach how to transform this negative emotion by building self-esteem. Finally, we can transform anger with compassion."***

Not only are these qualities necessary to cultivate in our inner lives, but in our world. Change begins within ourselves. If we cannot heal our innermost wounds to achieve personal inner peace, then what hope have we for peace in the outer world?

KMR

***If you don't live in Connecticut, where The Door Opener magazine is sold, and you want to read this article, visit In Light Times magazine, a West Coast publication to read more!

What Scares a Writer? Criminal Minds

2011-02-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

I watch as little TV as possible. It's mindless noise, most of the time. So, unless I am truly entertained (e.g., make me laugh till I cry; teach me something through a compelling story) or being educated (HGTV, Discovery Channel anyone?) I stick to reading books and watching movies. However, there is one show that will pull my butt away from my writing desk any night: CRIMINAL MINDS.

The story lines are strong, the characters are dynamic (and so well casted), the pacing is perfect and the show scares me into awareness of things I'm might not otherwise give a second thought to (as shown in a recent episode, when someone rings your doorbell and says they ran over a dog in the neighborhood--is it yours? do you know whose it is? Next thing you know, two guys have invaded your house and you have to read my article, pasted at end of this post, to find out what happens).

What scares is me the most about the world I live in is the exact thing that CRIMINAL MINDS tries to get at: What is going on inside a criminal mind that compels a person, man or woman, to heinous acts? We'll never fully understand WHY but I think there is something to said for at least trying to make sense of the evil that exists in this world. And make no mistake there is evil in the world. It exists where there is an absence of love (and I use this term in its most universal meaning). -- I digress.

One of the reasons writers write is to explore that which they don't understand:"what if?" "why?" "how can that be?" are among many other unanswered questions that stir in our souls and become the foundation of story.

While I don't see myself writing a script for Criminal Minds, (never say never), I do appreciate when media, even TV, can stir my soul, rattle my emotions, and make me think in new-- even if it scares me.
KMR
P.S. I was not so impressed with Forrest Whitaker in the spin-off that aired last night. I'll give it another chance. But I have a feeling Forrest should stick to the big screen.

From Television to Your Front Door: Raising Awareness of Criminal Mind

By Karen M. Rider - LIFE IN CROMWELL, January 2011 The Chronicle

“Cromwell is so boring,” said one teenager to the other standing in line at Blockbuster.

“Cromwell is a quiet town. Nestled between the rush of Hartford and Middletown, people appreciate this hidden gem,” said a real estate agent to her clients as they approached a home for sale.

True, not much happens in our little gem of a town. But what if the evils that plague bigger cities reached into the heart of our beloved Cromwell?

The other night my spouse asked me why I enjoy watching Criminal Minds (CM) so much. Considering I’m not a big fan of network television, it’s a pretty big deal when a TV show unglues me from the chair at my writing desk for back-to-back episodes more than a few nights a week. So, inquiring minds want to know . . . I could have rattled off a dozen reasons for my obsession: compelling storylines that don’t insult my intelligence, well-scripted scenes, complex characters portrayed by a terrific ensemble cast. All good reasons to watch, but not THE reason I watch, which is this: Criminal Minds scares me into awareness.

Nearly every episode of CM is a case of art imitating the dark side of life. And I’m not talking about life in big cities like Las Vegas or Miami but the heart of small town America. The show scares me into awareness of the countless insidious ways a criminal mind could work it’s way into my town, into my life.

A recent episode depicted a young man ringing the doorbell to the home of an unsuspecting family—a couple with school-age children preparing for the evening meal. The gentle, handsome stranger held a small dog or cat and claimed the animal ran in front of his car.

“Does it belong to you?”

“No, not our family pet.”

“A neighbor’s perhaps? There’s a tag. May I use your phone to call the number? My cell phone doesn’t have a connection.”

No connection on father’s cell phone, either. Strange-man-at-the-door holding dead cat has jammed the local lines with a scrambler purchased at a local electronics store.

“Oh, can I have a bag?” Requests the stranger.

“A bag?” Puzzled parents respond.

“You know, for the animal. It’s dead you know.”

Parents go to kitchen for the bag. One argues about the intrusion and the other justifies it with “being neighborly. What if it was our pet?”

Back to the front door. Now, there are two men standing inside the front hall.

Long story made short: The fist man brutally murders the parents while the children watch, the accomplice standing over them. When he’s finished the job, the second man delivers a fatal injection of barbiturates to the children. Everyone is dead. The intruders steal only money and jewelry they can fit in their pockets. After all, the home invasion was not about what could be stolen, not in this case, but about what justifies murder in the warped, criminal mind.

It won’t take long for this storyline to remind you of the home invasion that occurred a few years ago in Cheshire. Another is the still unsolved Jon Binet Ramsey case. We tend to ask ourselves WHY these crimes occur—that’s what the show, CM, tries to get us to understand. There might be a thousand different reasons why, even in similar cases such as the two just mentioned, these heinous crimes are committed. The far more important question, in my opinion, is the one that might save my life: HOW.

How do these crimes befall individuals and families? For heaven’s sake, it doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination for me to see myself opening the door for a stranger with an injured animal in his or her arms. After all, I don’t know every one of my neighbor’s and it could be their pet. I also know mother’s intuition would singe my spine, as it did for so many of the families portrayed in the show that evening. Intuition (or instinct, if you prefer) that they disregarded in the interest of being good people or good neighbors. Frightening isn’t it?

Yes, I’m obsessed with a television program that entertains by exposing the inner workings of the criminal mind. I sit in anticipation of the next gruesome crime (and believe me some of the episodes would give Stephen King the jitters), so that I might learn ‘just enough’ about how these crimes are carried out to become evermore aware of what’s going on around me, or even, right at my front door.

Don’t misunderstand my intentions. I’m not going to change who I am because evil exists in the world. I am an open-minded, warm-hearted person. I give people the benefit-of-the-doubt more often than not. I want to believe in the goodness and kindness of strangers. If fact, I know from personal experience that kind of light does exist in the world. It is because darkness reaches its ghastly arms into the light, trying to overpower it, that I can appreciate shows like Criminal Minds for taking an intelligent approach to raising my awareness, for making me more vigilant about personal and family safety.

Awareness. Vigilance. You can’t have too much of either—even in, or especially in, a gem of a small town like Cromwell, CT.

The Way of Story: On Craft and Soul in the Writer's Journey

2011-02-15T16:16:00.000-05:00

It depresses me when I fall behind the deadlines I set for my own writing- -that is, the writing that no one is paying me to do (yet) but which I envision being published in the near future.

Whether it's getting to blog posts on time or editing a story, I just don't like not having something DONE ON TIME. This month, all two weeks of it, has taken a life of its own due to the kids being sick, then sharing the germs with me so now I'm running a fever, and I have three new clients (thank the angels above for sending them my way), with content deadlines for February. All of this meant delays in my "other writer life": blogging and finishing rewrites on The Circle Garden (not to mention scenes for the novel, The Gathering). To get back in balance between the writing that pays the grocery bills and the writing that stirs my soul, I have to do two things: One- block out the time to focus on fiction; Two- be totally focussed on the fiction writing when I sit down inside that block of time.

In Catherine Anne Jones's book, the Way of Story, she writes about the importance of being emotionally connected to your story. People read a book or go to a movie "to feel." They want to feel scared, or thrilled, or experience surrender into the emotional quality of the story. If the writer isn't emotionally vested in the writing, then there isn't much for the reader or movie-goer to experience through the story.

I'd like to take this one step further for writers. If you are finding a thousand excuses why you can't get your butt in the chair to work on your story, then maybe it's not "the one." Not every idea you have for a story is meant to become a story. I am filled with stories-- correction-- I am filled with ideas for stories. That's typical of an extraverted person like me. Always full of ideas, projects, reading six books at a time and multitasking. I can brainstorm till the stars fall from the sky. But if you want to execute one of my brilliant ideas that arise from a brainstorm, my God it better be one that totally captivates me or you will be tackling the problem on your own!

It's the same with story. I need an emotional anchor to the story. It took me a while to understand this. I use to say to my "writing soul sistas," Annie Kelleher and Patricia Sheehy, "How do I know its the right story?" "What do I do with these ideas?" and oh my gosh, little miss perfectionist that I am "What if I start but can't finish?" (I'm sure, when they read this, they'll have a real good laugh!)

Find an image that connects you to your soul and inspires you toward your writing dreams.

I finally understand that the Way of Story for any writer is unique unto her (or him). The story that gets written, the story that gets sold, the story that makes it to the best seller list, comes from one place: The Soul of the Writer.

I may start play-writing with an idea for a story. It may never become a story if it doesn't have that magical magnetic pull on my soul. Sometimes, I just have to start writing to figure out if the pull is there.
Sometimes, I find its there in the beginning but then it loses its sparkle. That's when I ask myself: Is it because the story doesn't move me or is it because the story requires work? BE HONEST.

The Circle Garden is a story that I want to tell and I want others to enjoy it because it came to me out of an emotionally rough day, when I was nine months pregnant. I started writing the story in the hospital after my second daughter was born. The events in the story are not real, though some of the places are. (I do not have an ancient tree, in my yard, that serves as a portal to a Hidden World. Wish I did!) Characters are based on people I know or aspects of their personality. (My husband, unlike Rachel's in the story, is a good guy. I don't know any evil Fairy Queens but I do know some rather bitchy people!) The rewriting is getting tough, now. Scenes have to be moved. This also is part of the way of story--it is craft in process.

The point is this…MY way of story, may not be YOUR way of story. But, your way of story should be like an emotional anchor tethered between your heart, your soul and the story that yearns to be written. And it should be so strong, that even when the writing gets rough, you can't stand to be away from it for more than a few days (or a few hours!).

All the Best,
KMR

Behind-the-Scenes with a Psychic: The Karen Hollis Interview

2011-02-10T09:07:00.000-05:00

In the Clint Eastwood film, Hereafter, Matt Damon portrays a gloomy blue collar psychic--he's clairvoyant, meaning he can connect with the dead (clairvoyant = clear sight, vision beyond the ordinary senses). For Damon's character, this gift is a curse. (The film, BTW, has several Oscar nominations).

A few months ago, I interviewed Karen Hollis, Connecticut's #1 psychic (Tarot Reader and clairaudient intuitive-- she hears, rather than sees or senses in other ways, messages from people who are not physically present and, usually, have passed on to 'other side').

No prior relationship existed between Karen and myself. I had seen her photo or ad in a few local publications, but had no prior knowledge of her life, her skills, or even where her office was located. I went to the interview with my usual healthy skepticism and an open mind. Kind of goes with the territory…being raised Catholic, belief in the Afterlife is a part of the fabric of my belief system, though not the whole of it, I might add. Given we no far less about how the mind and brain actually work, I'm also open to the possibility that there are skills and senses that everyone can posses, but most of us just haven't developed (or ignore). By the end of the interview with Ms. Hollis, which did include a Tarot reading, my mind was blown wide open.

The Tarot reading was part of the interview process only so I could compose a coherent article about how Ms. Hollis does what she does, why and what, if anything, a person could learn from the experience to enhance his or her life. (Two articles were published from this interview, one is on my website, the other is linked here).

I walked into the serene space known as Readings by Karen, tucked away in a small, private office building, and cam face to face with a large mural of The Madonna. Now, I (again, being Catholic) have a special affinity for the Blessed Mother and have had my own unexplained encounters with Her (story for another time). Seeing a nearly life-size portrayal Mother Mary just about stripped me of any lingering preconceived notions of who Karen Hollis might be. Angel statues, a few Happy Buddhas and Celtic Crosses completed the decor. My skeptic mind doesn't rest on its laurels, as my next thought was: "Not so fast, maybe she just wants everyone to feel comfortable here." Placing revered religious icons in her office would do just that. I soon learned, her spiritual decor was no ploy.

As I sat with Ms. Hollis for our interview--which took place prior to the reading--I learned she has a family, she is Catholic and she possesses a thorough knowledge of the traditions, history, symbolism and mystery of a wide variety of spiritual traditions. And, to a certain extent, Hollis is not unlike Matt Damon's character. She was aware of her "ability to know things, often before they happened" from a very early age (as was her mother), but no one in her family every worked as a psychic nor considered themselves to be one. Ms. Hollis, to be sure, never had any interest in this profession-- never mind having a successful 25 years in business (and believe me, with the code of ethics that guides her work, it is a professional practice). In fact, Hollis was a very successful marketing and advertising executive with newspapers, bridal magazines and The Knot before Readings by Karen came into existence.

We talked about what pulled her away from her advertising career. (Hint: it was a chance encounter she had while working her sales route in Southeastern Connecticut- read more in the article linked below). Prior to this chance event, Hollis had been aware of the Tarot but from a religious and art history perspective, only. Little did she know that a curious interest in the symbolic art and religious history of the Tarot would lay the foundation for her life's work!

Like any other client, I cut the deck as instructed and Hollis laid the cards. Immediately I noticed that she uses the entire deck, not 3, 10 or 13 cards as would many a 'side-show psychic.' (please note: there are specific purposes for using limited numbers of cards, such as a short reading on a specific subject- -and many books and Web resources can be found on this subject.) After the reading, Hollis explained why she uses the entire deck almost exclusively:

"The Tarot deck taps the unconscious mind. Using the entire deck gives a more complete picture and you, as a client, are entitled to as full a picture as I can see through this tool, the Tarot." Hollis takes very seriously that she provides clear, accurate, thorough and compassionate readings for a person.

So, here I am thinking about what does the future hold for my writing career and Hollis starts telling me about my husband, his brother, a problem on that side of the family and who else is involved--making matters worse or better. Hey! I came here to talk about ME, not my in-laws or even my husband!

"But, this problem, which is clearly weighing heavily in your subconscious is affecting you in the present, which means how you deal with it is likely to affect your future."

Thing is, she was 110% accurate. Hollis also went on with other details about the situation and the people involved (describing my husband so clearly I though she must know him--she does not). There were plenty of other items (thoughts, worries, hopes and fears) that I didn't think I brought with me that day, but there they were, spread out in the pattern of the Cards for Hollis to read right back to me and offer me perspectives on how to work through these situations for the better.

What I liked about Ms. Hollis is that she delivers the reading in a positive light. Yes, of course, if I choose a certain course of action or inaction, fire and brimstone (i.e., negative consequences) are a likely outcome. But she never once tried to scare me in such a way. Most of us already know, deep down, that if we let certain situations in our lives keep on as they are, that mayhem will be the likely outcome--be it divorce, addiction, long periods of emotional duress, etc). Hollis's intention, for every client, is to help them see clearly where they are in life, why they are in this place, and to understand the alternatives (action or inaction) available to them. What any client does with this information after they leave, is made of their own free will--something Hollis does not mess with at all. She will never tell a client that they 'must do xyz'-- she may provide resources (from support groups to counseling or spiritual advisors to books) but never does she make choices for a client. And neither would your priest, your therapist or your best friend.

To learn the life and work of a psychic who is the real deal, visit Karen Hollis's blog.

KMR

The Way of Story: Wisdom for the Writer's Journey through Revision

2011-02-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

I have learned more about writing narrative and revising story structure in the first 18 pages of The Way of Story: The Craft and Soul of Writing by Catherine Ann Jones than I have from any other combination of books I've read in the the three years since I set out to pursue my writing dream.

   Jones is a screenwriter, playwrite and story structure analyst for Hollywood. The popular TV series, Touched by an Angel, was her creation.
Before I tell you how Way of Story is affecting my current work, you might want to know a little more about the book:

For writers of all levels and all genres, Way of Story aims to help you develop story , character, and theme, teaching you to weave them seamlessly and effectively into the narrative. Jones balances teaching the techniques of craft with intuitive skills, highlighted by her own professional experiences. The examples, from publishing and screen classics like Gone With the Wind and Cassablanca to contemporary works like Crash, Star Wars and Harry Potter, take you deep into how story is crafted and what makes the story work (translation: why it was marketable). You'll learn how to engage your writing on a deeply personal level and transform that into something universal and marketable.

   Currently, I'm editing The Circle Garden. This means, its done. The characters are in place, the story has a beginning, middle and end, and there's a theme. Despite having three published authors review it (and my critique group members--all wonderful writers, but not all published), something doesn't feel right to me. There's a thread that isn't weaved tightly enough, but if I pull the wrong one, I risk unraveling the whole thing-- and that may not be necessary (not to mention desirable, but that's just my ego not wanting to do more work than is necessary).
   The Way of Story is showing me how to intuit what needs to be teased out without making a big mess. I need to go back into this otherworld I've created and make the set-up for the main character much stronger -- and that means deleting scenes that are slowing down the action.
   Instead of opening with my main character standing in front of her open refrigerator, in a panic because she realizes she forgot to buy orange juice for her bastard of a husband, I need to have her doing something that (better) shows her fear of this guy. Like, rushing home--before her husband returns from his morning workout-- from the market as fast can be done by a pregnant woman (oh yes, raise the stakes! she's in the ninth month of pregnancy). I also need to get this character into the otherworld-- a portal to which was unwittingly opened when her husband destroyed an ancient tree in the backyard--sooner, not later. It's in the otherworld where her moral dilemma escalates.
   But changing the opening scene means shifting the sequence of other scenes, mostly in flashback and finding the right spot for them elsewhere in the narrative. This is what I'm working on now, with The Way of Story showing me, well, how to find my way.

Karen

Behind-the-Scenes: The Caroline Myss Interview

2011-02-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

Many times I've been asked which of the interviews I've conducted has most affected me. Without hesitation, it's Caroline Myss. The interview with her was my first of what I call 'visionary interviews,' published in 2009. I have always had a great respect for her work and for her no nonsense approach to spirituality, consciousness and healing. If anyone takes the woo-woo out of metaphysics, it is Caroline Myss.

I remember that January afternoon as vividly as if the interview took place yesterday. I was in the sun room of my old house in Wethersfield, CT, which doubled as my writing room. A cozy space, prismatic light danced through the crystal sheath that coated the windows, the afterglow of a winter storm. In the backyard, trees glistened like Swarovski statues in the sun. (Not unlike the view I have from inside my new house, right now!)

Over the years, I had read most of Caroline's books, and listened to a number of her audio programs. I was aware she had a reputation for having an abrasiveness to her persona. It never surprised me that, among the many holistic practitioners I know, some love Caroline and her work, some love her work but hate her delivery, and others still are rubbed the wrong way by all of it. Personally, I find her work exhilarating and grounding. Her approach is, at the least firm and disciplined. If given a choice, I prefer a teacher that doesn't promote airy-fairy notions of the divine. Myss makes that which is intangible and invisible, meaningful and real.

Having a great respect for this prolific author and teacher, I wondered for days ahead of time leading right up until the moment she said "Hello, Karen", what would she really be like and would I be able to keep pace with her quick wit, never mind her incredible intellect.

Caroline was gracious with a terrific sense of humor and - true to form - challenging. Not only did she answer questions, she asked questions of me and seemed genuinely interested in the answers. She asked about where I was calling from and what my writing work was all about, including how I got started. She knew, from conversations I had with her assistant during the arrangement of the interview, I was the mother of a young child and I was trying to realize my writing dreams while raising a family.

At one point, Caroline asked me to define intuition. We spoke about mother's intuition, medical intuition and she helped me realize all of IT arises from the same source. She made me think with my head and my heart about how I use and can develop my intuitive sense.

When she responded to my questions, she was genuine; not once did she reply with canned publicity material as so often is dished out in interviews. This was so important to me because I wanted my visionary interviews to bring something to the reader that they would not find in the latest book or on the author's website. To this end, Caroline did not disappoint.

At the end of the interview, I felt I had grown in my understanding of intuition, healing and my connection to Spirit.

Find both of my Myss interviews (2008, 2010) and more visionary interviews at my website.

KMR

A Writer Waits…and Waits

2011-01-30T19:17:00.000-05:00

The one thing that makes my soul spin has nothing to do with writing: It's Waiting. Waiting for the missing link between one scene and the next. Waiting for a trusted colleague to provide feedback on my latest story. Waiting for a publisher (agent, editor) to decide if a book is worth their time to publish it. And that's what's going on for me, right now.

My colleague and co-author, Annie Kelleher and I have a book Eating…The Angel Way sitting with two publishers and an agent. It is, by publishing standards, still very early in the waiting game. Send it and 'forgetta 'bout it.' That couldn't be wiser advice. Except, the very fact that I am waiting for the fate of this book to be decided manages to creep into my consciousness like a black widow. And when that creepy-crawly thought strikes hold of me, I become paralyzed with wonder and worry:

"Is no news truly good news?"
"What if the MS got lost?"
"Should I call to check that it was received?"
"What does 'we'll get back with you shortly' really mean?"
"What will it be like to have a contract offered on this book?"
"How will my life change?"

And if it's not the book then I'm fretting about then it's the missing link I have to deal with in my latest book project, The Gathering, a metaphysical suspense tale set at Gillette's Castle in Connecticut. Sometimes I'm stuck on the right name for a character. Other times it's the link between two scenes or the connection between two characters that eludes me. Sometimes I get a real laugh over the fact that I, like most people, have enough to balance in life-- relationships, schedules for work, routines for the kids, errands, chores and so much more--and I've got my panties all in a bunch over the problems of imaginary people and mostly imaginary places!

All of it, every moment of my life as a writer in balance with my real life wonders and worries, stirs my soul. And whether or not I'm a smashing success as an author is not what matters most. Not at all.

Another Day, Another Short Story (and a Snow Storm)

2011-01-27T17:44:00.000-05:00

Finally, a snow storm that did not prevent the kids from going to school on a day that I am scheduled to work! There's so much snow behind my house you can ski right off the back deck, now. Good luck climbing back up the hill of waist deep snow!

After shoveling from 5:30am - 7am this morning, I put the finishing touches on my short story, The Circle Garden. This "big kid" fairy tale, (i.e., not for kids under age 16) is off to my mentor, fellow author and editor, Patricia Sheehy. I'll be working on where to submit this adult fairy tale (aka fantasy) while await her red-penned response.

The Circle Garden
Rachel Sinclair is 37-weeks pregnant and trapped in a Hidden World, where a dying queen wants something from her that no mother would ever willingly give.

When her jerk of a husband, Trevor, destroys the ancient white cedar tree towering above Rachel’s beloved Circle Garden, he upsets the balance of nature between two worlds. Now, the inhabitants of this otherworld are dying and their queen, Orlea, will use whatever power she has left to save not only her kingdom, but the heir to her throne, her infant son, Prince Keigan.

Their survival depends upon a human woman forced to make a choice that has unpredictable consequences—in both worlds.

It feels great to have this story completed. The idea for it came to me the day after I gave birth to second daughter. Yes, I had my writer's notebook and pen at the hospital. I wrote scenes between feedings and naps. The story's gone through many revisions. At first it was a mystery and I considered the premise for a novel. It just didn't feel like a novel-worthy tale , so I spent some time in my own Circle Garden (which I did cultivate in the backyard at my former home in Wethersfield, CT, where the story takes place), and eventually the magic happened. Not that it made writing any easier-- it just made the who, what, when, where and most important, why, come together.

My mentor and dear friend, Annie Kelleher, just called the new ending "powerful and punchy" so I hope there's a future for it on the printed page (or computer screen).

Till next time,
KMR