Reflections on a Second Anniversary

It has been two years this month since Last Chance Rescue was released. I can't believe it's been that long!

So I'm feeling somewhat reflective about that ... and a little disappointed. In my naivette, I had hoped Last Chance Rescue would have a greater reach. I didn't know then (and I only know a little more now) how difficult it would be to market a book on my own.

I had also hoped to have my next novel, titled "True Surrender," completed by now, with letters sent off to agents in the hope that I can find a publisher (so that the book might 'live larger' than Last Chance has).

But there are the realities of life. This past year has been difficult for many businesses, and Leader Motorcycle (which I own and operate) has been no different. It has required my all (and then some). Luckily I love what I do. But the "writing life" was put on hold for a good portion of 2009.

I also have no desire to miss out on time with my children (7 and 2-1/2). Nathan's art was one of only TWO chosen from his entire school to be displayed at the State Capitol (St. Paul, MN) for the month of March ("Young Artists Month"). And Evelyn is showing a true gift for singing (just like her mom, some might say!). I've kept up on my taiko studies, but the flight lessons were put on hold in November (and have yet to resume).

Together my husband and I have also undertaken a new service: training to be Marriage Mentors through our church. We feel a true calling to this, as we've been through a marital crisis ourselves and we see so many marriages hurting these days.

Many of you have asked how I do so many things and pursue so many interests. The answer has increasingly been, "I don’t ... not really ...not now." I'm just like most of you: the majority of my time is spent working or caring for my children.

So where does that leave writing? A distant fifth or sixth, from what I've written above. But my life is full and I feel blessed. I will continue to write when I can. "True Surrender" will get finished (and it will be worth the wait!). So thanks for the support you've shown, and for sharing Last Chance Rescue with anyone you can think of.

Defining Moment as a Writer - Part II (see November for Part I)

There were two.

The first: holding the "draft copy" of Last Chance Rescue. I was in awe. I caressed the cover; I kept opening the front flap to look at my name inside. The hundreds of hours, the agonizing over edits, and the painstaking care I'd taken in the details of the book and its presentation (cover, layout, etc.) were suddenly all worth it. (Never mind that no one had seen it yet!)

The second: being named as a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Awards. I had struggled with getting the word out about Last Chance Rescue - the requisite "self promotion" doesn't come naturally. But here was someone else (not just me) saying the book was good! It was validation in its truest sense, and came at a pivotal time.

And now...I can't wait to do it again! (Novel #2 is about a military officer's harrowing experience at the hand of terrorists, and his personal journey to learn what is truly worth fighting for, and what True Surrender means.)

And that, more than anything else, may just be the true mark of an author. Because writing is hard work - and it doesn't pay the bills for many of us. I do it because there are stories that refuse NOT to be told. There are times I think to myself, 'why in the world would I want to do that again?' and yet...I can't resist.

So perhaps there's a third defining moment that is ongoing!

Political Novel: Missing Ingredient

I'm not a big fan of political novels or courtroom dramas. But I try to read widely, and so it happens that I just finished Richard North Patterson's "Eclipse."

I tend to be more interested in character development and change. Which – given the topic of this book – could have been served up in spades. However, I felt the dialogue was stilted and limited, and that the reader was never allowed to get too deep into the characters (the main character was referred to by his last name throughout the book, adding to my general sense of standoffishness). If it hadn't been for the attraction between the two main characters (the lawyer and the activist's wife) I may not have finished it.

I will say that the ending was, in my opinion, compelling (though certainly not happy) and memorable. But my reaction to this novel was, overall, only lukewarm. If you like political novels and/or courtroom drama, you may enjoy this one.

Excerpt from Forthcoming Novel

"Aaron was not looking forward to her seeing him trussed up like the deer his uncle had hung in their garage one fall..."

Interested? Fascinated? Want to find out more? Join my newsletter and you'll be one of the first to hear about the new book's progress (as well as fun tidbits from Last Chance Rescue)!

Essay Chosen for "A Daughter's Story"

An essay I wrote about my father and his influence on my life - using our shared passion for motorcycling as the central focus - has been accepted and will be published in an anthology due out in June 2010! More details soon...

January: Prime Writing Time?

Normally January is prime writing time here in Minnesota (the weather encourages indoor activities!) - in fact, it's usually kind of boring - but I am startled (pleasantly, in some ways) by the fact that it's February already. The only writing I got done in January was a pitch letter for a major contest (less than 300 words - but it's GOOD).

We had a bout with the flu (everyone in my house, one after the other, except my son) that lasted 10 days. I finally hired help at work and have been spending a lot of time training him (which I don't particularly enjoy). And since he needed a computer, he got mine and we got a new one for ME - and it took all weekend to get the software reloaded and straighten out my email program, etc. (There's still a laundry list of smaller issues to clean up.)

I managed to read one book ("Eclipse" by Richard North Patterson) but only 72 pages into my marriage mentoring studies.

But I HAVE been enjoying time with my kids (especially swimming at the Y and making chocolate-chip cookies) ... and I'm working on another tough but really compelling scene in novel #2!