This is something I have wanted to do for nearly three years - ever since I went back to the music studio with my friend's band in April 2008. We finally completed one of MY songs: an upbeat and slightly bluesy take on "The Rose."
It has inspired my husband (whose did the harmony/duet parts) to look into getting our own mixing software - especially since he plays guitar.
Special thanks to Mark Cameron and Scott Lundberg for their help with the song. "The Rose (Surrender Version)" is dedicated to my friends Paul and John, who believed in my ability even when I didn't, and to my husband Tim, who believes in everything about me.
Listen to The Rose (Surrender Version)
Monday, May 2, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Ex FBI Analyst Becomes my Newest SME (Subject Matter Expert)
This week I had lunch with an ex FBI analyst. It was fascinating, and I confess that the phrase "truth is stranger than fiction" applied to some of our topics. On a personal level, I found it difficult to imagine working in that environment (I think it would depress me!).
After an hour and a half of hashing through some of the finer points of "True Surrender," I was gratified to realize that my creative self had not been too far off the mark. Only a few minor edits were required (which have now been completed). Special thanks to my new SME ("Subject Matter Expert") Tina.
What does FBI stuff have to do with "True Surrender," you ask? Well, I don't want to tell you so much that it ruins the story. Suffice it to say that Major Aaron Bricewick has a job change during the course of the novel that takes him into new territory...for the rest, you'll have to read the book!
After an hour and a half of hashing through some of the finer points of "True Surrender," I was gratified to realize that my creative self had not been too far off the mark. Only a few minor edits were required (which have now been completed). Special thanks to my new SME ("Subject Matter Expert") Tina.
What does FBI stuff have to do with "True Surrender," you ask? Well, I don't want to tell you so much that it ruins the story. Suffice it to say that Major Aaron Bricewick has a job change during the course of the novel that takes him into new territory...for the rest, you'll have to read the book!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Rejection Letters
I suppose rejection letters should bother me more. Maybe I'm just too busy to think about it. (Maybe I don't WANT to think about it!) Or maybe it's because people in my life - people I am close to - are going through really crappy stuff, and this is such small potatoes compared to that.
Maybe I'm arrogant ... or just a control freak ... but why wait around for other people to "approve of" my writing? Especially when things have changed so much in the book publishing and selling world. Time is slipping through my fingers so fast it makes me light-headed. And True Surrender is a GREAT story. What should I do?
Maybe I'm arrogant ... or just a control freak ... but why wait around for other people to "approve of" my writing? Especially when things have changed so much in the book publishing and selling world. Time is slipping through my fingers so fast it makes me light-headed. And True Surrender is a GREAT story. What should I do?
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Damn Synopsis ... Again
When I 'extended' the True Surrender story in late January, it meant that I now had to re-write (or, more precisely, 'update') the synopsis.
Which is definitely NOT my favorite type of writing!
So I might have put it off just a little.
But now the synopsis has been 'done' (again) and I'm reading it out loud to myself (sometimes that helps, sometimes it doesn't), and I think ... "what a great story this is!"
It's very nice to read something after you've let it sit awhile, and realize that, by God, it's quite good. It gives me warm fuzzies.
So why isn't it in the hands of agents yet? The answer: it's the damn synopsis. It's so crucial and I'm so perfectionistic, and I think I'm just going to have to let it go. They'll either like it or they won't ... right?
Which is definitely NOT my favorite type of writing!
So I might have put it off just a little.
But now the synopsis has been 'done' (again) and I'm reading it out loud to myself (sometimes that helps, sometimes it doesn't), and I think ... "what a great story this is!"
It's very nice to read something after you've let it sit awhile, and realize that, by God, it's quite good. It gives me warm fuzzies.
So why isn't it in the hands of agents yet? The answer: it's the damn synopsis. It's so crucial and I'm so perfectionistic, and I think I'm just going to have to let it go. They'll either like it or they won't ... right?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A True Surrender Exerpt
Below are just a few of the 6000+ words I wrote during my writing 'marathon' on late January. I thought you might like a little teaser...And if you're not already on my email list, please join!
Aaron wasn't sure what good his presence was. He sat in Cheryl's home, in her living room, and listened as the police officers recounted the details of her suicide.
She had overdosed on pills and pot.
The irony was not lost on him, and he felt physically ill.
There was apparently a note, but he wasn’t privy to the contents.
Cheryl's mom, June, sat in a chair in the corner and cried intermittently. Cheryl's younger brother (only 17 years old, he learned) sat in stony silence, as if he were numb. Which he probably was.
Only part of him registered the scene, as if from a distance. Robert took charge, of course, extracting each person's experience of the night before and that morning. Aaron recognized that he was trying to tie them together, to get a complete picture of what had gone so wrong.
Why a young woman was dead.
Robert turned to June last. "Mrs. Young," he said. "Did anything out of the ordinary happen yesterday or even the day before?"
Mrs. Young shook her head. "She went to work, she walked the dog, she watched TV..."
"Any change in her routine?" Robert said. "Any upsets with her friends?"
"Friends?" June's brow furrowed in concentration. "There was one thing. Unusual, I guess you'd say...an Army friend came to visit with her."
Aaron felt Scott stiffen beside him.
"I thought it was odd it wasn't one of you,” June continued. "But she still has friends in the Army and it's her business who she associates with..."
"June." It was unlike Scott to interrupt, and it set Aaron's nerves on edge. "Do you remember the soldier's name?"
She shook her head. "I'm not good with names," she said, "and you all look alike to me, especially with those camouflage things you wear."
Robert pulled a file folder from his briefcase and extracted a photo. "Mrs. Young, is this the man who was here?"
She took the picture with shaky hands, and dabbed her eyes with a tissue for the hundredth time. "The clothes are different," she said, "but this certainly looks like him."
Aaron saw Robert take the photo from her as if in slow motion. Somehow, he knew. He knew before Robert tilted the photo unobtrusively toward them.
Jared's head shot.
Aaron wasn't sure what good his presence was. He sat in Cheryl's home, in her living room, and listened as the police officers recounted the details of her suicide.
She had overdosed on pills and pot.
The irony was not lost on him, and he felt physically ill.
There was apparently a note, but he wasn’t privy to the contents.
Cheryl's mom, June, sat in a chair in the corner and cried intermittently. Cheryl's younger brother (only 17 years old, he learned) sat in stony silence, as if he were numb. Which he probably was.
Only part of him registered the scene, as if from a distance. Robert took charge, of course, extracting each person's experience of the night before and that morning. Aaron recognized that he was trying to tie them together, to get a complete picture of what had gone so wrong.
Why a young woman was dead.
Robert turned to June last. "Mrs. Young," he said. "Did anything out of the ordinary happen yesterday or even the day before?"
Mrs. Young shook her head. "She went to work, she walked the dog, she watched TV..."
"Any change in her routine?" Robert said. "Any upsets with her friends?"
"Friends?" June's brow furrowed in concentration. "There was one thing. Unusual, I guess you'd say...an Army friend came to visit with her."
Aaron felt Scott stiffen beside him.
"I thought it was odd it wasn't one of you,” June continued. "But she still has friends in the Army and it's her business who she associates with..."
"June." It was unlike Scott to interrupt, and it set Aaron's nerves on edge. "Do you remember the soldier's name?"
She shook her head. "I'm not good with names," she said, "and you all look alike to me, especially with those camouflage things you wear."
Robert pulled a file folder from his briefcase and extracted a photo. "Mrs. Young, is this the man who was here?"
She took the picture with shaky hands, and dabbed her eyes with a tissue for the hundredth time. "The clothes are different," she said, "but this certainly looks like him."
Aaron saw Robert take the photo from her as if in slow motion. Somehow, he knew. He knew before Robert tilted the photo unobtrusively toward them.
Jared's head shot.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
One Helluva January
Winter in Minnesota is supposed to be slow. Quiet.
Bor-ing.
But in the past month, I spent a miserable week trying to fight off a virus only to finally succumb and spend two days in bed. My kids got sick and being the mom, that meant I had some nights with very little sleep.
I ordered a keyboard (the musical kind!) and went into the music studio to record backup vocals for the Mark Cameron band.
I took extra taiko drumming classes because I thought I'd have the time.
I joined the Romance Writers Association and attended my first local meeting, where I was invited to join a critique group - something I have wanted and needed for a while.
The final 10 days in January found me writing intensely and purposefully every free minute I had. I worked on a new section of True Surrender - a section I added after getting feedback from several of my readers. The real fire under me was (big surprise) a deadline: the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award opened for submissions on January 24 and would accept "only" 5000 entries before it closed. I wanted True Surrender to be one of those entries! On February 1, I met that goal.
I didn't have time to celebrate, because I had a new product launch event for work on February 4 - and timing was so tight, I was picking up the final parts that morning.
And now a new adventure: the first live band gig I've done in EIGHTEEN YEARS. Yep, I'm singing with the band on February 19 (Rafters Bar in Stillwater). My kids are starting to sing along since I've been "studying" whilst driving them to/from school etc. Next week we'll rehearse and try to wrap up the recording work.
And then ... I think I'll need a 3-day nap!
Bor-ing.
But in the past month, I spent a miserable week trying to fight off a virus only to finally succumb and spend two days in bed. My kids got sick and being the mom, that meant I had some nights with very little sleep.
I ordered a keyboard (the musical kind!) and went into the music studio to record backup vocals for the Mark Cameron band.
I took extra taiko drumming classes because I thought I'd have the time.
I joined the Romance Writers Association and attended my first local meeting, where I was invited to join a critique group - something I have wanted and needed for a while.
The final 10 days in January found me writing intensely and purposefully every free minute I had. I worked on a new section of True Surrender - a section I added after getting feedback from several of my readers. The real fire under me was (big surprise) a deadline: the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award opened for submissions on January 24 and would accept "only" 5000 entries before it closed. I wanted True Surrender to be one of those entries! On February 1, I met that goal.
I didn't have time to celebrate, because I had a new product launch event for work on February 4 - and timing was so tight, I was picking up the final parts that morning.
And now a new adventure: the first live band gig I've done in EIGHTEEN YEARS. Yep, I'm singing with the band on February 19 (Rafters Bar in Stillwater). My kids are starting to sing along since I've been "studying" whilst driving them to/from school etc. Next week we'll rehearse and try to wrap up the recording work.
And then ... I think I'll need a 3-day nap!
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Little Writing, a Little Music...
Eighteen months ago I was asked to lay some backup vocal tracks with some musicians I sang with way back. I hadn't expected to do more than that, even though that band is now actively gigging around town - and one of the songs I sang on was getting radio play in France.
But something was re-awakened, and I found myself drawn back to music in a way I hadn't expected. Because of my busy schedule, being a permanent band member and gigging regularly isn't an option right now ... but I became open to doing 'projects.'
This past week I've been listening (and re-listening) to my friend's new tracks in preparation of recording vocals next week. And I'm starting to think about building a singing 'portfolio' for the day when I DO want to re-join a band.
When I gave my web site a face lift, I added two MP3 files on the MUSIC page (you can listen now).
There's also a link to a video of one of our taiko drumming pieces. It's not professional by any means (and it's of rehearsal, not performance), but it's fun - I'm playing the big "odaiko" drum on back right.
Speaking of odaiko, I just started an 'intensive' class on how to play that particular instrument more effectively. My son and I are also taking a 4-week taiko class together (along with my regular practice).
You might ask when I have time to write around all this. And that would be a fair question. But remarkably, the novel is progressing and I'm waking with new ideas more often than usual. I suspect creativity is like any other exercise: the more you do it, the more it comes to you!
But something was re-awakened, and I found myself drawn back to music in a way I hadn't expected. Because of my busy schedule, being a permanent band member and gigging regularly isn't an option right now ... but I became open to doing 'projects.'
This past week I've been listening (and re-listening) to my friend's new tracks in preparation of recording vocals next week. And I'm starting to think about building a singing 'portfolio' for the day when I DO want to re-join a band.
When I gave my web site a face lift, I added two MP3 files on the MUSIC page (you can listen now).
There's also a link to a video of one of our taiko drumming pieces. It's not professional by any means (and it's of rehearsal, not performance), but it's fun - I'm playing the big "odaiko" drum on back right.
Speaking of odaiko, I just started an 'intensive' class on how to play that particular instrument more effectively. My son and I are also taking a 4-week taiko class together (along with my regular practice).
You might ask when I have time to write around all this. And that would be a fair question. But remarkably, the novel is progressing and I'm waking with new ideas more often than usual. I suspect creativity is like any other exercise: the more you do it, the more it comes to you!
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