Finding my Name One More Time
I couldn't sleep, so I logged onto my laptop. After checking my email, I scanned the bookmark list on the side of my screen. My regular computer doesn't have this list showing, so tonight when I looked at the list and saw Six LDS Writers and a Frog, I thought, "I haven't read that one for awhile." So, I hopped on over (Frog---hopped. Get it?) and found that Jeff Savage has been talking about me again!
If you want to read what he has to say this time, click on the link and read his message about the need for critique groups at http://sixldswriters.blogspot.com/
By the way, Jeff, I loved the last line, and I did catch the reference.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Awarded to Writing on the Wall
I'm a member of the Precision Editing Group, and we've been given two blogging awards as a recognition to what we do over there. If you are interested in becoming a published author, may I invite you to visit the Precision Editing Group at http://www.writingonthewall.blogspot.com/.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Another Guest Appearance
I really need to do a better job at finding time to read my friends blogs more regularly. Now I find that J. Scott Savage is talking about me over on his blog. I'm going to have to watch myself and be sure I only doand say helpful things. If people are going to talk about me behind my back, I at least want to make sure it's all good!
To read what J. Scott had to say read the entry titled Questions About Questions.
I really need to do a better job at finding time to read my friends blogs more regularly. Now I find that J. Scott Savage is talking about me over on his blog. I'm going to have to watch myself and be sure I only doand say helpful things. If people are going to talk about me behind my back, I at least want to make sure it's all good!
To read what J. Scott had to say read the entry titled Questions About Questions.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Personal Visit to Michele Holmes' Blog
Last night at critique, Michele told me she was talking about me on her blog. That junior-high mentality I sometimes find myself stuck with (perhaps because I TEACH Jr. High) thought, "Oh, no! What did she say about me?"
So, I cruised on over there this morning and found the entry titled True to the work. It wasn't anything bad about me, but I had to feel sorry for Michele. As one who knows the pain of rewrite, I also felt lots of empathy for her as well.
The good news for her is, the book is great and the polishing only makes it better!
Last night at critique, Michele told me she was talking about me on her blog. That junior-high mentality I sometimes find myself stuck with (perhaps because I TEACH Jr. High) thought, "Oh, no! What did she say about me?"
So, I cruised on over there this morning and found the entry titled True to the work. It wasn't anything bad about me, but I had to feel sorry for Michele. As one who knows the pain of rewrite, I also felt lots of empathy for her as well.
The good news for her is, the book is great and the polishing only makes it better!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Nebo Young Writer's Conference a Success!!Thanks to James Dasher (The 13th Reality: The Journal of Curious Letters), J. Scott Savage (Farworld: Water), Julie Olson (Hip Hip Hooray for
Annie McRae!) and acquisitions editor Chris Schoebinger (Shadow Mountain), the 6th Annual Nebo Young Writers Conference was fabulous. This year found the largest crowd ever. Attendees were excited by the presentations and the opportunity to meet with the authors, have autographs signed, pose for photos, and take home door prizes from the Nebo Reading Council, author Richard Paul Evans, Bookwise, and Shadow Mountain who also brought free posters of The 13th Reality for every participant at the conference. Here are photos from the conference, including some of my 
7th grade English Honors students---Carlie B., Grace H., Mikayla W., and Austin B.---who James dubbed "my posse." These students have been listening to the book in class and LOVE it!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Mitt Romney Suspends His CampaignI can hardly believe it, but Mitt Romney just delivered a speech at CPAC in which he announced he is dropping out of the race for President of the United States. His speech was presidential; his ideas overwhelmingly received by these conservatives, but Mitt said he fears that, in this time of war, the Democrats would win the White House if he didn't withdraw. He feels John McCain is the man who will help us win the war on terrorism. Much of his speech sounded like The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
What will now happen? Where will Mitt serve the country? Who will John McCain choose as his V.P. candidate? Why do the news articles refer to Mitt as "suspending" his campaign instead of saying Mitt "drops out" like they have with other candidates? If we want Mitt Romney to be that Vice-Presidential candidate with McCain, then we must stand up NOW and let John McCain know!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Dare I Say It?
Super-Tuesday is only six days away. I've done pretty good at keeping my mouth shut in school and even on this blog about politics. My family knows who I support for the presidency, even though not all of them agree. (My brother thought Fred Thompson was going to ride in and save the world.) At one time, I was pro-Guillani---after all, he WAS America's mayor, and a pretty dang good one in my opinion. So as Republican candidates drop like flies (well, except for Ron Paul, but is he really a Republican anyway?), I have to tell the truth and explain why I will NOT be voting for John McCain.
For my entire life, I have been a good judge of character. Maybe that's part of the gift of discernment I was blessed with. Who knows. But the fact remains, I can't think of a time my initial gut feeling toward someone I have met has turned out to be wrong.
In 1996, I attended a rally for Senator Bob Dole at the Salt Lake City airport. John McCain also appeared at the rally. I had the opportunity to meet them both, just for a handshake, but that was enough. I felt an immediate sense of connection to Senator Dole. He was warm and genuine in the way he spoke to everyone as he passed through the crowd. He looked people in the eye and spoke directly to them as he shook each person's hand. His speech was brief, yet heart-felt.
Senator John McCain was another story. His speech was that of an uncaring politician. It was obvious he was here not to promote Senator Dole, so much as to make himself look good during a election year, where he hoped to be picked as a vice-presidential candidate. A cold chill passed over me as I shook his hand, and I felt like I had just touched something slimy. His eyes darted around, never focusing on anyone, including me as he shook hands. My gut reaction was: "Avoid!" I was fearful that Dole would choose him as a running mate and I would be forced to vote for this man , even though I had such a negative reaction to him at our brief meeting. (Thankfully, Dole chose Jack Kemp, a man for whom I had much more respect.)
Here we are twelve years later, and I might face yet another difficult choice. Can I make myself vote for McCain if he wins the primary? Will I really be voting for his running mate, hoping that person could actually hold the country together? Will I be forced to look at another four years of a Clinton in the White House if I don't vote at all? I certainly hope not.
I've never met Mitt Romney, but I know his values. I know the values of his family. I know people with whom he associates, and they are people I like and respect. That's why my vote will be going to Mitt. He is a man I can trust. He is a man who respects the Constitution. He is a man who will lead our country toward a better tomorrow. He is a man who isn't afraid to look at both sides of an issue, admit when he was wrong and change his mind.
I hope you will take the time to truly study the history of these two men, then decide for yourself which one you would rather have lead our country for the next four years. If you follow your gut like I do, you'll know which choice you have to make.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley Passed Away January 27, 2008
For the official announcement, visit
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/
A news report with details of his life can be found at:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2560344
Our family has been blessed enough to hear him speak several times in person. What a great man, and how he loved not only the members of the Church, but all peoples of the world. He will be greatly missed.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Life Full Speed Ahead, Despite the Overload!
It’s a brand new year, and I have some incredibly wonderful opportunities facing me. Let’s just hope this semester’s graduate school classes are not as frustrating as last term’s were, or I’m dead in the water! Here’s a quick review of what’s going on with me right this minute. Maybe some of you will be there and I’ll get to meet more of my readers. Some of us are already friends so it will be great to see everyone again.
1. January 18-19, 2008 WriteWise Conference Presenter
As a Senior Editor for the Precision Editing Group, I will be joining Editing Director Heather B. Moore , and Senior Editors Annette Lyon, Julie Wright, Josi Kilpack, for a presentation titled “The Nuts and Bolts of Writing.”
2. February 2008 Teleconference Presenter WriteWise
Throughout the month of February I will be teaching more in-depth classes on “The Nuts and Bolts of Writing” to those authors who are part of the first class enrolled in WriteWise, the publishing arm of the Bookwise company. In addition, the entire Senior Editing staff will be working with new writers who hope to publish with Bookwise.
3. My Bookwise Bookstore
Of course, I’ll continue to build my clientele for my own Bookwise Bookstore. If you’re interested in becoming one of my preferred customers, please visit: http://www.mybookwise.com/luannstaheli/
4. The Osmond Family Blog
I’ve returned to work once again with Alan Osmond after a twelve-year absence. I’m doing the updates for family blog at http://strengtheningfamilies.blogspot.com and handling the email at OsmondStrengtheningFamilies@gmail.com. If you know anyone who loves the Osmond family, but sure to pass along those addresses and ask them to sign up to be on our email list.
5. The rest of my life includes: teaching English at Payson Jr. High, finishing my MEd in Instructional Technology through USU, both my newspaper columns, as well as the other writing projects I have in the works, serving on several boards and committees, being in charge of the Nebo Young Writer’s Conference, doing publicity for the UVSC Forum on Children’s Literature Conference , and on and on. That’s not counting trying to be a wife and mother, or the million other obligations that seem to swirl around me at any given time.
Overall, it’s a wonderful life, even when I am over-booked and over-scheduled. If I get a little bit behind, please know that I’m doing my best and will get everything done that I need to, eventually. Thanks for all the support everyone gives me in each of these endeavors.
1. January 18-19, 2008 WriteWise Conference Presenter
As a Senior Editor for the Precision Editing Group, I will be joining Editing Director Heather B. Moore , and Senior Editors Annette Lyon, Julie Wright, Josi Kilpack, for a presentation titled “The Nuts and Bolts of Writing.”
2. February 2008 Teleconference Presenter WriteWise
Throughout the month of February I will be teaching more in-depth classes on “The Nuts and Bolts of Writing” to those authors who are part of the first class enrolled in WriteWise, the publishing arm of the Bookwise company. In addition, the entire Senior Editing staff will be working with new writers who hope to publish with Bookwise.
3. My Bookwise Bookstore
Of course, I’ll continue to build my clientele for my own Bookwise Bookstore. If you’re interested in becoming one of my preferred customers, please visit: http://www.mybookwise.com/luannstaheli/
4. The Osmond Family Blog
I’ve returned to work once again with Alan Osmond after a twelve-year absence. I’m doing the updates for family blog at http://strengtheningfamilies.blogspot.com and handling the email at OsmondStrengtheningFamilies@gmail.com. If you know anyone who loves the Osmond family, but sure to pass along those addresses and ask them to sign up to be on our email list.
5. The rest of my life includes: teaching English at Payson Jr. High, finishing my MEd in Instructional Technology through USU, both my newspaper columns, as well as the other writing projects I have in the works, serving on several boards and committees, being in charge of the Nebo Young Writer’s Conference, doing publicity for the UVSC Forum on Children’s Literature Conference , and on and on. That’s not counting trying to be a wife and mother, or the million other obligations that seem to swirl around me at any given time.
Overall, it’s a wonderful life, even when I am over-booked and over-scheduled. If I get a little bit behind, please know that I’m doing my best and will get everything done that I need to, eventually. Thanks for all the support everyone gives me in each of these endeavors.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Rumors
The e-mail rumor mill is running full blast this month, all about the award-winning book and new movie The Golden Compass. The cry is boycott because the author—gasp—is an atheist! My response is “so what?” Does that mean we don’t read Edgar Allan Poe because he was a heavy drinker, Shel Silverstein because he once published an article in Playboy, or Ernest Hemingway because he committed suicide? All of them espoused ideas and ideals that we might not agree with.
Should only Mormons read Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes by Gordon B. Hinckley, only Catholics read Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI, or only Buddhists read The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by Howard Cutler from interviews with His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama? Of course not. We become more tolerant and understanding, finding the similarities between us more important that the differences when we share the common bond of the written word.
Besides, The Golden Compass is a children’s book. A fantasy, a genre that came into being at the time the highly successful works of J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis were published. Should we not read The Chronicles of Narnia because Lewis shares his views Christianity, or The Lord of the Rings because Tolkien was a devout Catholic? Has it not always been true that fantasy uses as its basis the war between good and evil? Through the telling of story, both sides are presented, but the didactic efforts to preach a philosophy do not make it to the level of popularity reached by each of these series.
A graduate of Oxford, the same school where both Tolkien and Lewis were among the faculty, Pullman first came up with the idea for the series known as His Dark Materials after reading John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Close friends, Tolkien and Lewis were both members of the informal literary discussion group at Oxford known as the Inklings, defined at Wikipedia as “a group of literary enthusiasts who praised the value of narrative in fiction, and encouraged the writing of fantasy. Although Christian values were notably reflected in several members' work, there were also atheists among the members of the discussion group.”
For what it’s worth, I’ve met Philip Pullman and had a nice long sit-down luncheon with him at the 2000 National Council of Teachers of English conference. He’s a very nice man, albeit he had a few oddities about himself as a writer. At the time, he wrote his books by hand only on yellow legal pads that were two hole punched, stopping for the day after he had written a single line of text on the next page. His workspace was a gardener’s shed on the back of his property.
Never once did he try to convert me to his way of thinking about religion, just like I never tried to convert him to mine.
Rather than being among those who spread rumors and encourage boycotts, I would hope that readers would at least accept that gossip is never fair, and that the best way to know if the information being presented as fact is indeed true, is, in a situation involving literature, to read the book, in its entirety for yourself. Get to know the author and their intent before you spread the word.
To end with Pullman’s own words from his website: “As a passionate believer in the democracy of reading, I don't think it's the task of the author of a book to tell the reader what it means. The meaning of a story emerges in the meeting between the words on the page and the thoughts in the reader's mind. So when people ask me what I meant by this story, or what was the message I was trying to convey in that one, I have to explain that I'm not going to explain. Anyway, I'm not in the message business; I'm in the ‘Once upon a time’ business.”
The e-mail rumor mill is running full blast this month, all about the award-winning book and new movie The Golden Compass. The cry is boycott because the author—gasp—is an atheist! My response is “so what?” Does that mean we don’t read Edgar Allan Poe because he was a heavy drinker, Shel Silverstein because he once published an article in Playboy, or Ernest Hemingway because he committed suicide? All of them espoused ideas and ideals that we might not agree with.
Should only Mormons read Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes by Gordon B. Hinckley, only Catholics read Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI, or only Buddhists read The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by Howard Cutler from interviews with His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama? Of course not. We become more tolerant and understanding, finding the similarities between us more important that the differences when we share the common bond of the written word.
Besides, The Golden Compass is a children’s book. A fantasy, a genre that came into being at the time the highly successful works of J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis were published. Should we not read The Chronicles of Narnia because Lewis shares his views Christianity, or The Lord of the Rings because Tolkien was a devout Catholic? Has it not always been true that fantasy uses as its basis the war between good and evil? Through the telling of story, both sides are presented, but the didactic efforts to preach a philosophy do not make it to the level of popularity reached by each of these series.
A graduate of Oxford, the same school where both Tolkien and Lewis were among the faculty, Pullman first came up with the idea for the series known as His Dark Materials after reading John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Close friends, Tolkien and Lewis were both members of the informal literary discussion group at Oxford known as the Inklings, defined at Wikipedia as “a group of literary enthusiasts who praised the value of narrative in fiction, and encouraged the writing of fantasy. Although Christian values were notably reflected in several members' work, there were also atheists among the members of the discussion group.”
For what it’s worth, I’ve met Philip Pullman and had a nice long sit-down luncheon with him at the 2000 National Council of Teachers of English conference. He’s a very nice man, albeit he had a few oddities about himself as a writer. At the time, he wrote his books by hand only on yellow legal pads that were two hole punched, stopping for the day after he had written a single line of text on the next page. His workspace was a gardener’s shed on the back of his property.
Never once did he try to convert me to his way of thinking about religion, just like I never tried to convert him to mine.
Rather than being among those who spread rumors and encourage boycotts, I would hope that readers would at least accept that gossip is never fair, and that the best way to know if the information being presented as fact is indeed true, is, in a situation involving literature, to read the book, in its entirety for yourself. Get to know the author and their intent before you spread the word.
To end with Pullman’s own words from his website: “As a passionate believer in the democracy of reading, I don't think it's the task of the author of a book to tell the reader what it means. The meaning of a story emerges in the meeting between the words on the page and the thoughts in the reader's mind. So when people ask me what I meant by this story, or what was the message I was trying to convey in that one, I have to explain that I'm not going to explain. Anyway, I'm not in the message business; I'm in the ‘Once upon a time’ business.”
Friday, November 02, 2007
Check Out My Latest Publication
As I was reading Heather Moore's most recent article in Desert Saints Magaine, I realized I had submitted something to this month's issue as well.
I cruised on over to the home page and found a link to Hymn Book Challenge, written by ME!
If you'd like to read my article, go to http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2007/11/02/hymn-book-challenge/
Heather's article, Sering for Life can be found at http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2007/11/02/serving-for-life/
As I was reading Heather Moore's most recent article in Desert Saints Magaine, I realized I had submitted something to this month's issue as well.
I cruised on over to the home page and found a link to Hymn Book Challenge, written by ME!
If you'd like to read my article, go to http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2007/11/02/hymn-book-challenge/
Heather's article, Sering for Life can be found at http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2007/11/02/serving-for-life/
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
YALSA Voting Available Through Saturday
If you have any avid readers who might be interested, teens can vote for their favorite books in the YALSA Award nominees until this Saturday.
One book I know my students will be voting for is The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson. I've read it to classes and they really liked it. The story is about Cameryn Mahoney, a teen from Silverton, Colorado, who really wants to become a forensic pathologist. Cameryn convinces her father, the county coroner, to hire her as his assistant. She turns out to be pretty good at the job and her dad lets her come along to a murder investigation. The body they find is Cameryn's friend, Rachel Geller. Rachel is the fourth victim of a serial killer who strangles his victims and leaves a St. Christopher medal on their bodies. In her pursuit of the truth, Cameryn finds herself in danger of becoming the fifth victim of the Christopher Killer.
If you know anyone who would like to vote for The Christopher Killer or see the entire list of nominees, click the link below.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4GlA6OUjRfm1OhoNuaUwdg_3d_3d
If you have any avid readers who might be interested, teens can vote for their favorite books in the YALSA Award nominees until this Saturday.
One book I know my students will be voting for is The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson. I've read it to classes and they really liked it. The story is about Cameryn Mahoney, a teen from Silverton, Colorado, who really wants to become a forensic pathologist. Cameryn convinces her father, the county coroner, to hire her as his assistant. She turns out to be pretty good at the job and her dad lets her come along to a murder investigation. The body they find is Cameryn's friend, Rachel Geller. Rachel is the fourth victim of a serial killer who strangles his victims and leaves a St. Christopher medal on their bodies. In her pursuit of the truth, Cameryn finds herself in danger of becoming the fifth victim of the Christopher Killer.
If you know anyone who would like to vote for The Christopher Killer or see the entire list of nominees, click the link below.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4GlA6OUjRfm1OhoNuaUwdg_3d_3d
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Mega-Blogger!
I'm been a busy little bee tonight and posted a new entry on every one of my blogs! At least that little bit of writing lets me feel like I accomplished something over this long weekend. Well, something other than just work for my graduate classes, school, and housecleaning.
Wasn't this supposed to be fall BREAK? Oh, wait! I forgot. That means "fall head cold!" Of course, I get a few days off, and the way of the world for me is that I'm sick. Not too bad, and I know it could be worse, but the croupy nighttime cough, drippy nose, and aches and pains are for the birds, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, I hope all of you will check out my other blogs. Most of them are much more informative that this one because they were actually written when I was feeling so crappy.
By the way, I've reposted my interview with Michele Holmes over on Lu Ann's Book Review if you didn't catch it in the newspaper a few weeks ago.
Time to go, before I sneeze!
I'm been a busy little bee tonight and posted a new entry on every one of my blogs! At least that little bit of writing lets me feel like I accomplished something over this long weekend. Well, something other than just work for my graduate classes, school, and housecleaning.
Wasn't this supposed to be fall BREAK? Oh, wait! I forgot. That means "fall head cold!" Of course, I get a few days off, and the way of the world for me is that I'm sick. Not too bad, and I know it could be worse, but the croupy nighttime cough, drippy nose, and aches and pains are for the birds, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, I hope all of you will check out my other blogs. Most of them are much more informative that this one because they were actually written when I was feeling so crappy.
By the way, I've reposted my interview with Michele Holmes over on Lu Ann's Book Review if you didn't catch it in the newspaper a few weeks ago.
Time to go, before I sneeze!
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The World is My Audience
The desire of my heart has always been to publish for a worldwide audience. Today, it finally sunk in, that is exactly what I’m doing—and in more places than I ever thought possible. And to think this epiphany came to me because of a little icon titled Stat Counter on my blog site.
One click and I discovered that Saturday seems to be the most popular day for people to visit my blog. That may be because I often write on Friday or Saturday, or it could be because that’s when my readers are home with extra time on their hands.
Another click tells me readers are coming via other websites where I write (LuAnnsLibraryTechnology and Library MediaFriendzy, both at blogspotcom) or after visiting websites run by my friends (AnnetteLyon.com or WritersinHeels.com). Some viewers stopped in directly from blogger.com, and a few did Google or MSN searches for me by name. Cool, huh?
As I expected, the majority of my readers are from North America, but I had no idea they were coming from so many states. Canada also has a fair-sized showing, and I don’t even know anyone in Canada! The United Kingdom and Sweden join France, Israel, Australia, Germany, Turkey, Chili, The Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, and India who also have at least one person who has stopped by.
I don’t know how you found me, but welcome all! And thanks for making my dreams of being an internationally known author closer to becoming true.
The desire of my heart has always been to publish for a worldwide audience. Today, it finally sunk in, that is exactly what I’m doing—and in more places than I ever thought possible. And to think this epiphany came to me because of a little icon titled Stat Counter on my blog site.
One click and I discovered that Saturday seems to be the most popular day for people to visit my blog. That may be because I often write on Friday or Saturday, or it could be because that’s when my readers are home with extra time on their hands.
Another click tells me readers are coming via other websites where I write (LuAnnsLibraryTechnology and Library MediaFriendzy, both at blogspotcom) or after visiting websites run by my friends (AnnetteLyon.com or WritersinHeels.com). Some viewers stopped in directly from blogger.com, and a few did Google or MSN searches for me by name. Cool, huh?
As I expected, the majority of my readers are from North America, but I had no idea they were coming from so many states. Canada also has a fair-sized showing, and I don’t even know anyone in Canada! The United Kingdom and Sweden join France, Israel, Australia, Germany, Turkey, Chili, The Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, and India who also have at least one person who has stopped by.
I don’t know how you found me, but welcome all! And thanks for making my dreams of being an internationally known author closer to becoming true.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Join the Nebo Reading Council and Come See James Dashner
Author James Dashner will be the featured speaker at the opening meeting for the Nebo Reading Council, Thursday, October 4, 2007, at the Grant Building (400 East 105 South, Springville, UT) at 4:00 p.m.
Dashner will be speaking about his transition from publishing in the local market (Jimmy Fincher Saga) to releasing his first national market book (The 13th Reality: The Journal of Curious Letters).
Atticus Higginbottom—better known as Tick—wishes his life were more interesting. But, as the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for. On a snowy day in November, the first letter arrives and everything in Tick’s life changes---and only time will tell if the change is for better or worse.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Cleaning House the Clean Sweep Way
Just letting all of you know about my latest national publication.
Visit Desert Saints Magazine at the following link to read my article.
http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2007/09/01/cleaning-house-the-clean-sweep-way/
Just letting all of you know about my latest national publication.
Visit Desert Saints Magazine at the following link to read my article.
http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2007/09/01/cleaning-house-the-clean-sweep-way/
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Slamming My Head Against the Wall
When I was a young child, I used to get really bad ear-aches. My mother always tried to stop me, but the only way I found to relieve the pressure was to slam my head against the wall.
Tonight, I’m thinking that method might once again make it onto my list of possibilities. I don’t have an ear-ache, but the pressure and stress might just be beginning to get to me. I thought maybe if I had a way to let it all out, I’d at least feel better.
So, tonight I’m forgetting the teachings of The Secret for a few minutes and release my top five lists of reasons I’m under duress. Once I’m done, I plan to take a deep breath, log off my computer, and go to bed.
After all, like Scarlett O’Hara says, “Tomorrow is another day.”
Stress #1: Summer vacation is over and I’m back teaching school. This year is my first ever to have a class of 7th graders on top of three 8th grade and one 9th grade classes. The class sizes range from 25 to 43 students packed into a room that is wall-to-wall kid. Altogether, I have nearly 160 students in my classes. Just think about how many papers that adds up to each week to grade.
Stress #2: My husband in living and working in Los Angeles which is great for the finances, but it leaves me home with five children to watch out for, on top of all the others things I do. By the time I leave for work in the morning, no one is awake except the youngest who leaves with me to be dropped off at a neighbor’s who takes him to and from school. I have to hope all goes well and everyone makes it to school on time, come rain or shine.
Stress #3: One of our children has gotten a little too big for his britches in the last few weeks and keeps both my husband and I emotionally distraught, trying to figure out what to do to prevent him from having a negative impact on the other boys. Is it a sin to count the weeks until he graduates and moves into a life of his own?
Stress #4: I’m enrolled in graduate school and classes start again for me tomorrow. Now, if that isn’t enough, I just started reading the articles for this week’s discussion and I might as well be trying to read Greek! As a nearly thirty-year teacher who knows that educational theory is almost always a bunch of malarkey and rarely useful in the real classroom, reading this stuff, assigned by doctoral candidates who are years younger than me, makes me crazy.
Stress #5: I want nothing more than to publish full-length novels and non-fictions books, but every time I turn around it’s another major rejection for me. Tonight I had great hope that I had found an agent. Alas the e-mailed rejection came less that two hours after I had sent the sample chapters she had requested. I should be happy about my writing because a script option was recently renewed, but I’ve worked so much harder on the novels, only to receive yet another rejection.
It’s eight-thirty. My brain is fried. My body is tired. I’m going to bed to sleep, perchance to dream of better things. And tomorrow, I will awake and again pursue my dreams of holding my published novel in my hands before too many more days pass me by.
When I was a young child, I used to get really bad ear-aches. My mother always tried to stop me, but the only way I found to relieve the pressure was to slam my head against the wall.
Tonight, I’m thinking that method might once again make it onto my list of possibilities. I don’t have an ear-ache, but the pressure and stress might just be beginning to get to me. I thought maybe if I had a way to let it all out, I’d at least feel better.
So, tonight I’m forgetting the teachings of The Secret for a few minutes and release my top five lists of reasons I’m under duress. Once I’m done, I plan to take a deep breath, log off my computer, and go to bed.
After all, like Scarlett O’Hara says, “Tomorrow is another day.”
Stress #1: Summer vacation is over and I’m back teaching school. This year is my first ever to have a class of 7th graders on top of three 8th grade and one 9th grade classes. The class sizes range from 25 to 43 students packed into a room that is wall-to-wall kid. Altogether, I have nearly 160 students in my classes. Just think about how many papers that adds up to each week to grade.
Stress #2: My husband in living and working in Los Angeles which is great for the finances, but it leaves me home with five children to watch out for, on top of all the others things I do. By the time I leave for work in the morning, no one is awake except the youngest who leaves with me to be dropped off at a neighbor’s who takes him to and from school. I have to hope all goes well and everyone makes it to school on time, come rain or shine.
Stress #3: One of our children has gotten a little too big for his britches in the last few weeks and keeps both my husband and I emotionally distraught, trying to figure out what to do to prevent him from having a negative impact on the other boys. Is it a sin to count the weeks until he graduates and moves into a life of his own?
Stress #4: I’m enrolled in graduate school and classes start again for me tomorrow. Now, if that isn’t enough, I just started reading the articles for this week’s discussion and I might as well be trying to read Greek! As a nearly thirty-year teacher who knows that educational theory is almost always a bunch of malarkey and rarely useful in the real classroom, reading this stuff, assigned by doctoral candidates who are years younger than me, makes me crazy.
Stress #5: I want nothing more than to publish full-length novels and non-fictions books, but every time I turn around it’s another major rejection for me. Tonight I had great hope that I had found an agent. Alas the e-mailed rejection came less that two hours after I had sent the sample chapters she had requested. I should be happy about my writing because a script option was recently renewed, but I’ve worked so much harder on the novels, only to receive yet another rejection.
It’s eight-thirty. My brain is fried. My body is tired. I’m going to bed to sleep, perchance to dream of better things. And tomorrow, I will awake and again pursue my dreams of holding my published novel in my hands before too many more days pass me by.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Lest I Look Like a Slacker
If you've watched my progress in the Summer Reading Thing, you might think I've been such a slacker. Not true. I may not have yet finished all the books on that list---I go back to work on Wednesday, so summer is over for me---but I've read lots of other books this summer. I'm currently reading New Moon and the copy of Eclipse is on my desk next to where I am typing.
So, I've decided to share a little bit about the other books I've read this summer, so you'll know that I have been reading, just not always the books I said I'd get around to.
1. The Greatest Discovery - Sorensen. Very predictable, a little sappy, but a quick read.
2. My Point, and I do Have One - Ellen Degeneres. Some funny parts, some crude parts.
3. Nobody's Better Than You, Mom - Bowen. Should have made my boys read this one!
4. Aunt Dimity's Christmas - Atherton. Recommended by someoen at critique, but I abandoned.
5. The Elusive Mrs. Polifax - Gilman. A 2nd read for me. I love this series.
6. The Independence Club - Nunes. I enjoyed this one a lot and hope Rachel starts a series.
7. Purple Cow - Godin. Okay, I'm weird because I read marketing and business books for fun.
8. Free Prize Inside - Godin. Lots of good ideas to draw customers to your products.
9. The Peach Cobler Murder - Fluke. Another favorite mystery series for me.
10. Mrs. Polifax and the Whirling Dervish - Gilman. The trouble this woman gets into!
11. Secerts to Zarahemla - Wilson. I kept getting lost. The characters were confusing to me.
12. The Fudge Cupcake Murder - Fluke. I kept craving chocolate, but still loved this one.
13. Life As We Knew It - Pfeffer. Interesting YA novel about the moon moving closer.
14. Ghost of a Chance - Blair. Better than the first book, but some parts still bugged me.
15. Death on Demand - Hart. I discovered a new mystery writer that I liked.
16. Dead as a Doornail - Harris. A disappointing and somewhat crude vampire mystery.
17. Rickles' Book- Don Rickles. Like Ellen, sometimes funny, sometimes VERY crude.
18. Nothing to Regret - Pinkston. Liked it but wish it had been a series with more development.
19. It's All Too Much - Walsh. Loved the book, love the series (Clean Sweep). Loved the advice.
20. When Faith Endures - Van Nuygen. Taught me a lot about LDS, the Vietnamese, and war.
21. Deep Storm - Child. Another great thriller from one of my favorite writers.
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Rowling. Thought the ending was PERFECT!
23. Farworld: City Under the Water - Savage. Don't look for this one yet; it's not out til 2008.
24. Loved Like That - Wright. Liked it a lot, but I wonder if my book is too similar in theme?
25. Religious Literacy - Prothero. Interesting view why we are religiously illiterate.
26. One Minute Millionaire - Allen & Hansen. 2nd time reading this. Good motivation.
27. Circle the Truth - Schmatz. MG religious fantasy. IT was oaky, but not a grabber.
28. Twilight - Meyer. Decided to reread this one. Liked it better this 2nd time.
29. Wild Worlds - Moore. YA Graphic novel. Why must the girls be half-naked?
30. Loving Will Shakespeare - Meyer. I'm related to both of Wills' parents.
If you've watched my progress in the Summer Reading Thing, you might think I've been such a slacker. Not true. I may not have yet finished all the books on that list---I go back to work on Wednesday, so summer is over for me---but I've read lots of other books this summer. I'm currently reading New Moon and the copy of Eclipse is on my desk next to where I am typing.
So, I've decided to share a little bit about the other books I've read this summer, so you'll know that I have been reading, just not always the books I said I'd get around to.
1. The Greatest Discovery - Sorensen. Very predictable, a little sappy, but a quick read.
2. My Point, and I do Have One - Ellen Degeneres. Some funny parts, some crude parts.
3. Nobody's Better Than You, Mom - Bowen. Should have made my boys read this one!
4. Aunt Dimity's Christmas - Atherton. Recommended by someoen at critique, but I abandoned.
5. The Elusive Mrs. Polifax - Gilman. A 2nd read for me. I love this series.
6. The Independence Club - Nunes. I enjoyed this one a lot and hope Rachel starts a series.
7. Purple Cow - Godin. Okay, I'm weird because I read marketing and business books for fun.
8. Free Prize Inside - Godin. Lots of good ideas to draw customers to your products.
9. The Peach Cobler Murder - Fluke. Another favorite mystery series for me.
10. Mrs. Polifax and the Whirling Dervish - Gilman. The trouble this woman gets into!
11. Secerts to Zarahemla - Wilson. I kept getting lost. The characters were confusing to me.
12. The Fudge Cupcake Murder - Fluke. I kept craving chocolate, but still loved this one.
13. Life As We Knew It - Pfeffer. Interesting YA novel about the moon moving closer.
14. Ghost of a Chance - Blair. Better than the first book, but some parts still bugged me.
15. Death on Demand - Hart. I discovered a new mystery writer that I liked.
16. Dead as a Doornail - Harris. A disappointing and somewhat crude vampire mystery.
17. Rickles' Book- Don Rickles. Like Ellen, sometimes funny, sometimes VERY crude.
18. Nothing to Regret - Pinkston. Liked it but wish it had been a series with more development.
19. It's All Too Much - Walsh. Loved the book, love the series (Clean Sweep). Loved the advice.
20. When Faith Endures - Van Nuygen. Taught me a lot about LDS, the Vietnamese, and war.
21. Deep Storm - Child. Another great thriller from one of my favorite writers.
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Rowling. Thought the ending was PERFECT!
23. Farworld: City Under the Water - Savage. Don't look for this one yet; it's not out til 2008.
24. Loved Like That - Wright. Liked it a lot, but I wonder if my book is too similar in theme?
25. Religious Literacy - Prothero. Interesting view why we are religiously illiterate.
26. One Minute Millionaire - Allen & Hansen. 2nd time reading this. Good motivation.
27. Circle the Truth - Schmatz. MG religious fantasy. IT was oaky, but not a grabber.
28. Twilight - Meyer. Decided to reread this one. Liked it better this 2nd time.
29. Wild Worlds - Moore. YA Graphic novel. Why must the girls be half-naked?
30. Loving Will Shakespeare - Meyer. I'm related to both of Wills' parents.
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