I will never think I've got it bad until...

I find one of these in my mail box/inbox:

Best Rejection Ever

If you are interested how I came across the letter,well I was browsing here:

Write For Your Life

I like to wander! Just a little evening blog fling won't hurt anyone...but that letter might. Right. Yeah. Um. I'm going now. Ciao!

A Little First Draft Fun

   This one was just to get the Juice flowing. I'm just scribbling. Gosh!

One serving of Juice:

 My mother stood at the counter with a salad bowl in one hand and a towel in the other as she danced to her favorite Salsa music. She set the towel down and tossed the salad with her hands as she danced. Tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, avacado. Delicious.

     “Mamita!” She spun to face me. Our salad was already up in the air. “I think you are confused. I'm pretty sure that lettuce isn't a bowl of mardi gras beads you can toss to the crowd.”

     “Hija! I'm not tossing beads! I'm...uh, well what does it matter. She wiped her hands and shook the stray lettuce out of her hair. Anything new today? Where's your sister? I know she's not really study partners with that boy.” She gave me the look. I may as well have been el diablo the way she was looking at me.

I glanced at the salad on the floor and began to step away. She gave me a playful pinch on the shoulder.

     “Ouch!” I quickly dodged the next one.

     “You can't hide it from me forever hija. It all comes out with the wash.” I knew she was right. She always was. That's the last time I kept a secret from my mother, or maybe it was the last time I kept one for Angela. It didn't matter. It was the last time. I was waiting for it to come out in the wash. Better to wait.


So what is this first draft? Let's look at the recipe first. It is a sprig of  horrible. A dash of frustration. A life jacket labeled, "I hope you can do it,"  with all that comes the magic of jumping into revisions...but not yet. First comes pity, self loathing...and eventually a Puño of "Aha I know how to fix it!"

First drafts are all about love. Let the mess begin...

Happy writing over the weekend friends! 

A Guru or Two Up My Sleeve

"Creating and analyzing are two different processes. Don't try to do them both at the same time or you'll hurt yourself."-- I couldn't tell you who said this. I'm still searching for them. 



Today I'm reading Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul. I'll be cutting and pasting and doing all kinds of creative activities that are suggested in the book, activities that are all geared towards making me my own best critic, one that will give me a handle on my (picture book) writing. 


Next I'll be reading The Art and Craft of Writing Historical Fiction which is written by James Alexander Thom. I chose this one for obvious reasons. Yup! I have a historical YA fiction on the back burner and it needs to come off. So if you haven't read these two books. I've heard great things about them from writing buddies and blogging friends alike! So far I'm satisfied with the reading and I'm enjoying that I'm in charge of my own lesson plans and course of study. 


So I can't take leave off my holiday yet, but I wanted to update you on my progress. After all it is Woeful Workshop Wednesday today. 


P.S.- If you are looking for a new adventure, check out the new links I posted on the Write! tab above! 


Carpe Diem! Carpe PM! But please pick one or the other. Trying to accomplish both will leave you exhausted! 


Who's your guru and why such a big crush on them? Hee hee!

Eat Pray Love and Write...

I feel like that woman in Eat Pray Love. I'm restless.This year needs to be about finding my balance in writing and just being sure I know where I stand with those little pesky commas, semi-colons, and heck the whole infrastructure of my writing! I feel like it has been raining doubt for weeks with no sunshine. I need a peep hole (I got a glimpse from Lee and Low books the other day and I feel so close, I just might be a breath away) so I can peek through and see the sandy beaches (yeah the ones with the crystal clear water, the one's mermaids just might inhabit), those far away places that seem so fun and magical from a distance if we would only get on a boat, ship, or airplane and just take the leap and explore them.

This year I'm an explorer. I'm a traveler. I'm Don Quixote, circa first expedition only. I'm Columbus...Amerigo Vespucci. I'm Ten Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and swimming for the surface. I've been cooking like crazy and loving it. Now that I've been so sincere I'm not afraid to say that I believe Don Juan has entered our bedroom several times this month, oh wait that would be my loving husband. TMI I know, but I can't let you get away with thinking I haven't got the "love" part covered. I've been a character all to herself. In my own world. Let an awakening begin.

My blog will drown a little bit...okay a lot, but all in the name of discovery and preservation (not just for my writing). Before I head out though. I promised I'd let you know who the winner from December's challenge is.....

Congrats go to Melissa from Through the Looking Glass! She is splenderific. ;) I always smile after reading one of her charming, sometimes silly blog posts. So Melissa, please e-mail me your address and I will ship to you your prize. In fact, you get to pick the book! You can pick anything that is listed from December's Author Birthday Reading Challenge list.