Stuck in Writerly Discontent...HERE COMES THE SUN

You know how sometimes, suddenly, on the bleakest day...or week....or month, the sun break through? Writing-wise, I've been having one of those months. Now, when it should be spring and my writer's heart should be abuzz with springish ideas: birds, flowers, brand new picture books... it's still dark, dreary winter. It's been a long long long winter of  writerly discontent. And I was sick and tired of it--

Then came the sun!

That warm, bright golden ray of sunshine came in the form of a note from Robyn Conley, Book Doctor,  writer, friend, savant.

I might have mentioned (in a whinny, sniveling sentence or two) that I was being a writing slug. And, Dr. Robyn came through with exactly the prescription I needed.

"Have you ever heard Jodi Thomas' talk about the seasons for writers?  When we're in the 'winters,' she says, we're to read more of what we love and fall into infatuation with words and phrasings again.  Before long our desire to pen prose just as wonderful is irresistible and we're dancing in the spring time of tappeting, tappeting, tappeting across the keyboard."

And then, she tossed in the title of an " inspirational/prompt-filled writing book.... It's been out since 1999, but is available on Amazon.  Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg."

That's all I'm sharing--cause I've got a reading prescription to fill--besides if you want the Book Doctor's help curing what's ailing you, give her a call!

SHINE ON!

I Wrote That?

I just received a note from my publisher's publicity department (my publisher, I love typing that). They want me to send them my website info and to update my bio and photo. It is wonderful that they asked. I’m delighted that they want their authors’ and illustrators’ info to be current. But that is not the truly thrilling and part. The list of people on the group e-mail is what is amazing. Candlewick Press publishes fabulous books by brilliant authors, with art by amazingly talented illustrators—check the list for yourself! I don't want to check the list again, it makes nervous. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. For someone to say, “gotcha” Kelly and strip me of my “Author” title the way Jason McCord had his stripes ripped off at the beginning of every episode of Branded.

That’s the way it is for lots of us writer types. (I know, I’ve asked around.) Often we really don’t know where our best writing comes from and when. And more often than not it turns out that the “author” has not created the story as much as he or she “channeled it” that is, stepped aside and allowed it room to happen. We all have our ways of letting the creative spirit bubble up. I tend to circle the process like a cat, getting close, but not too close, until I’m ready to pounce. By pounce I mean write it…yep, no matter how the story comes to us, in the end we all have to spend the time in the chair writing it (That’s why they call us writers.) And while I may not remember where the ideas for my stories come from, or how I thought up that magnificent, fabulous, incredible Title/last line: Not Norman, I do remember all the time I spent BIC (Butt in Chair as Robyn Weaver, the Book Doctor, says www.robynweaver.com.) writing, writing, writing.

I’ve made my decision. I’m not going to challenge this notice from Candlewick. I’m going to take full credit as “author” and update my photo, bio, and website info as requested...even if I don’t recall writing those wonderful words I said I did.