Spring Writing - Tracy Krauss

Spring break starts tomorrow in our school district, and believe me, kids and teachers alike are ready for a reprieve! Unfortunately, the weather man didn't get the memo. It's been nothing but WINTER weather in the past few days. All the extra snow we've had lately will make the skiers, snowboarders and back country sledders happy, I'm sure. Fortunately for me, I have other plans that won't be affected by the inclement weather.

In my mind, March isn't really spring anyway, so why bother 'spring cleaning'? Instead, spring break from school means an opportunity to dig out some writing projects that I've set aside. I've got so many 'Works In Progress' that it might be hard to choose which one I want to focus on. Still, I plan to spend large portions of my day clacking away at the computer or even sitting with an old fashioned pen and my journal. Either way, I can hardly wait to let the words flow without worrying about the time.

My goal for this year has been to put my writing first over many of the promotional activities that seem to suck up so much of my time. 'Just Write' has been my motto - something I've been blogging about on my personal blog since January. While I've accomplished more in terms of word count than I normally would by this time in the year, it has still been a challenge to write creatively everyday.

Like anything worthwhile, it takes self discipline to write on a consistent basis when there are so many other things vying for one's attention. The 'lack of time' factor is mostly an excuse, I've found, since I can think of more than one occasion when I've sat down to watch TV for half an hour and it turned into three.The more consistent I am, however, the easier it is to 'just write' and skip the distractions. As many of you know, once a story gets going, its hard to stop writing, and when you visit that story on a daily basis, you soon find yourself waiting with anticipation for that precious time of day when you can get back to your story. It doesn't take much time to reacquaint yourself and get immersed once again, since it is still fresh in your mind. Also, practicing on a daily basis speeds up the process itself. I'm quite sure that I am writing more in less time and with a higher quality.

May I encourage you to dust off that writing project? Or, why not start a fresh new one? Either way, make it your habit to write everyday!

Tracy Krauss blogs at: 'Expression Express'
Website: tracykrauss.com

A Writer's Worst Nightmare by T. L. Wiens

I recently agreed to swap reviews of my books with another author. I’m not sure what made me even consider it but I was committed to read the two books I received in an email.

I don’t know what I expected but I got a menu guide to all the restaurants in the area where her books are set as she described in detail every meal eaten by her main characters. The plots were cliché and predictable.

This author can describe menus and settings so she must have some writing skills. So what happened that she published these books that are amongst the poorest I have ever read? Judging by who published her book, I’d say she was a victim of bad publishing, poor editing and well meaning friends of family not being honest with the quality of her manuscripts. She was published by Publish America.

Here’s what the Preditors and Editors site had to say about Publish America: “PublishAmerica (aka PA, aka AmErica House): Conflict of interest. Also runs literary agency. A vanity press with a poor contract. Numerous writer complaints. Author mill and plagiarist. Strongly not recommended. Rated F by the BBB.”

A simple search turned up a lot of complaints about this publishing house.

The lure to publish can be so strong and if you don’t know anything about publishing, it’s easy to fall prey to the promise of your words in print. After reading these books, I am reminded just how wrong things can go without checking things out. And it can be so daunting. I’ve been going through my “2012 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market.” Even with this resource, I’m overwhelmed. Thank goodness I have years worth of experience only one email message away.

Inscribe is a wonderful place for authors. If only the author of these books would have had a group like this to turn to when she began her journey into publishing. We can share with one another and ask the questions that need asking. We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all stuck the wrong word in the wrong place at some point in our careers. As fellow authors, we have so much we can do for each other and there’s no fear of looking silly. It is truly a blessing to be part of such a wonderful group.

Flickering Light: Lorrie Orr

I love looking up at the sky on a clear night.  Glittering and brilliant stars illumine the darkness.  A star’s energy source lies deep within it.  Gases combine and change in nuclear fusion. Energy, in the form of light and heat is emitted.

Jesus Christ tells me, his follower, to “let (my) light shine.”  Sometimes the light emitted by others seems so much brighter than my own.  It’s easy to look at the glowing Christian stars surrounding me and to compare their brilliance to my own wavering light.  I feel like a useless failure, faint, not shiny at all.

But, if just one dim star shone on a dark night, I know that my eyes would be instantly drawn to it.  God say in Isaiah 42:3b “A dimly burning wick he will not extinguish.” That promise gives me encouragement that the smallest spark of faith will not be snuffed out as if useless and unnecessary.  He has no desire to quench the sputtering light of my life.  Rather, God nourishes the faint glow of faith with His love and gentle presence in my life.  Although dim, my ordinary life contributes to the total amount of light in the world.

I can be encouraged that my life, my light, counts for something. As God’s presence and Holy Spirit fill every facet of my life, spiritual fusion will occur, resulting in a light that shines just as God wants it to shine.

Lorrie Orr
www.fabricpaperthread.blogspot.com

Staying Awake on the Job by Sharon Espeseth

Thursday is the day of Holy Week when Jesus meets his disciples in an upper room furnished by divine arrangements and prepared by two of the apostles. As planned, Jesus and his twelve celebrate the Jewish Passover. During this in-camera session, Jesus provides his men with more information: this will be his last supper with them; the bread and wine are his body broken and his blood shed for all of us; a betrayer is among them.

Although the men heard Christ's words, they question their understanding, and they can scarcely believe what they do comprehend. A betrayer in their group? What will they do without their Lord? The men talk among themselves, wondering what the others got out of the Master's message.

Jesus speaks of the shepherd being struck and the sheep scattering. Peter protests that he would never leave him. Christ warns Peter that even he will deny him three times before the cock crows.

Filled with anguish and knowing his hour is here, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to the foot of the Mount of Olives to pray. He shares with them how overwhelmed and sorrowful he feels. "Stay here," he say, "and keep watch."

Walking a stone's throw further, Jesus falls to the ground. In agony, he cries, "Abba Father. Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." After spending time with his Father, Jesus returns to his men and finds them sleeping.

Reproachfully, he says, "Could you not watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you fall not into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Jesus goes back to spend more time with God. Returning, he finds them asleep again.

Some years ago, I was at church for an hour of adoration. With company at home, I knew I'd be challenged to stay awake, so I came prepared.
I read, I prayed, I talked with God in earnest. Then I wrote the following prayer.

Prayer for an Easter Vigil

I have a short attention span, Lord. I am not sure I would have stayed awake either, that night in Gethsemane. I need to keep busy or I too will fall asleep. No doubt, your companions did not fully realize what you meant when your said, "My hour is at hand." My mind, much like the disciples, is so limited to the present, Father. Hindsight for me is such a great illuminator. "If only I had known," your disciples must have said regretfully.

Often it is those sins of omission, Lord, that trip me up; those things I wish I could go back in time and do over, or do right. Forgive me, God, when I fall short, when I have words I would like to have said, an act of kindness I would like to have done, a prayer for someone I wished I had prayed for.

Your friends who slept in Gethsemane could not go back in time, any more than I can. Help me to hold that thought every minute of every day. You have given me many second chances, Lord. But I know from experience that there is not always another occasion to "fix" a situation. Guide me, Father, in doing more things right, in acting more Christ-like, in seizing opportunities the first time, just in case. . .

(c) Sharon Espeseth

Painting of The Last Supper by Leonardo daVinci
Disciples Fall Asleep by James T. Tissot