Too long...

Wow, it certainly has been a wild ride since the last time I posted.  I started in-service for new teachers this past week and there haven't been enough hours in the day to write.  It's upsetting to know that I've put one of passions on the back burner.  I've replaced brainstorming for bulliten boards, characters for course guides, and dialogue for desks.  School is in full swing, but I can't let certain things fall to the side. It was refreshing to open up my laptop and not make a flipchart for my Promethean Board. I need to start challening myself to work on my book a little each night.  It surely can be a way to relax and forget about the stress of the day.  I've actually missed Sawyer, Bentley, and Poppy. There are about two more chapters to write and I can't wait to see what lies in store.  You might think I know what's going happen because I have a notebook full of ideas.   However, each time I write there's a surprise of something that pops into my head that isn't already written on paper.  As a colleague of mine once said, " to do great things, you must get your big rocks in order first."

Are your rocks in order?

The Importance of Titles

Whether you claim it or not, everyone has a title.  Even the "I don't like to put a label on something" people have a title.  They're the "I don't like to use a label" people. One of my titles is that I'm a writer.  Most people only consider you a writer if you have something published.  Do you want to know what I would tell those idiots, I mean misinformed individuals?  Stick and stones can break my bones, but I write better words than you do!

Titles of books are just as important as the title you give yourself.  A title should have meaning and substance. Simply Flourful has a lot of background!  The obvious is that Sawyer is a baker, hence the flour.  Throughout the book, the bakery guests call Sawyer's pastries "magical," so instead Flourful is a play on the word magical.  However, Sawyer soon realizes that the only "magical" ingredient is simply having faith in God.

A title or label isn't always a negative thing in my opinion.  Christian, Daughter, Wife, Teacher, Writer, and Singer... these are my titles.  Do you have a label?

"We're all in this together..."

No, I didn't just watch High School Musical.  Although, would I lose "cool points" if I told you I knew every song?  The things you need to keep together are your characters.  Everyone in your book needs to tie up their loose ends.  The only objection to this rule is if you want to end on a cliffhanger or if you plan on writing another book that begins where you left off. 

P.S  I hate strongly dislike books that don't have a solid ending.
I began chapter 19 tonight and I'm currently in the process of making sure Sawyer ties up what she can in the book.  My readers are probably going to be upset with where I leave Vikki and James, but they'll have to read my next one to see how it continues.

 It's funny how we're taught to tie things up at such a young age (shoes, bows, string, neckties, trashbags), but yet when it comes to our personal lives we struggle with the thing we learned to do so early in life.

Why are we so afraid of things coming to an end?

Tonight as I finally found time to work on my book, a horrifying thought overwhelmed my body.
 "My book is almost finished!"  To the non-writer you might think this is a fabulous thing because all of your hard work will come to an end. HA!  The hard part has yet to come.  The next step in writing a book is the most daunting task.  You must send your time, sweat, tears, and soul to a publisher in hopes they won't laugh in your face.  After the second or third, "You're just not what we're looking for," you would think the sting would be less painful, but alas it is not!  It's getting picked last in dodgeball all over again.Perhaps this is why I seem to be taking my sweet, precious time to finish. 

Does anyone like to be rejected?  Rejections are like wedgies.  Everyone has to go through some eventually in their life, but the thing you have to remember is to just dig deep within to pick yourself back up again.

Blessings in Disguise

Before I begin this post I would just like to point out that the word "disguise" is the most awkward looking word.  It always looks incorrect to me.  It's not, I checked Mr. Webster.  He's the one man who is ALWAYS right but I digress...I finished chapter 18 this evening.  This was an extremely difficult chapter for me to write.  Why was it hard to write, Amanda?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  I had to incorporate romance, family, conflict/resolution, and the beginning of a tragedy  into chapter 18.

I actually found myself getting teary eyed while writing about the family expressing their blessings they had that year. This tradition was started by Granny Day after Sawyer's mother passed away.  Granny Day's blessing that first year was that she got to see her daughter grow into a strong Christian woman who never lost faith even after the chemo stopped working.

Man, that part really got to me.  It made me start thinking about my blessings.  The only conclusion that I could come up with was, "my cup runneth over."  What are you blessed for this year?

Stop while you're ahead...

Sometimes in life you'll come across things that you can't stop doing but should...

1.  Eating a third second roll at Roadhouse
2.  Saying "yes" to one more mile on the elliptical when your legs are already on fire
3.  Becoming a sucker customer at the car wash when they want you to upgrade to the next level
4.  Singing your favorite Disney song as loud as you can only to realize the car window is rolled down
5.  Watching your trashy beloved teen drama show (Make It or Break It, Vampire Diaries, Secret Life)

You're probably asking yourself..."What's the point of this post?"

Sometimes in your writing you'll find that the words come naturally and everything is going splendid.  However, all of the sudden you have no idea where you want to go in the story.  IT'S OKAY!  Stop while you're ahead.  You never want to end your writing time on a frustrated note. Rejoice in the fact that you were able to get material down.  In the words of a famous ginger, "The sun will come out...tomorrow."

Do we still laugh at the small things in life?

Writing lately has been extremely difficult for me.  No, I'm not having "the block" again.  My time has become sparse.  Studying for the ELA 4-8 exam, reading 8th grade material, and taking care of two spoiled well-loved dogs has consumed my summer.  However, I did manage to squeeze in some writing tonight as my two puppies snuggled next to me.

The bakery that Sawyer owns is getting ready for their annual Christmas Eve party, and everyone will be in attendance.  Sawyer begins reminisce about what Christmas Eve used to be before everything happened and finds herself longing for tradition.  The important thing that you have to remember about writing is to make sure you would enjoy reading your book.  "You are your worse critic."  That phrase comes to life when you decide to finally put your ideas down on paper.  As I was writing tonight, I found myself laughing out loud.  I'm sure Chase thought I was crazy beautiful.  One of my minor characters is an old man named Peter Fields.  He owns the bookstore across from the bakery and is Poppy's "BFF."  Peter enjoys playing the saxophone at Christmas Eve and last year he thought it would be funny to learn Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer and play it for Poppy.  I'm sure Granny Day was giving him a snide remark from heaven.

Laughing at your own material is good for the soul.  Have you laughed lately?

Can you have too much of a good thing?

I'm a firm believer in you can never have too much coffee.  You can never have too many hugs from your loved ones and the amount of prayers you can say has no limit.  However, I'm sad to say I did take a break from writing.  After I finished chapter 17, I was completely spent. I noticed that I as I was starting chapter 18 it felt more like a chore than a passion.  Your craft should NEVER feel like an obligation. I took a week break and I've come back refreshed.  Excitement filled my body tonight as I began chapter 18.  It was terrific!  You just need to step back and breathe sometimes.  Simply Flourful will have a BIG change soon and I hope the characters of Simply Flourful will be able to handle it.

Is your passion still fabulous or has it become a flop?

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark"

No, it's not a reference to Hamlet, although I did love that play.  I mean something is rotten in Simply Flourful. Yes, I realize my last post was about conflict surfacing.  However, I'm still writing on it.  I've been a little busy lately.  Finishing my last year at Navasota, moving to Dallas, and trying to find a job have taken over my life.  I feel a lot like Sawyer in that way.  Something is trying to take over her life and she is struggling with not allowing it to take away her passion.  She is learning to have more faith in God and in herself to keep the strength she once had.  I see a lot of myself in Sawyer.  My kitchen has been filled with the sounds of me baking lately.  I now see why Sawyer finds peace when she bakes.  Today I made an apple pie with a brown sugar oat crumble and a gingersnap crust.  It was simply delish!

Day 365

No, I have not been writing for a year now.  However, sometimes it feels like my book will never be finished. I opened up my laptop today and began to type.  My acerbic wit filled the pages of my screen and I began to feel like I was making progress.  I looked down at my screen and realized that I'd typed three pages and was just scratching the surface of my idea.  Some people call it being "wordy" but I feel I'm just elaborating in detail.  I guess that's why writers have editors.  He'll eliminate any crap fluff I don't really need.  I'm truly enthralled with the chapter I'm writing.  Conflict is brewing and Sawyer can smell it.  Little does she know the main issue is with someone she thought cared.

Chapter 16: The cliffhanger

Man, I am on a roll.  No, I'm not talking about one of those Little Debbie strawberry rolls.  Although those are quite delicious.  I'm talking about my writing.  Chapter 16 was a breeze to type.  However, I'm sad to say that my book is slowly coming to a close.  I only have a few more chapters to write.  I know, stop crying.  It's going to be okay because the book will end on a cliffhanger that leads into my next one.  I know what you're thinking.  "She's going to write another one?  Why would she put herself through that?"  I have a strange obsession passion for literature.  Blame it on the wonderful education I received at Texas A&M University as an ENGLISH MAJOR.  My college life consisted of reading and writing.  One could only be so privileged to have that luxury. I long to see my work in print.  Yes, I realize that "technically" this blog is my published work, but I want achieve publication the "old school" way.  I want to peel the binding back of my book and smell the pages fresh of the press.  Weird...no.  Eccentric...maybe.  Passionate... definitely.

"I Got To Get In The Zone."

Britney Spears had the right idea with those lyrics.  Don't judge me and my knowledge of the once teen pop star's lyrics.  I bet you even know some of the lyrics to "Hit Me Baby One More Time."  Although I'm 99.9% sure she wasn't talking about writing, the concept still applies.  You have to "be in the zone" to write something great.  I was in the zone last night.  Chapter 15 of my book was going to be the death of me.   Considering myself a sane person normally, I noticed I was allowing the "date" chapter to devour me.  I finally decided that my main characters were going to make dinner and dessert together.  Magic happened once I started to talk about how Sawyer was going to make Bentley a Mexican Chocolate Souffle. The words flowed from my fingertips. I even found myself giving instructions on how to bake one.  I have to give a special plug to my husband here.  He's the one who inspired me to explain the baking terms I use in chapters and that I should secretly give my reader baking lessons.  Have you gotten in the zone lately?

Side Note:  I pretty sure the word zone has never been used so many times in one paragraph.

"To Speak or Not to Speak"

Did you miss me?  My apologies for the lack of blogging.  That crazy thing called life happened.  However, I'm back and ready to tackle the issue of dialogue or dialog according to Mr. Webster. 

It's extremely important that you match your character with the right dialogue.  You can lose your reader if  their lines aren't entertaining or don't fit the style of their character.  Sawyer has an addiction admiration for coffee that I emphasize when she works in the bakery.  James has a "quirky" personalty that shines through with his conversations to Vikki.  Bentley and Poppy take the word sarcasm to a new level.  Be sure that you enjoy writing your character's lines.  I leave you with a few for inspiration.

“Oh, maybe it’s that cute guy who comes in every Tuesday after his business class and orders a Napoleon with strawberries and a nonfat vanilla latte with whip,” suggested Vikki. “He always smiles and winks at you when you hand him his order.”

“That’s because I just sold him a legal stimulant with a bag of sugar on the side.”  -Besides, a real man shouldn't order what he orders, not to mention he constantly has his phone in his ear as if the world can’t do anything without him.” 

Distractions

I feel like this blinking cursor is my ultimate demise.  Plenty of ideas fill my journals and my chapters are outlined, but I've been having difficulty forming words.  How can a piece of technology have the power to lower my self-esteem?  Sometimes I feel the blinking cursor is saying blink you suck blink you suck blink.  Perhaps I'm letting my life distractions hinder my love for writing.  Stacks of research papers to grade line my desk at school.  Bad dreams of having no idea where/if I'm teaching in the fall have taken a permanent residence   Empty boxes longing to be filled take up space in the duplex.  Three years of crap useful materials sit in my classroom yet to be packed.  Upcoming dental surgery plague my thoughts.  Why do we let outside things stop us from doing the things we love?  Why is it so hard to let go and let God?

Romantic Cheese

I have always been a fanatic fan of romantic comedies.  It's funny, little did I know I was gathering research for my future book.  I'm in the process of writing a chapter that has the first romantic date of my two main characters.  All of the cheese that I have been consuming throughout my life has primed me for this very moment.    Developing romantic gestures is crucial because all of your ideas need to be unique.  If your reader has seen or read it a thousand times, you won't be able to reach the "awe" status.  I think I have achieved greatness.  I will leave you with a few words...

poinsettias, Christmas lights, ribbon candy, and of course food "magic."

You're hooked.  Right?

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

This past Friday the ideas began to flow from my pen to my journal.  Driving home from work that day I was ecstatic to open up my laptop and let the words pour from my fingertips.  Digging through the dark abyss that I call my laptop bag, I was stricken with grief to realize that my charger was left at work.  How was I going to wait the entire weekend to spill my thoughts onto the screen?  Taking a break from writing this weekend reminded me how much I truly love it.  This post might be short, but to me it says a lot.

Passion in Writing

One of the greatest pieces of advice I could give to another writer would be, write what you're passionate about.  If someone were to ask me to sum up my book in five words my answer would be:  God, family, love, coffee, and dessert.  I strongly believe that you can't function without any of these.

1.  God is my foundation on which I live my life.  He gives me peace when I'm impatient and strength when I'm weak.

2.  As crazy as my family can be sometimes, they have helped to shape my character.

3.  To quote Moulin Rouge, "A life without love?  That's terrible!"

4.  Coffee is the drink that cures all.

5.  A meal isn't complete without a little something sweet.

Editors

One of the hardest steps in writing a book is finding the right editor.  I truly enjoy being an English teacher, but my passion is literature not grammar.  Needless to say when I begin writing my concerns don't contain the words comma splice or verb agreement.  Creating vivid content is my forte.  I leave the mechanics to Chase, my husband.  He has been a good wonderful book editor for me.  The way he "dissects" my sentences is amazing.  I really should be thanking his high school English teacher.  She has made him a grammar freak guru. I'm extremely blessed to have his constant support.  The advice he gives is completely constructive and is making my book publisher worthy.  I just have to find a publisher.  Any takers? A little note to all my writers out there:  Don't be afraid to let someone "criticize" your material.  A good writer takes the criticism and applies it to their craft.

Catching the Audience

Besides the inspiration question, I am constantly asked about the content of my book.  You would think the answer would come naturally, but I soon find myself stumbling over my words and confusing the person who originally asked the question.  What?  Me?  Confuse someone? I know, shocking!  So, I thought about times when I would go into a local bookstore and select a piece of literature that attracted my fancy.  What made me select that work?  It was all about the information on the back cover.  If my book were to ever get published, the back would probably read something like this.

When Sawyer Kelley inherited the family bakery, she though everything would be a piece of cake.  However, learning to embrace the baker within is quite a challenge.  Fighting with her estranged father who wants to sell their memories only makes matters worse.  However, when a handsome chef comes into the kitchen, strange things start to happen.  She soon learns that passion is the "magical" ingredient in any recipe.  Will Sawyer accept  the pastry chef she was meant to be or will she fall in like a chocolate souffle?

Inspiration

Where do you get your ideas?  Everywhere.  This is the question that I constantly encounter on a daily basis.  I know the answer of "everywhere" is a cliche, but it's true.  For example, I was standing out on my new patio watching the rain trickle down and it hit me.  Why don't I have Bentley and Sawyer get caught in the rain?  I mean my book does take place in Seattle.  Inspiration comes from anything and anyone.  The mind just has to be open enough to interpret the creativity. The rain also reminded me to appreciate the little things in life.  I forgot how much I love the smell of rain and listening to cars splash over the puddles.

There's a picture of Granny Day that hangs in the kitchen of the bakery.  Sawyer Kelley blows a kiss to it everyday. This gesture reassures her that nothing is to horrible as long as you have faith.  It could be a picture or a rain drop that fuels your spirit.

Where do you find your inspiration?

"My mama told me there'd be days like this."

One of the biggest struggles that a writer can deal with is a block.  This afternoon I opened up my laptop to work on my book and nothing.  I couldn't find the words to put my ideas into action.  It was like a snowstorm up there all white and fuzzy.

So, you're probably thinking ,"How do you get yourself out of this predicament?"

Everyone has their own remedy for a block.  Some go running to clear their mind, but even though I love the idea of running (feet on pavement and running from your problems) the asthma gets in the way sometimes.  Others might watch TV or listen to music to escape.   I am apart of the technology generation, but these things do not aide in recovering from a block.  The only solution that I have found to be successful is to brainstorm in my journal.  I know, writing to fix a writing problem?  You're probably thinking she's a nut genius. It helps.  I spill all of my ideas down on paper.  Incomplete sentences, single words, and pictures if necessary seem to get me focused again.  Away I go to my journal.  I hope the doctor is in.

The Power of Names

When one begins to write a book, it's easy to get lost in elaborating.  Don't get me wrong, it is an important aspect in catching your reader's attention.  However, you need to make sure and consider the names of locations within your book.  Everything should have meaning behind it.

For instance, the bakery that Sawyer owns is La Boulangerie Foi.  Translated from the French it means "The Bakery of Faith."  You'll learn that Granny Day, the original owner,  came up with the name when she realized she must have faith in herself not to indulge in the pastries she was making.  She was also a strong believer in having faith in God because he was the only one to give her enough patience to deal with Sawyer's father.
Bentley's restaurant is Crush.  He wants his guests to get butterflies, their pulses to race, and for them to get tongue tied when they experience his food.  The food should be just as intense as a "first crush."

All it takes is a deep consideration of names to draw you reader into your world.

Food for Thought

Writing a book about a woman who is a baker makes you realize how many words there are to describe flavor.

*tasty

*mouth-watering

*delectable

*yummy

*scrumptious

*succulent

*tantalizing

*luscious

*savory

This list barely scraps the surface.  You know that you have described food in detail when you start salivating over your own creation.  Here are just a few of the concoctions I've come up with for Simply Flourful.

*chocolate souffle with a salted caramel ganache

*lemon tart with fresh blackberry compote

*chocolate-hazelnut tart drizzled with a white chocolate sauce

*orange-cranberry scone

*honey lavender muffins

*vanilla eclair with an almond cream

Envious of Characters

I came to the realization today that I'm jealous of the characters in my book.  Sawyer Kelley gets to experiment in a bakery and drink free coffee.  Yes, I understand that I could do this in my own kitchen, but Sawyer gets paid for it!  Developing your characters can be a daunting wonderful task sometimes.  You have to create a character that your reader can fall in love with or want to fall off a cliff.

You'll never understand the obsession devotion to your craft until you feel what your character goes through.  There are times when you begin writing and get lost in the words because you find yourself in a relationship with them.  Excitement fills my body as I wonder about what's going to happen to my characters.  Will Bentley accept Sawyer's strange gift?  Does James ever stop drooling over the oblivious Vikki?

The Daily Struggles of a Writer

So, I've tried the world of blogging a couple of years ago and found it to be quite time consuming.  However, I'm using this blog as an outlet for my book.  I guess I should explain that I'm writing a book. My deadline to finish is this December, and I've come to realize that writing is a love/hate relationship.  There are days when I brainstorm in my journal for days, but lately I've received the dreaded "writer's block."

This blog will serve as a blessing and a curse.  It will detail all the struggles that come with writing a book, but will also describe the rare occasion of standing back in awe of your own words.  I long for the day when I can say, "look for Simply Flourful coming to a bookstore near you."