How to Write a Book

Everyone has an idea for a great book. However, there are a number of people who think that's all they need--just that one fantastic idea. What they do not seem to realize is that someone has to put all the words together before that book can be sent off to a publisher or self-published.

A considerable amount of time is required to put all the words together for a book. It takes sitting at a computer for hours and hours and hours typing in the sentences. It isn't magic.

I have been approached by more than a few individuals who think I can put their book together for them. I don't do that. I use up what spare time I have available in putting my own books together. Writing takes a lot of patience. Then, though I may proclaim my book finished, my editor certainly will not, and I will have to go through all the edits and fix each and every one. Getting a book published can be a tedious process.

There are many helpful references available to anyone who wants to write a book. If you have an incredible idea for a book, you better get started on it right now. Type out a bunch of sentences and then a bunch of paragraphs until you have perhaps 60,000 words or more.

Make sure you have a decent plot along with memorable characters. Realize that there are millions of other books available on the market and while yours is action-packed and suspenseful, the odds of you becoming incredibly wealthy overnight are rather slim.

In fact, you should definitely keep your day job.

Still, it can be very rewarding to see your book in print. If you have the drive, go for it. If you want to get your book published, don't give up. Tap out the words on the keyboard of your computer.

When your book is finally finished, send it off to a publisher or an agent. If you intend to self-publish, make sure you hire an editor to read through it. Then write another book because that is the life of a writer. If one of your books does land you a contract or sells well, it helps to have another book waiting in the wings.

Don't worry that someone will steal your idea. Those of us who are writers have plenty of our own ideas. Besides, there are really only a limited number of plots in this world.

What makes every book unique is the voice of the author.

Okay? Now get to work. :^)

No Cookouts Anytime Soon

This is our patio on the morning after the blizzard of 2016. We won't be having a cookout anytime soon. It's going to take some time for all the snow to melt. Unless we get more on top of what we've already received, which could happen. After all, it is January.

We were fortunate that we did not lose power during the storm, and we are on high ground so we don't have to worry about flooding. We were worried about our roof because a recent storm caused a few shingles to lift and we had water dripping into our living room. However, the roofer's fix seems to have held and we were delighted about that.

I spent the blizzard finishing a baby blanket I started, prompted by my crocheting friend. I also converted an old VHS tape to a DVD. I spent too much time on the internet looking at everyone else's snow pictures as well as the flooding along the coastal areas of NJ.

I shoveled snow. It was wicked outside, but we figured we better make at least one pass to get rid of what had already fallen before the rest of it came down during the night. Fortunately, we have a wonderful neighbor with a huge snowblower who helped us clear away a great deal of the white stuff. Otherwise, we'd still be out there.

I made my favorite pancakes for supper. Daughter #1 decided we deserved wine to go with them after all the shoveling. I didn't get much writing done. Listening to the wind made me too tense!

Were you in the path of the blizzard? How did you spend those hours while the storm raged outside?

Through the Reeds

One warm day last week, hubby and I went to one of the local parks for a walk. I spotted an old rotted stairway leading down to a rock dam. On one side of the dam, a thick stand of phragmites grew with a path beaten down by many feet. My curiosity got the better of me and I had to see where the path led. Would it end at the other side of the rock dam?

The phragmites were tall, making me feel short. A red-winged blackbird flew overhead, scolding me. I enjoyed the somewhat magical sensation of being hidden inside the reeds.

There are many analogies for walking along on an unknown path. For many writers, it is easy to equate  such a path to the process of writing a novel. You can't see very far ahead and you may not be sure where the next turn will lead, but it's that sense of adventure that makes writing so much fun.

Abruptly, I came to the end of my little sojourn. A broken down spillway blocked my progress. If I was more daring, I would have tried stepping over the mossy stones. But I'm not as spry as I used to be so I turned around and returned to the old stairway through my magical path. It was a short exploit, but delightful nevertheless.

Forty Years in August This Year

In August this year, hubby and I will be celebrating our Fortieth Anniversary. I thought I'd start celebrating early. :-)
Here's to forty years of fun!

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How I Learned to Crochet

These are homemade scrunchies. Daughter #3 and I made them one year when we both had long hair. We had fun crocheting an assortment of scrunchies in varied colors to go with every outfit or for specific holidays. I came upon them in the process of cleaning out Daughter #3's room. She now has a house of her own, but her hair is short so she doesn't need them any more and neither do I.

I've crocheted many other things: hats, scarves, ornaments, afghans, even little sweaters for my daughters when they were babies. I tried knitting but I didn't enjoy it. Crocheting is comfortable, easy, and it brings back good memories.

My mother taught me to crochet when I was seven years old. Mom was pregnant with my youngest sister and nearly had a miscarriage. She had been ordered to rest in bed most of the time. She was normally very active and rarely sat still. So it must have been difficult for her to stay in one place with her feet up all the time.

To stay busy without moving much, she signed up for a mail order course in interior decorating. She also took up crochet. I sat beside her and learned to move the hook through the yarn. Soon I was making doll clothes and doilies. What fun!

My mother relied upon me a lot that year. I ironed my father's shirts for work, hung out laundry, and watched my other sister. Both my brother and I learned to cook. We became quite adept and self-sufficient, which was good.

Fortunately, all went well. My youngest sister was born healthy and Mom was soon back to being active.

Every now and then, I pick up a crochet hook, think of Mom, and make something. If you want to make crocheted scrunchies, there are many places online with instructions like this one http://joyfulhomemaking.com/2013/02/easy-crochet-scrunchie.html

Go on and give it a try. You might wind up with tons of scrunchies in every color of the rainbow. :-)

Read Brooke Williams!

Brooke Williams is one of the illustrious Prism Book Group authors. I read her book Accept This Dandelion back in March of 2015.  A take-off on a reality show, it was a cute and funny book with a heartwarming end--and I enjoyed it very much even though I never watch reality shows! 

There's now a sequel Dandelions on the Road. In addition Brooke Williams has written Mamarazzi and a Christmas story, Backwards Christmas. Brooke's books are packed with words that will make you smile. ☺ 

Check out Brooke's website at http://www.authorbrookewilliams.com and download her books, which--like all of the Prism Book Group offerings--are very reasonably priced.