Workshop Weekend

Had a very busy week-end! My friend, Margo, and I drove to Dedham to attend a full day workshop with New York Agent and author of Writing The Breakout Novel, Donald Maass. There were about fifty sisters-in-crime in attendance from all six of the New England states and it was nice to see the familiar faces from Crime Bake. It was such a treat to see my friend, Karen, from Long Island. I only stayed one night, but wished I had reserved the room for two nights, because Karen and I didn't really have enough time to visit. The workshop was terrific, although it felt a little long by 2:30. (Another reason I was wishing I'd reserved the room for two nights).

After dinner on Friday evening, Margo, Karen and I did some brainstorming in a quiet area of the Hotel that Karen had found. It was so good - for all of us. We all took a great new idea home with us and Karen did a line item critique for Margo. You're the best, Karen!

I haven't yet learned to post photos from my computer, so I couldn't put them all up. I didn't even want the two I did post, where they landed. I was trying to get them at the bottom of this post. Lisa!!!!! Help!!!!!!

My Eyes Are Bigger Than My Stomach

I've bitten off more than I can chew! I'm so stressed out. Two writing classes and an all-day workshop with a MASTER is turning out to be a nightmare for me. First, I signed up for a Margie Lawson course, which is very interactive, so I have another person counting on me for my input. Oh, the pressure! The class is wonderful, but I'm really short on time.

This coming week-end is the Donald Maass workshop for SinC, so I'll be gone all week-end. I'll have to bring my laptop and play catch-up Friday night, after dinner. Maybe. I'll be with two good friends, so it might be a pretty late night. Oh, but wait! Two days before the workshop my class with Writer's Digest University begins. Yikes! I don't have time to work. Oh, right, I've become accustomed to eating.

Lesson learned.

Back to business...

Valerie and Melissa Webster are as close as sisters can be. Because their not-so-ideal childhood forced them to take care of each other when no one else would, and because some things never change, they continue to be stuck together like glue. Perhaps too much so.

In an effort to create some semblance of independence, both sisters have deliberately kept a part of their lives completely private, neither one guessing each had such perfectly hidden secrets. The close quarters of a cruise ship, however, are less than ideal for keeping secrets and their lives take quite a turn when they are forced to reveal themselves to one another, and to the world.

Yay!

While perusing an issue of Writer's Digest magazine the other day, I saw the list of winners in their annual contest results so I began reading them to see if any of the names sounded familiar to me and wouldn't you know, I found one! Not only that, the name I recognized was that of one of my critique partners! She never said a word. So modest. So humble. I'm sure I would have been yelling it from the roof-tops, had it been me.

So, congratulations to Suellen Wedmore for her fourth place listing in non-ryhming poetry in the November/December 2011 issue of Writer's Digest!

Meet Rosalie!

Rosalie Chandler is a woman of a certain age. When she boards a cruise ship with her husband, Stanley, for their long-awaited cruise through the Eastern Caribbean, she has no idea how much her life is about to change.

Feeling a little depressed over her fifty-something birthday, and, oh-by-the-way, that twenty or so extra pounds that seems to have crept up on her over the last few years, Rosalie is fairly certain that her life has begun to wind down. That is, until she meets six women only a few years older than her own daughters, who welcome her with open arms into their newly formed clique.

When the group decides to gather their wits and set out to solve the mystery of a missing crew member, they, and Rosalie (dubbed, "Rosie"), by her new circle of friends, realize that she has a knack for all things investigative which makes the group look to her not only for motherly advice, but for clues and insight into the disappearance as well.

Rosalie Chandler is funny, smart and heartbreakingly fragile in this story of a woman looking for her place in the world when she doesn't seem to fit anywhere, anymore.

Cruising to a Murder

A new story means a new notebook. Oh, but wait. It has to have a matching folder. Here’s what jumped out at me.

My new story, “Cruising to a Murder,” is about seven women who meet on a cruise ship and solve a murder that the crew is trying to cover up. They become life-long friends and find themselves in some pretty funky situations in the years to come. They’re funny, smart and sometimes, a little complicated. Getting to know them has been a blast for me and I’m finally ready to write their stories. My writer friend, Karen, and I have made a pact to have our first drafts completed by Crimebake of this year. Making that commitment to each other has been a good motivator to keep it going. Thanks, Karen.

Next, I’ll find a little something that I think Rosalie, my protagonist, might carry around with her. It might be a key ring charm or a healing stone. Not sure yet as to what that might be, but I’ll know it when I see it, and I’ll keep it with me to remind myself to try and experience things from her point of view.

My friend Margo’s characters keep a journal. What a great idea. It’s a terrific way to stay in tune with all the characters, even when you’re only writing about one. And you know what? You never know what might come out on the pages of those journals.

My Favorite Blogs

I've just enrolled in an online blogging class with Gotham and it made me start thinking about my favorite blogs. One of the first things that attracts me to a blog is the visual. I love a colorful, wildly busy page where I don't know where to look first.

Of my favorites, two stand out for me, partly because I love to ride a bicycle and the other reason is, I love NYC!

www.sherylyvette.com, "A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watcher's Experience and Fitness Adventures, is by far, my favorite. Sheryl, or Bitchcakes, as she's otherwise known, blogs about her struggle with weight loss and body image. Hers is a truly inspiring story of strength and optimism. She's had an incredible journey and I only know what she's written about. She's a tiny little thing with a great, big spirit.

The Julie Blog is written by a young woman who is cute and funny and fashionable. She even has a cute husband and a cute dog. Julie bikes to work every day! In the cold! In the rain! In NYC! I especially love the pictures she takes of herself in Central Park.

Both of these women love riding their bicycles. In fact, they've named their bicycles. I follow them as though they were my own friends. From Sheryl's weekly beer and waffle fries to Julie's latest fashion designs, I love keeping up with them.

Like the two of them, I love to ride my bicycle, although I haven't yet ventured out into 28 degree weather to do it. One thing I've learned from Sheryl and Julie is that I don't have to wear sneakers and capris to ride my bike. I can wear whatever I want. These women have their own style and they wear it well!

I also have my favorite writing blogs. www.jungleredwriters.com is a good one, exercise blogs, with my daughter's being my absolute favorite of those, gettingitdoneontherun.blogspot.com and, of course, my mosaic blogs. Soon, through this class, I would like to create a mosaic blog of my own where I can post pictures of my art and hope to update this one.

Onward!