Betsy Love LDS Author

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!

2011-12-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

So many of your have been so wonderfully generous and kind.

Thanks to all who donated to make Isaac's hearing aids a reality.

He leaves on Wednesday for Utah, then he's off to Romania.

He will be an amazing missionary.

Here are some fun pictures taken since he got his hearing aids on Friday!

The proud mother, Theresa and her son Isaac

You can barely see them

Holding his hearing aid

Isaac and I at Latter-day Cottage in Mesa

Stephanie Abney, Theresa, Isaac and I at his farewell last night

A Boy with a Mission-and a GREAT need

2011-09-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

I know a boy, a very handsome boy,

who happens to be a miracle. His name is Isaac Sneed. He just got his mission call for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My family got to be there when he read the letter that explained where he will be serving. He is going to the Romania Bucharest Mission and reports to the Mission Training Center in Salt Lake City on Dec. 14, 2011.

Let me back up about 11 years, a time I remember well. Isaac's mom, Theresa Sneed is my best friend. Her son started complaining about his "tummy". You know, the kinds of complaints all kids have. Only his ache never went away.

Long story short--he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer. This cancer is almost always fatal, and most children who get this kind of cancer are diagnosed by the age of 2. By the time it is discovered, the cancer usually spreads to the point of no return. Through a miracle, his tumor was completely intact and the doctors were able to remove it. Isaac was 8.

As a result of his treatment (chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplant), Isaac's suffers from significant hearing loss.

So why am I writing today? Because Isaac needs hearing aids to be the best missionary he can be. Learning a new language is challenging for a normal missionary with a set of good ears, so you can imagine what Isaac's challenge will be with significant hearing loss.

The cost of hearing aids is approximately $6500. His parents are currently without health insurance and cannot afford to purchase them. If you have a heart, and I know you do, would you please make a donation to get them for him. Every little bit helps. So far $110 has been collected in his behalf. But that's a long way from the total we need. Even small amounts add up. You can go to any Chase bank and deposit funds. The account number is: 2996079725.

Thank you for your generosity and Christ-like love! Your donation may remain anonymous if you'd like.

Blogging Blues-Or I'm changing my plan!

2011-09-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

I started this blog as a way to journal, post stories, just for fun. However, I'm starting to rethink this whole blogger thing. I'm going to change the format of this blog. This is going to be my personal blog. The one where I get to vent, post stories I've written, and just be a little more about me. I'm going to use my other blog: Ramblings of a Random Writer as my official writer/author's blog. I'm going to post reviews, author interviews, and writing tidbits on that site. So, if you're following me here and not finding what you're looking for in an author site, then go visit me at the link above.

Because, this is me:

Well, not just me, but my handsome wonderful husband, too!

Struggles with Edits

2011-08-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Waters of Mormon
By Walter Rane

I am in the throes of editing my Book of Mormon novel, Soulfire. My amazing editor believes in my story, I believe in my story, and my friends who have read it believe in my story.

The writing SUCKS!

Okay, maybe that's being a little harsh. I wrote this book over twenty years ago while I was a beginning writer. In fact it started out as a short story. I let it sit for a couple of years. Then the bug to write a novel hit me, but I didn't know about what.

While I was struggling, it came to me that I should turn my short story into a novel--it certainly had the potential for a longer version. It took me seven years to write it. During that time I experimented with different writing styles, never being able to quite find my voice.

So now as I look back at this story, I'm having to really hard time editing it. Sometimes I think I just want to start over and rewrite the whole thing. So what keeps me from doing just that?

What do you do when you're stuck? When you're revising and you don't enjoy the process? What helps you?

Hang 'em High-by Tristi Pinkston

2011-07-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Author Tristi Pinkston is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.

Titled Hang ‘em High, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana. When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her. They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son. What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.

***

Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways. First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day! All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.

Second, come to the book launch!

You are invited to an

August Authorama!

Saturday, August 13th

Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem

12 – 4 pm

Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,

and Dutch oven cobbler

prepared by world champion cook

Keith Fisher.

Authors Tristi Pinkston, J. Lloyd Morgan, Cindy Hogan,

Nichole Giles, and Heather Justesen

will all be there to sign books.

This is one book launch event

you will not want to miss!

ANWA Writer's Retreat-or why have I been so silent?

2011-07-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Our gorgeous cabin

Last week was amazing to say the least! What happens when you get 32 women together in 5000+ square foot cabin, loaded with plenty of snacks, and great classes on writing and creativity? You get a retreat to die for.

Did I mention snacks?

You'd think that putting that many women together would be nothing but chatter. But what if those women are writers? What if they have a passion for the story? They ignore each other during quiet writing times and only the sound of laptop keys clicking away and pens scratching on paper is heard.

The kitchen-darling, huh?

For me it was an incredibly productive week. During that time I managed to pump out over ten thousand words, and that was in only 3 days. Imagine what I could do if I was on retreat every week. Alas my dear family needs me. (Yes, I did come home to a yucky house).

The Gals!

But with all said, I came away with a great grip on my new story. I advanced the plot, and got to know the characters better.

Review of Winning Mr. Wrong

2011-07-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Winning Mr. Wrong by Marie Higgins

When Charley sets out to win the man of her dreams through a series of internet fail-proof steps, she is lead into one disaster after another. Damien, the womanizing neighbor tries to help her, which makes matters even worse. You will get plenty of laughs out of Charley's antics to win Max. I won't spoil it and tell you who she ends up, but you'll enjoy her discoveries about herself and why she can't seem to keep "Mr. Right" for more than three months. This sweet romance is refreshing and delightful. Lots of quippy dialogue and romantic tension. A fun summer read for sure!

View all my reviews

You can find Marie Higgins' blog here.

Too Busy to Blog

2011-07-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

What happens when you're in the middle of final edits, galley's and all the amazing happenings when a brand new author gets a book published? I'll tell you, the blog goes to pot. But I am truly excited. Today I got to see my cover for the first time. I stared at it for almost a full two minutes. Then I did this really weird thing. I walked into the bathroom, looked at myself in the mirror walked back to the computer, continued to stare at it for another minute. Then as calm as could be I went to my son in the other room and said, "I have something I want you to see." I think I was in shock. As we both stood there looking at it, I started crying. Then I started giggling, then I started dancing around the room! This was MY book cover. My honest to goodness book cover. And soon my words will be inside of it and sitting on a shelf in a book store!!!!!!! (I know better than to use that many exclamation points, but hey, I can...that's how excited I am.) So here is my book cover.

Interview with Donna Hatch

2011-06-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Donna, your new release, Queen in Exile, is described as a Fantasy, can you tell us a little about the book?

It’s sort of a blend between a fairy tale and a medieval-style romance, mixed liberally with adventure. Here’s my official pitch: The last surviving member of her family, a princess must place her life, and the fate of her kingdom, into the hands of a trained killer. But accepting her destiny, and her own dark powers, will mean losing the man she loves.

In the past, you seem to have focused on Historical and Regency genres. What made you decide to try a Fantasy? How did you like writing Speculative Fiction as opposed to Historical?

I have loved fantasy almost as long as I have loved historical. I grew up reading both; the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, Jane Austen, Anne of Green Gable, and Jane Eyre, plus I adored fairy tales, which are very magical and have lots of fantasy elements. Then, a little later, I discovered authors such as Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, Andre Norton, and Terry Brooks. So I grew up with two loves. When I started writing as a kid, I wrote fantasy because I loved being swept away into a totally new world. My fantasy novel was actually conceived when I was a junior in high school. About a hundred revisions (or more) later, Queen in Exile is the finished product. I like writing both genres; both are pretty much new worlds, since we don’t live in the same world as Regency England, so there’s a lot of imagination and world building required for both historical and fantasy.

What did you find were the major differences between the two? Was anything more or less difficult?

Both required extensive research, the Regency much more than the fantasy, of course, but I did research knights, weaponry, battle tactics and the Japanese Samurai Warriors, after whom my hero is patterned. There is a little more freedom with regards to research in fantasy. If I need something to happen in the fantasy story, I don’t have to stop and find out if that’s based on any sort of historical event or custom, so that part is really convenient.

On the subject of difficult, just how much research do you think is required to write effective, believable Regency Romance? (Readers, I am fascinated by the prospect, but fear the organization involved just might kill me)

I actually wanted to write historical novels all along, but was intimidated by the research required. But I had a story that just had to be told with characters demanding I tell it. So I read and re-read a lot of Jane Austin and Charlotte Bronte to help give me a good idea about the world and customs in which they lived, because they write books that took place during their time, so they weren’t making any historical inaccuracies, which one would normally find in a historical written today. I also joined a couple of on line Regency research groups where we discuss aspects of the era. I read a lot! It’s an on-going process and sometimes I learn things that make me wish I could go back and edit my previously-written books to correct mistakes.

That being said, I don’t think an aspiring historical author should wait until she/he thinks they know everything there is to know about that time period to write about it. Otherwise, they’d never write it!

Your book covers are stunning across the board. How much input did you have in designing them?

Thank you! In all cases with both publishers, I was asked to submit detailed character descriptions, questions about the tone of the story, and a basic concept of the cover. In The Stranger She Married, they gave me a heroine with the eye color spot-on, but nothing about the rest of the cover was what I had envisioned. I liked it instantly, though. Queen in Exile included a castle, but that was about it as far as what I’d asked to have on the cover. The Guise of a Gentleman was almost exactly what I wanted, right down to the Jolly Roger waving across one corner.

What other projects are you working on?

I’m working on book three of the Regency Series. It’s rough-drafted and I’ve just begun revisions and edits. I’ve also started writing a dark young adult paranormal. No, there are no vampires ;-)

Do you have any favorite advice to give for the aspiring authors out there?

Be persistent. Most people have dreams of writing a novel, but never finish one. Most people who finish a novel never submit it, and most who submit, give up after a few rejections.

I wish you the greatest success with the new book! Can you tell us where we can find it?

You can find my books at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and my website www.donnahatch.com. Queen in Exile is also available at Costcos across the country. The Guise of a Gentleman is also available at www.thewildrosepress.com Here is the direct link to my book page. The Wild Rose Press

I’m also running a contest to win a book for free and you have five chances if you do all five, or you can just do one or a few:

1. go to my website and then find out what is the name of the hero of The Guise of a Gentleman (hint, read the backcover blurb underneath the book cover), then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com, telling me the answer to the question and put "free book" in the subject line

2. go to my website and then find out what is the name of the hero of Queen in Exile (hint, read the backcover blurb underneath the book cover), then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com, telling me the answer to the question and put "free book" in the subject line.

3. Follow my blog, then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com, telling me you're now following me and put "free book" in the subject line.

4. Leave a comment in my blog, www.donnahatch.blogspot.com. Then send me an email at donnahatch29@gmail.com and put “free book” in the subject line.

5. Friend me on Facebook, Click here then send me an email at donnahatch29 at gmail dot com, telling me you're now my friend on Face book and put "free book" in the subject line.

Remember, for each thing you do, you have another chance to win. Good Luck!!!

Thank you, Donna for joining us. You can find Donna’s books at Amazon, Your local bookstore, and her website, www.donnahatch.com. Queen in Exile is also available at Costcos across the country.

Cayman Summer by Angel Morrison

2011-06-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

Angel Morrison, my fellow ANWA member, and author of Taken by Storm and Unbroken Connection finishes up her series with Cayman Summer.

"In Morrison's debut young adult novel, TAKEN BY STORM, Michael faces incredible loss, but he finds Leesie. UNBROKEN CONNECTION is Leesie's story. By the final page, she is broken and battered--physically and spiritually. Morrison vowed to her readers not to leave her that way. CAYMAN SUMMER recounts Michael and Leesie's final journey.
"Michael takes Leesie to the Cayman Islands to heal. Time, sunshine, and Michael's devotion free her of physical pain, but grief and guilt haunt her. Michael will do anything to find the old Leesie who prayed, spoke of visions, and kept the rules. For Leesie, that girl is lost forever. Rules? What's the point now? She's ready to break every one."

You won't want to miss this contest. She is giving away some amazing prizes. So head on over to her blog to enter. Click here to visit. You'll be glad you did.

Shared from Peggy Urry's Blog

2011-06-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

Peggy Urry posted on her blog today something that struck me. In her blog she discusses the power of words. As a writer, I have the power to heal, the power to hurt, the power to demean, or the power to build up.

One of the most powerful phrases comes from John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Think about it for a moment. What are words? What impact do they have in your everyday life? Since my greatest desire is to write using words, let them be the kind that will bring joy, will edify, will build character. I hope you enjoy this very short video about the power of words.

Thanks, Peggy, for sharing. To see Peggy's blog click here.

Clarity in Writing

2011-06-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

As I go back through my edits on my various novels, I think to myself WWJD (I know what you're thinking and no, it's not that. I've already asked those questions during my first draft.) It means, "What would Janette Do." One of my favorite writers is Janette Rallison. She has brutally slashed and hacked apart more than one of my stories, and yet I keep going back for more. Why? Because she is brilliant! She really knows writing. Along with voice, style, and point of view, she excels at Clarity.

Clarity is something I've been working for in my writing. I picked up this great little book, called A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker. In her section on Clarity she outlines 9 ways to make your writing clear:

1. Tighten wordy sentences: Get rid of redundancies, inflated phrases and needless complex structures.

2. Choose active verbs over passive. "As a rule active verbs express meaning more vigorously than their duller counterpart- forms of the verb be."

3. Balance Parallel ideas, such as paired ideas, and series or words or phrases.

4. Add needed words: "Do not omit words necessary for grammatical or logical completeness."

5. Eliminate confusing shifts: This has to do with point of view. Don't head hop. Also Shifts have to do with verb tense. Stay in the same tense.

6. Untangle mixed constructions: The subject and verb should make sense together. For instance: "Social Workers decided that Tiffany's welfare would not be safe living with her mother." Tiffany or her welfare?

7. Repair misplaced and dangling modifiers:
     Misplaced words: these include adverbs if placed in the wrong spot portray the wrong meaning. Her example: Wrong: "There are many pictures of comedians who have performed at Gavins on the wall at." Wow, that must have been hard. Gravity has a way of keeping comedians on the floor. Corrected: "On the walls are many pictures of comedians who have performed at Gavins."
   Dangling modifiers: A modifier that fails to refer to the thing it is modifying.
     Split infinitives: Putting adverbs in between the "to" and "verb" part of a sentence. Such as: Mr. Harris instructed his students to brightly sing at the concert." No, no, no...that just sound silly. Try it this way. "Mr. Harris told his students to sing brightly at the concert." Yes, that sounds so much better.

8. Provide some variety: Okay, this one is just a plain no brainer. Vary your sentence lengths and structures, combine choppy ones, shorten excessively long ones. (I'm guilty of this!). Also vary your sentence openings. I once heard that if you had to pay your editor for the number of time he/she had to take he/she out of our opening sentences, most authors wouldn't get paid. (Maybe that a bit of an exaggeration.)

9. Find an appropriate Voice: This would be one that fits your subject and your audience. You want to be sure and engage your reader.

And there you have it. Diana Hacker in a nutshell. If you'd like more information click here for more information.

Short Story Characters

2011-05-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

by Betsy Love

Round or flat, static or dynamic. What does that mean in terms of characters?

Round ones, not fat ones, are the characters that we know something about, okay we know more about them than we do other ones. Round characters are never stereotyped. They have personalities, struggles, values. How they react to any given situation is a result of their roundedness. On the other hand a flat character is almost never the main character. A flat character might make a brief appearance in the story--the cab driver, the waitress, the nosy neighbor next door.

A dynamic character is one who changes as a result of the situations in the story. He is the one who realizes something important about himself. Or she finds herself doing something she might not have done. We grow with this character and feel what he/she feels. Whereas a static character is one that does not change through out the story. Villains are often portrayed as static characters.

The most interesting characters are the ones we care about. Give me a reason to buy into why your character (good or evil) does what he/she does, and you'll have a great story.

I hope you'll take some time and write a short story and then submit it to my contest. You can read about the submission guidelines at:

Short Story Contest-Deadline May 31

Oh, and by the way, everything I just told you about short story characters applies to characters in all genres of fiction.

Happy Writing!

How to Get More Followers to Your Blog

2011-05-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

I was blog hopping the other day. I do that a lot. I found this incredible blog on how to get more people to not only visit your site, but to follow and check back frequently. Trina Boice does a great job in listing the "do's" in blogging.

Here is her #1 Tip

"Post often and on the right days: People are more likely to read blogs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays."

After reading her great advice, I laid out a plan for my blogging today.

Roughly like this:

Tuesday's Tip-I'll give some writing tips.

Thursday's Interviews-This will be author interviews, contests, blog hopping, reposts.

If you have any ideas what you'd like to see on any of these days, or would like me to interview you. Let me know. (It's all subject to change.)

So, if you haven't had a chance to look at Trina's post, jump over to her blog and check out the other 26 Traffic Ideas:

Trina's 27 Traffic Tips

Short Story Contest

2011-05-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends, Followers and Family,
In celebration of National Short Story month, I'm sponsoring a contest! I'm rather excited. The best short story will win a copy of my soon to be released novel, Identity. If you're interested, click on the link below to learn the details:

http://betsyloveldsauthor.blogspot.com/2011/05/short-story-month.html

Whatcha doing since LDStorymakers?

2011-05-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

LDStorymakers was amazing. I had no idea what to expect since this was my first time. It was like a smorgasbord of all you can eat writing ideas, helps, tips, networking, and spending. The spending part was optional. And those of you show greater restraint than I--shame on you! Those starving authors (okay maybe not, but I love a great hyperbole) depend on your pocket book, cash, visa, or checkbook to support their delicious habit.

With an average of 5 classes per session and 10 sessions, that's 50 classes to choose from. It was tough, let me tell you. I studied them, stacked them against each other, and had to agonize over which class. In some cases the choice was just plain too hard to decide. In that case I opted for the marketing one. I know my writing skills need to be improved--don't we all need that? I digress. I have to say that my favorite class was by Marion Jensen. He taught one huge no-no...one that I am embarrassed to say I do, a lot. That's sound like a running commercial for my book.

Now that I've had a nice slap on the wrist, I'm going to do better at simply connecting with fellow writers. My mantra..."Don't alienate my market!"

For the next several blogs I'm going to focus on what I learned from each of my presenters.

But before I do, I want to give a huge shout out of congrats for all of the hard work that went into the conference. I can hardly wait to go next year. And yes, I will have a book to sell in the bookstore.

So what have I been doing since Storymakers? Daydreaming-well that's what it looks like to my family and friends, but in fact, I am plotting--my next book.

I know that my Redeemer lives!

2011-04-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

Apostles testify that He lives. How grateful I am to know of this truth.

This is the true reason for Easter.

The Face in the Mirror May Not Be Your Own

2011-04-17T17:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever walked past a mirror, caught your reflection and startled yourself? Or have you ever gazed into your eyes and wondered about yourself? All right, maybe you haven’t, but being the weird writer I am, I talk to my reflection from time to time. (Only when no one’s around because they might think I’m crazy—Oh, wait, I am crazy!—I’m a writer!)

Sometimes I play my characters to see what their expression might be if they were surprised, or angry, or jealous or any other myriad or emotions. Then as I’m looking at my expression I try and think about what my stomach feels like in that moment. What happens to my head, my feet, my chest, my lungs, my hands, my head. What thoughts run through my head, what phrases escape my mouth? I do this with my various characters.

I dash off to my computer and recreate my “scene” with the mirror. It’s amazing how quickly I can nail my characters down.

You try it, but only when everyone is out of the house. You wouldn’t want to get caught in your insanity. I’ve been doing this for years. But if you tell anyone, I’ll deny it!

The People in My Head--or I'm not crazy--really

2011-04-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have this darling character, okay, I have several darling characters, okay and some not so darling. But hey, they're mine...all mine. They pester me. They taunt me. They whine, and complain and demand my attention. "Write about me next."
"No, you had your turn."
"She's done with you, it's seriously my time!"
I lie in bed--and each torments me with their stories. There's the abused wife suffering from the loss of her premature baby, the pyschotic shrink, the cowboy and his cadillac, the teenager who doesn't know she's adopted. Sometimes it's my elven child and her dragon who haunt me while I'm drifting off to sleep. Let's not under-estimate the villany of the wizard who would make her his bride in order to take her powers. Then there's man with the mysterious past come to heal a broken family.

So where do these people come from? My head, of course. Do any of you fellow writer have that same problem? Certainly, you do. That's what makes us writers. So what do you do when you have more than one story screaming to be written? I'd love to hear how you decide who gets your attention.

I'm glad my characters don't shut up, though, otherwise I'd have nothing to write about. So put me in a padded cell...

...just let me have my laptop, please!

Monday-Or only 7 of them left!

2011-04-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

I hate Mondays. I really do! (Especially after I've stayed up way too late reading a good book). But here it is again, Monday. Luckily there are only 7 of them left before my book comes out and before my darlings head off for their summer romps, forgetting everything they've learned for the last 29 Mondays.
Of course the closer to summer, the crazier my Mondays get. The more excited I get.

I vote we skip Mondays all together. (That just makes it closer to my book release.)

So what will the next 7 Mondays Bring? Since I'm so new at this whole publishing world, I'm feeling a bit clueless. I know editing happens-lots of it, an ISBN number, a cover, a blurb on the back of the book. A few pre-reviews, setting up my book launch, signings, oh, and don't forget SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION!

And with that said, my dear readers, please follow me, check back with me to see how I'm doing/holding up. And most of all, have fun with me as I giggle like a little girl on Christmas morning!

New Beginning!

2011-03-24T18:27:00.001-07:00

And so begins my journey as a soon to be published author! I've signed my contract, met with my editor, Linda Mullineaux and my marketing director Amy Orton, both incredible women. I get butterflies in my tummy (I really do) when I daydream about my book cover. I can hardly wait to see how amazing it is. If you've looked at the covers already done by Walnutsprings Press, you know what I mean! Incredible!

I hope you will come back frequently, leave a comment--virtual pats on the back are always welcome.

To my family:

Thanks for your support, love and encouragement.

Betsy Love
LDS Author

My Fair Godmother Giveaway

2011-03-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Jeanette Rallison, one of my favorite authors, is hosting a giveaway on her blogsite!

You can find her at:

http://janette-rallison.blogspot.com/

If you haven't read her work, you will love her writing. Her sense of humor keeps the reader giggling all the way through...and who doesn't need a good laugh!

Leave a comment and she'll put you in the drawing, become a follower and you get in twice. And if you're really anxious to win post a link to her website in you blogspot, like me, and you'll get 4 chances. Hey, I'm greedy...can't help!

Love you tons my fellow yellow!

The Calling I Never Want

2011-01-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

I love Relief Society Presidents! I can’t think of one I haven’t. But I often wonder how the Lord chooses the amazing sister who will love unconditionally all the sisters and their families, and meet their numerous needs.

Here is how I imagine it happens:

(The Bishop’s office-early evening, it can be any time of year, but somehow I picture this taking place in January-you know new start of the year).

Bishop: Good Morning, Sister Potential. Do you know why I called you into my office?

Sister Potential: (brushes a lock of her long hair out of her photo-shopped eyes) I have no idea. (And she doesn’t, she is that humble).

Bishop: Before we begin, let me ask you a few questions.

Sister Potential: Absolutely (smiles with her polished teeth glinting in the florescent light).

Bishop: I understand that you know how to sew.

Sister Potential: Only a little. My husband’s suit didn’t turn out quite the way I wanted it to. The left lapel was off by an eighteenth of an inch.

Bishop: I see. What about your cooking skills?

Sister Potential: Oh, dear. Did my husband tell you I burned the last batch of cookies? (She blushes). My neighbor came to the door. Her son was blue. He was choking. What could I do, I mean calling 911 would have taken too long. After I performed the Heimlich on him and calmed her down, I smelled them crisping away. The last batch was a little brown around the edges. But it was alright, because I’d made enough to spare. Between my daughter’s school party, the cookie exchange, and the two new families who moved in, there were maybe only six dozen left. I sent two dozen home with my neighbor and a Book of Mormon. And we’re all so excited that they are getting baptized. Did you know that her parents are also taking the discussions? I suppose we never know how many apples in a seed.

Bishop: Good, then I see that covers several topics I wanted to discuss with you—medical training, community involvement, and missionary work.

Sister Potential: Oh, it’s just a little thing, really.

Bishop: Now, Sister Potential, I have a very important question to ask you. How is your scripture study and personal prayers? And I need to know if you are attending the temple regularly?

Sister Potential: (dips her head in shame). Oh, Bishop, this is where I really struggle. I tried so hard this week to get that in. Between my walk at 4:39AM and the baby’s waking at 6:00AM, I’ve only been able to get in 47 minutes daily this week. Once Jr. is through teething, I’ll go back to my regular hour. And as for my personal prayers, I never miss those. Although, now that Zack is going to early morning seminary, we have to wake all the children at 6:22 so that we’re all together for family prayers. It’s been a tough week for temple attendance. You know that Brother Potential was promoted to CEO. We’ve missed three days this week. But we’re revamping our schedule so that we can do double sessions on Friday and Saturday, and maybe sneak in one on Tuesday evening while Liza is home from college. Once she gets married to her returned missionary, I don’t know how we’ll manage. You know her fiancé is going to med school.

Bishop: I see that you are committed to the gospel. I only have one more question for you Sister Potential. And this is the most important one. Do you scrapbook?

Sister Potential: (with tears in her eyes, she grabs for the Kleenex box on the corner of the bishop’s desk). Oh, Bishop, I need to repent. I’ve bought all the supplies. The photos are in organizer boxes by year, just waiting for me to get to them. I’m so ashamed to admit to all the paper in my craft cabinet. I haven’t been able to work on any of the books this month. But I promise, I’ll get to them in February, after the wedding. You know since Liza wanted all those handmade centerpieces… (she trails off something unintelligible into the tissue.)

Bishop: (leans across the desk) You know Sister Potential, that the Lord only issues calls according to our availability, not our capability.

Sister Potential: Yes, Bishop, I know (dabs her eyes—of course no mascara or make-up has been altered.)

Bishop: The Lord has called you to be the Relief Society President.

Sister Potential: Oh, dear. I don’t know if I can fulfill such an assignment. I feel so inadequate. But if this is what the Lord wants, then I will do my best.

Here’s how my interview would go:

Bishop: I hear you come to church every Sunday.

Me: Yes, and sometimes I’m in my seat before the opening prayer.

Bishop: That’s good. Hey, I was wondering, if you’re not too busy or anything, the Lord would kind of like you to be the Relief Society President—the last six said, “No.”

Me: (passes out)

Bishop: Sister Love, Sister Love! (Opens door). Brother Executive Secretary, Would you call the next person on the list? We lost another candidate.

Pink is for...

2010-10-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

The elephant has to go. I place Tiny in the wagon next to the cow bank. Balancing the sailboat on the top of all my other treasures, I drag my radio flyer out of the pink garage. Can you believe it—our house is pink. I don’t know what my mother was thinking when she painted it that way. Dad said it was because the color was special to her. I don’t think she knows how silly I feel living in a pink house.

I line up my toys along the driveway in the grass, their price tags showing. Mom helped me decide on the prices. I might have enough for my Playstation after today. All I need is ten more dollars.

Waiting for the first customers, I touch Tiny’s chipped ear. I remember when Dad brought him home from his trip to India. It doesn’t look much different than the ones you can buy in a toy store. But because Dad dragged him all the way back across the ocean makes him that much more special. I pick him up and hold him so I can see the details painted along his back, and flipping him over, I see where Dad carved my initials. I can’t sell this one, he’s too special. So I tuck him in a hiding place in the garage so he won’t be sold.

Back at my place on the lawn, I notice the stuffed bear. Grandma gave it to me for Christmas when I was a baby. We used to live with her then because Daddy was going to school. I press my face into the matted fur and pretend I can smell her favorite perfume. Grandma sprayed it on its fur when we moved far away so I could remember her when I missed her. The smell is long gone, but I imagine lavender and mint. No, I can’t sell this one either. I put him with the elephant.

I wait for customers. A nice lady with a little girl picks up the Mickey Mouse hat. My insides feel funny. Not my hat, I think. I bought that with my own money when we went to Disneyland three years ago. That’s the year that Grandpa died. He used to make a squeaky mouse sound and tease me about my bug-eye glasses. He said they matched the ears on my hat. I snatch it. “I don’t know how that got in there.” I race it into the garage and hide it under the teddy bear.

The bully from the street wanders onto the driveway. His bike is parked next to the light pole. “Gotany dollies?” He picks up the green car and makes varoom varoom noises and bumps it along the cement, before crashing it into the wheel of the wagon.

“That’s not for sale!” I yank it from him, surprised that I had the guts to do so.

Mom looks up from her book. “Arnold, I think you best go on home now.”

Arnold kicks at the wagon, the ray gun topples out, but I’m fast and snatch it up. I race it and the car into the garage and hide them with my other treasures.

My wagon is almost empty now. Just an old pair of goggles from when I learned how to swim at summer camp and the birdhouse I built in cub scouts. I can’t sell those either. I spent too long painting the triangular piece of wood to house a nest. I’ll hang it in the back yard and put some seed in it. No sense in wasting a masterpiece.

Last is my sailboat. Just before we moved a year ago, Mom and I sailed it one more time on the lake behind our house. I just can’t get rid of this. I look over at Mom. She pulls her hat down over her bald head. I look back at the sailboat. It’s the last time we’ll ever get to do something like that again.

Dad brings out glasses of lemonade and hands a couple of pills to Mom. “How’s the sale coming?” He asks.

“Great.” She says. “Maybe we’ll have enough to pay for that trip back to Seattle after all.”
That’s where she is from, where Grandma still lives. Mom wants to go see her old home one more time before… My eyes mist up and I drag the back of my hand over my nose. I’m supposed to be too young to understand what’s happening. But I do.

I look at my empty wagon and then into the shadowed garage where my treasures are hidden, and then I steal a glance at Mom. Her eyes are tired from the treatments. I know what I have to do.

At the end of the day, I empty my cow bank. I look into Mom’s eyes and hand her not only my Playstation money, but my treasure sales. “Now you can go to Seattle.”

Writer's Ramblings

2010-10-11T01:27:00.001-07:00

Why am I still up at 1:27AM. A very long Sunday nap, that's why. I'm so glad that tomorrow is Monday. What? Are you nuts? You may ask. My secret is that it's fall break and I can sleep in...well for a little bit anyway.

How long has it been since I blogged? I check the date of the last one....Are you kidding? That long? What happened to my resolve to blog? So much for my 12 step program. I still love Facebook. I guess that's an addiction I'm not willing to give up yet. But what am I doing with my writing? At the moment, quite a bit. I'm editing Identity for the hundredth time. I hear Leatherwood is looking for mystery/romances. I think I'll send it to Valor first. Tristi Pinkston read it and made some great suggestions on how to make it better. I've taken a good look at my main character and decided she really wasn't as nasty as she should be. So I made her selfish and self absorbed. I really love to hate her. But that's what we like about a character, right...watch her grow and change.

In the meantime, I'm also working on my fantasy. It's finally finished and ready for revisions. As soon as I get my other novel done, I'll work on this one. That's two of my books under construction. I have two more begging for attention as well. What is it about writing that is so gratifying? For me at least, it's a way of living vicariously through someone else. It's also a way to get to name "children" without having to raise them in the same way you raise the ones you give birth to. The ones we mentally give birth to are so much easier to train...or are they. Sometimes those kiddos take on their own personalities and opinions, just like your own children. At least with a character, if they get to out of hand, you can shelve them until you're ready to whip them into shape.

Writer's Block--or 12 step Facebook program

2010-02-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

There are some times when you know you just have nothing to write about. Like a dry well, the bucket keeps bringing up dust. What do you do in a moment like that? Do you get wrapped up in Facebook? Find yourself lost in Twitter? Or abandoning those two pastimes for something really mundane like Shockwave.com, playing hours of endless, mindless, unproductive games? Yup, that’s me lately. I’ve become the shell of a writer that I used to be. So what do I do now? What about the numerous novels I’ve started? Or how about the ones that are finished, in need of some severe rewriting?

It’s serious time to kick myself in the proverbial britches and write. Did you hear that? I said, “I’m going to write.” I will not play Farmville. I will resist the urge to see how many pointless words I can create on Text Twist. From today, I commit to writing 250 words per day on any work in progress. And should I stray from this less than lofty goal, I will spend that time editing. Either way…Good bye computer…at least in the sense of unproductivity.

I heard once that if you want the muse to inspire you, she better find you hard at work.

It’s now 8:12PM. I figure for the next hour my fingers shall be flying across the keyboard in gross absorption of the literary kind, and maybe, just maybe my muse will tickle my brain.

The Case Against My Mommy

2009-08-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

Some of my earliest childhood memories include Mommy tortures. What mother sends her child into the yard to be eaten alive by ants, or forced to choke to death on lima beans, or provides electrocution items to play with, or ties her child to a tree? Let me explain...

The house we lived in, to the best of my recollection, had a gigantic oak tree in the front yard. The yard was mostly dirt with only small patches of grass. Mommy would give me a half of a Popsicle (the kind with two sticks) and make me eat it outside. On this particular day, I sat in the dirt eating my treat and having finished it, decided that the remaining wood made a great digging tool. I proceeded to unearth whatever might lie beneath the soil. Surely someone had left some treasure for me to discover. Now for whatever reason, those toddler eating critters could smell my flesh, now dripping with melted sugar water. They made their way into my coveralls and panties and began munching away on my legs and bum and tummy. Screaming, I pranced into the house doing the ant-bite dance.

Even though I managed to survive that ordeal, I did not lose my hunger for Popsicles. My mommy knew how much I loved them but utterly detested lima beans. Nothing would make me suffer through the torture of eating those dry, nasty, green, deplorable, marble-sized, disgusting things that someone, somewhere had the outrage to call "vegetables." I know vegetables well, and love everyone of them (ok, not okra or brussel srpouts, but that's a story for another day). Picture this, a beautiful spring day, the weather is perfect outside, and it's my lunch time. What better way to ruin a perfect morning than to place these..."things" in front of me, and then tell me that in order to get my Popsicle, I must eat each and everyone of those "things". I stared at them long and hard. They stared back. I choked down every last one of those...(say it with me)..."Things". And before I had the last one chewed, those THINGS came racing back out of my stomach and gagged me with such force they spewed all over my plate.
THOSE NASTY,
MASHED,
MASTICATED....
TTTTHHHHIIINNNNGGGGSSSSS!
Mommy, in her desire to torture me, takes one look at those...THINGS and says. "Oh, Sweetheart, your tummy must be upset. I can't give you a Popsicle if you're not feeling well." Where is the justice, I ask you?

The next tragic event happened while I should have been napping. I hated naps...but not as much as lima beans. Every day after lunch Mommy put me on her bed to sleep, most days I have no recollection of falling asleep. But...on that fateful day I got electrocuted. From my vantage point I saw the most interesting slots in the wall about nine inches from the floor. They were just the right size for a bobby pin to fit into, and as destiny would have it, several of those probes sat on the night stand within easy reach. To test my theory that they would fit, I grabbed one, slid off the bed and poked that tormentor into the outlet. The demon inside grabbed my chubby fist, shook it, blackened it and the wall around socket before throwing me across the room (okay it wasn't all the way across the room, perhaps it didn't throw me at all...but hey, it's my story and that's how I chose to remember it.) Where was I? Oh, yes in the death grip of the monster in the wall. The beast then belched out flames and had the audacity to laugh at me. If Mommy saw me out of bed, I knew she would have probably inflicted more pain on my backside. The ants and lima beans had been enough torture, not to mention getting electrocuted. Nursing my burned hand I crawled back onto the bed and cried myself to sleep.

The next torture inflicted on me at Mommy's hands was ultimately the cat's fault.But I still blame Mommy. Our house, remember the big oak tree in the front, was situated close to the highway, which ran through the center of our tiny town. (Cows...a bazillion, population...my family, including cousins, distant cousins, and a few even more distant cousins. Mommy was new to town, therefore new to the gene pool, hence I escaped the inbreeding. Again a story for another time.) Where was I again? Oh, yes...the oak tree and the cat. Our gray tabby had a severe case of wander-lust. No one could explain why it never stayed around? Perhaps because of its long pull tail, ears and whiskers. If the cat and I were in the same vicinity, I made it my mission to stalk it. I'd seen it do that plenty of times with innocent field mice. Mommy's punishment for following the cat was to tie me to the oak tree. Here I have to admit my memory is very fuzzy. I actually don't recall being tied to the tree, but I've heard Mommy tell the story enough times to get a vivid picture of exactly the kind of torture she inflicted on me. I imagined myself trussed up to the tree with my back against the trunk, screaming "Daddy, save me, save me." I'm surprised the ants didn't hear me and seize that opportunity to have me for breakfast. Alas, I was only set free to come inside to choke on lima beans and be electrocuted.

It wasn't until years later that I confronted my source of pain that I realized that the things my mother was doing were "for my good." The ants in my pants...purely an accident, and I don't remember Mommy covering me in calamine lotion. The lima beans...again another accident. She really did think I was sick. The electrocution...another accident. How was she supposed to know that a curious toddler would poke those bobby pins into an outlet. She discovered the blackened socket, my burned fingers and doctored me up with as much love as a mother would. And the trussing I received? She tied one end of the rope to the tree, the other end to my waist much like a leash. This was the only way she could get anything done without me under foot. The cat? Killed crossing the highway.

I guess my mommy loved me. She's been gone now for seven years. I miss hearing her tell me of how she rocked me as a baby, how she loved dressing me up and taking me places because I was such a pretty baby. (I have the picture to prove otherwise). That has to be love. I know my mommy loves me. Now when my children come to me and say..."Do you remember the time you hit me in the head with the brick? Or the time you left me at a gas station in California? Or the time you pushed me out the kitchen window? Or the time you...?" I smile...because it really was an accident. And if that child only knew how much I love him, he certainly wouldn't keep bringing it up.

So why am I bringing it up now? Because, Mom, I love you. It must have been hard to be 18 and so very far from your own mother. and then raise me in a town that didn't love you back. You were a great mom, and hope I've been just like you!

Remembering Heaven--Almost

2009-07-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Life is good--I am happy. The weather stinks, but then what can I expect? It is Arizona, the desert, in the middle of the hottest part of the year. We had a nice little "achoo" from heaven tonight. It made the earth smell incredible. What is it about rain that makes us think of heaven? Did it really smell like that there? They say that smell is the strongest of the senses for bringing back memories. Is it possible that Heavenly Father wanted us to remember in some way a part of who we are?

Every once in a while, do you ever get the feeling that you can almost remember something, like it's on the edge of your brain, just getting ready to peek around a corner and say, "Boo! Remember this?" But the more you try to get a closer look the farther away the corner becomes. Or have you ever felt like someone was looking over your shoulder and you turn to see who it is, and no one is there? Oh, good, I thought perhaps I was going crazy. I'm glad you've felt something like that.

Do you ever miss heaven? Is it possible to miss some place you can't remember at all? Do you ever get those yearnings to return home, but know that you have to stay here for the duration. Do you ever wonder how long your duration is? Some days I wish it was short, that is until I look into the faces of my grandchildren.

Oh, speaking of children--do you think a baby's skin smells like heaven? I think Heavenly Father must have given them that delectable aroma so that we won't completely forget heaven. Do you think your spirit remembers perfectly what heaven is like and tries to remind you from time to time?

According to my friend Theresa, who is the heaven/earth time specialist, I've only been here about an hour and 10 minutes. That shouldn't be long enough to forget heaven, right? Then why can't I seem to grasp it? Oh, well...

Also according to Theresa, I should be going back in about another hour or so. I guess I should start packing. Let's see, what will I need. Hmmm...nope can't take that favorite painting, or my toothbrush. What will I take? How about my love for my husband...yes I think that will fit in my suitcase. This will squeeze in right next to it, love of children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, aunts uncles, grandparents...wow, I didn't realize I had so many family members. I hope they'll all fit. Oh, and then there's all those amazing friends I've made along the way. Do you think they'll fit too? What about my love of God? Country? Learning?

Something amazing is happening to my suitcase. The more love I put in it, the bigger it's getting. I'm so excited to get back and show my Savior all my souvenirs of love. I think He'll like them. I hope so. In the meantime I think I'll see just how much love I can fit in there.

A New Beginning in Blogging

2009-07-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I've blogged, and I've missed it! I hope you will check back from time to time and post a comment or two.

I feel like I'm on a journey, okay, so it's probably one I've been on for a while, but I've just now started to smell the roses. It's taken me a long to time to get here. Thank you, Stephen Covey.

As I contemplated my life's mission I realize that I've always known where I wanted the end of my path to be, but never thought a whole lot about the journey itself.

This summer I had the opportunity to take the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People seminar. Yah, yah, I've heard of it...but never really paid much attention to it. It has changed my life. I've spent most of the summer thinking about my "mission statement" I keep going back to two words--"Sweet" and "Love". Why those two? Love of course being my last name, and that's something I've always been proud of, but when I think about the reason I am here on this blue planet, I know that my role here is to love unconditionally. Hence the love part. What about "sweet" you ask. I love the movie Harvey. In it Elwood makes the statement that he just wants to be pleasant. The whole movie is summed up in being pleasant. Well I want to be sweet. I want people to think of me in those terms.

Christ's mission was to redeem mankind and through that he had charity, and charity means love. So with that in mind, I think I can sum up my mission statement with "Sweet Love."

Now that I've laid it out there for the world (okay, maybe not the world) I've committed myself to it.