ZYX: THE ALPHABACKWARDS BOOK FOR LITTLE KIDS

I recently read an email newsletter about proofreading and editing that included an interesting idea—that is, read your story backwards. Yes, read it aloud, beginning with the last sentence and making your way backwards to the first. Apparently, you’ll catch errors you hadn’t seen by reading it the proper way, from beginning to end.

Sometimes I read a book that way. Not that I want to spoil the ending, but I want to see if the ending is happy, satisfying, complete.

I’ve written a Picture Book called ZYX: The Alphabackwards Book. Friends tell me I must hurry and get it published. Hurry is not a good word for me right now, as I’m just beginning to market Trouble at Fish Camp and mentally preparing to write the third in my “Ways of the Williwaw,” Survival at Chugach. So, ZYX sits on my table glaring at me. Perhaps what I need is a week off by myself to JUST DO IT. But that takes money. Ah, me. Money and time never seem to even out, do they?

Anyway … here’s a short excerpt from ZYX: The Alphabackwards Book.
Trudy the Turtle sat on a short log
That lay in the water of a big bog.
Ten sat behind her, filling the spaces,
Sunning themselves with uplifted faces.
Tiny the Turtle couldn’t quite fit.
Trudy said, “Climb on my back and sit.”
Tiny crawled up and, oh! The sun shone.
Trudy had given him a place of his own.

I solicit your comments, please. Read it to your young child or grandchild. Do they like it? Let me know what you think.

SOON LAUNCHING MY NEWEST BABY- "TROUBLE AT FISH CAMP"

Look out, kids and young-at-hearts! My exciting adventure book, Trouble at Fish Camp, is now available. You can find it on Amazon and other ebook reader sites as both print and ebook.

What’s it about, you ask? A bear, a bully, and a buried secret.

As soon as I decide on a venue, I’ll be scheduling a Book Launch. Following that will be various book signings and talks at some of the same places I appeared with my first book in the “Ways of the Williwaw” series, Williwaw Winds. I’ll keep you informed.

I also plan to start a Clown Ministry, using my books as a tool to teach kids of age 8 and up about positive living. But I NEED A NAME. Will you help me out? “Silly Sally the Clown” has already been taken. Not that I would consider it, anyway.

Should the name have something to do with writing, perhaps? Should it sound silly? Humorous? How about something like “Courage the Clown?” Can you think of a better one?

If you provide a catchy name I fall in love with, I’ll give you a free copy of Trouble at Fish Camp.

THERE IS A GOLDEN NUMBER

Some believe bad things happen in threes. I believe the opposite, that good things come in threes. We can find sequences of threes in many areas of our life. Christianity speaks of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Movies and books often have three-word titles (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) or three main characters (Three Little Pigs). There are three branches of U.S. government. And mottos abound with threes (Stop, Drop, and Roll; Location, location, location).

Famous orators and leaders also have used the number three to good advantage. Caesar said, “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Abe Lincoln referred to our nation as a “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Three is a golden number in writing, too. People seem to remember things better when they are said in sequences of three. The “rule of three” allows a writer of non-fiction to express an idea, emphasize it, and make it a memorable quote. In fiction, putting words and ideas in a group of three (called a “tricolon”) adds rhythm to the language and inspiration to the message.

As writers, we can take the rule of three one step farther. We can use it in our daily schedule. Write 300 words (or three hours) a day, check off three marketing tasks a day, file three items from our stack of papers a day. Each of us can tailor the list to our own needs.

What do you say? I say, Hip-hip-hooray for the golden number of three!

WHAT'S YOUR WRITING WORLD LIKE?

Do you plan your writing schedule ahead? Or like many writers, do you put pen to paper only when the muse strikes? Can there be a combination of such writing habits?

I say Yes. I try to keep a schedule—that is, write every weekday morning from generally nine till noon. That loosely-planned schedule, however, becomes airborne easily. Too easily.

You know the scenario well, I presume. The phone rings. The call must be important, so early in the morning. You await an e-mail answer with such eagerness, you can’t put off opening your mail. Since you’re online, you might as well keep reading. Read, delete, read, delete … read, answer … read, star for a later time. You need your coffee cup refilled. Time to walk around a bit, or clean out the perennial bed before it rains.

I persevere in trying to keep to my schedule. I hope you do too. Hope reigns eternal, or something to that effect.

The muse, however, is another airborne missile that strikes when least expected. That’s the time to stop whatever—emails, phone calls, coffee, gardening—and dash to the computer for an unplanned, uninterrupted time of pure bliss. The words flow. The mind soars into heavenly realms of description, mood, problems solved.

What’s your writing world like? I’d love to hear from you. Let’s compare … and perhaps learn from one another how to better proceed with our writing hobby or career.

Our heavenly Father is a God of infinite variety. We can trust Him to guide us into the writing plans uniquely and best suited for us.

HOW MANY BOOKS ARE YOU WRITING?

 Variety is the spice of a writer’s life. If you’re like I am, too bored and impatient to work on one project at a time, you have several stories going at one time. Of course, much can be said for staying focused on one project until it’s finished.

One way you can manage to do both is to manage your writing time. For instance, plan to write on your current book 30 hours a week, or whatever you choose. Add a few hours for another shorter project or two. Or, schedule your days for different projects: Monday through Wednesday write on your book; Thursday can be for another project; Friday for yet another.

It takes time to perfect a writing plan. It also takes regular upgrading—changing our goals when necessary to gain the most productivity and creativity in writing.

I’m currently working on a four-book series, having just sent the second to the publisher. Book three is rattling around in my head and will be for many weeks before I sit down to map out the plot, characters, and conflicts. Meanwhile, I’m writing a short memoir story, a devotional column, and an article every week.

Rewriting and editing can be squeezed into your days. I have written a few children’s stories almost ready to send out for publication. One is titled “The Alphabackwards Book.” Here is an excerpt. I welcome your comments on its content.

ZEBRA
While Zippy the Zebra drank from a stream,
A lion drew close, so big and so mean.
Zippy turned around and bounded away
Down ziggedy path to keep Lion at bay.
Zoro, his uncle, helped him to reach home.
Safe! He lay down. Never more will he roam.
“Thanks, Zoro,” he said. “You heard my loud cry.”
He zipped his eyes shut and zonked out with a sigh.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE HARD TO ACHIEVE

 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22)

Longsuffering means patience. Of the list Paul gives in his words, I find patience hardest to achieve. I can’t wait for things to happen. I don’t like to stand in line. I want to finish things in a hurry. I make quick decisions so rashly they plunge me into troubled waters. I keep asking God to give me patience, “But hurry,” I tell Him.

I’m in the midst of deciding what picture to use for my second book, Trouble at Fish Camp. I’ve been perusing photos all week, testing them with fellow writers and friends, agonizing over which ones would best represent the story.

Trouble is, I’m impatient to make a decision. I want the book to be out soon. Every day spent trying to decide is a day longer before its publication. Yet I know choosing the right picture is important enough to warrant the time in deciding. So I’m praying for patience again. I know the Lord will answer my prayer.

PERSEVERANCE-The Weapon for Attacking a Writer's Angst

I’m finished! My second book in the Winds of the Williwaw series, “Trouble at Fish Camp,” is finally in the publisher’s hands.

“Trouble …” gave me trouble from the start, almost as much trouble as the Main Character, a major bully, did for the others in the story. After writing an entire first draft, I decided to change the Point of View to another character. I chucked version 1 and started version 2.

I plodded my way through a new beginning and became sick of it fast. Hence my procrastination. My labor of love had become a labor of lackadaisical, lukewarm effort. But there’s lots to be said for determination so I kept going.

As I made new changes, the farther into the book I got, the more my joy of writing it returned. Eventually my excitement in rewriting it returned. I ventured more slowly this time around, punctuating my efforts with a few other writing projects. That helped me gain renewed energy every time I returned to “Trouble ….”

Now I can celebrate a job—albeit long—well done. I thank the Lord for His constant nagging to finish. He knew the story had to be told.

PECKING AWAY

The old, white birch in my Backyard Bowl received some new holes today. A pileated woodpecker drilled through its rotting bark, up and down and around and around, for beetles and bugs. I enjoyed watching him peck away with efficiency and precision.

I’ve been pecking away at my second book, “Trouble at Fish Camp,” for almost two years, to get the bugs out. Unlike the woodpecker, I’ve started and stopped, unsure of my words and phrases. After writing the entire book, for instance, I decided to change the point of view. That meant rewriting the entire manuscript. How daunting a task! But it’s finally finished—almost. Three more days of polishing and I’ll send it off.

I may not have rewritten the book with efficiency and precision, but I did stick to it. There’s something to be said for persistence and perseverance. It pays off in the end.

Already my head is filled with scenes for the third book in my Ways of the Williwaw series. I’ll peck away one scene at a time and be watchful for those pesky bugs that I can drill out, hopefully with more efficiency and precision this time around.

How are you pecking away at your writing project—by fits and starts, or with efficiency and precision?
   

Characters and Tension are Linked to the End— Excerpt Included

During sixth grade, my dad and his pals teased their young, female teacher by throwing spitballs during class. One day, Dad used his slingshot and let one go. Unfortunately, the spitball hit his teacher’s ear.

           

Slingshots and rubber bands, when stretched, can create stress. So can wind. A gale recently stressed my Backyard Bowl birch tree so much that it broke off, catapulting three inches deep into the lawn.

Perhaps we can compare these examples of stress to the human condition. Our thoughts, words, and actions cause either positive or negative stress on our bodies, minds, and spirits.

In fiction writing, the main character (MC) must always have a goal. Reaching that goal involves facing a mental or physical stressful situation. The MC’s reaction to the stress will result in a resolution. Here are a few examples:

1.      Goal and conflict: A first-grader’s goal is to reach school safely while walking past the neighbor’s snarling dog. Possible resolutions: beg until his mom will drive him; run fast and hope the dog won’t bite; face his fear by trying to make friends with the dog.

2.      Goal and conflict: A housewife wants to save her marriage after she learns about her husband’s unfaithfulness. Possible resolutions: become bitterly resentful; hide the truth internally and live with unhappiness; insist on counseling; blame him; accept blame and learn how to be a better wife.

3.      Conflict: A teenager faces a bully. Possible resolutions: cower and run, thereby facing the reputation of being a sissy; fight back; turn the other cheek with a smile, thereby gaining the bully’s respect and friendship.

The final outcome of the MC’s dilemma may be something other than what is hoped for or expected. The housewife’s husband, for instance, may leave her. The bullied teenager might decide to quit school. 

As in real life, the MC must face several problems in his quest to reach his goal. How he does that is what makes a story successful.

After this lengthy intro, let me offer this short excerpt of Trouble at Fish Camp, my second book in the Ways of the Williwaw series. Can you find the MC’s (Freddy) main goal? Can you feel the tension between him and the other characters?

Excerpt

Freddy’s guts churned. If only he felt as peaceful as the soft waves coming into shore. The fish camp on Kodiak Island where he and his friend, Jake Bergren, sat mending nets was usually the most serene place in the world. But this summer, Freddy’s cousin, Pete, was at the neighboring camp. That meant trouble. Not only was Pete a bully, he held a secret about Freddy that must not be told.

Freddy jerked his head around at the sound of a grunt. Jake lay spilled on the gritty beach clutching his belly. Pete stood over him, a menacing smile on his face.

“Lay off!” Freddy yelled. “Jake didn’t do nothin’ to you.”

Pete turned away from Jake and glared. He balled up his fist and stepped to within a hair of Freddy’s face. “He stole my job on the Danny Boy, that’s what he did!” Pete shoved Freddy hard.

Freddy clenched his teeth. He felt his lip scar tighten. Growling like a wounded bear, he charged into Pete, grabbing his shirt. Buttons popped. Pete jerked back. They fell hard, sand spraying like birdshot. Pete grunted, squeezing Freddy’s neck. Fear shot through Freddy’s gut like a poisoned arrow. He yanked Pete’s hands away with a strength he didn’t know he possessed. “Run, Jake!” he croaked. “An’ watch yer back!”

How to Get Rid of the Sog in your Brain

From My Backyard Bowl

                   

            Spring brings sog to my backyard bog. You see, I live in a cedar swamp where there’s perpetual water. White patches of mold. Shifting earth. I look forward to the sun’s higher power that is beginning to burn off the mold, replacing it with lush grass.

            Lately my brain had been feeling soggy, too. I found myself shaking my head and feeling it slosh with the perpetual water of indecision regarding prioritizing my writing and marketing.

            I wondered, should I write another Flash Fiction story for possible publication? Or should I try to rewrite the beginning of my memoir, Summer Heat? How about my other memoir, which I keep avoiding? Or another contest for Wisconsin Writers Association? I really must finish the Study Guide for my first book, and start on one for its soon-to-be-published sequel. Oh, me! What should I focus on today?

            And then there’s the marketing. I must organize my files so I can return to calling libraries about my book. Soon craft fairs will start, and I must choose the ones at which to vend. I’m already waaaay behind on my blog posts, and have nearly blown Facebook entries out of the water.

            What about guest blogs? And … and …. Got the soggy picture?

            Hope springs eternal, they say, and for me it has come, in part, through Robert W. Bly’s book, Make Every Second Count. His tips on successfully managing time are worth trying. Some of them are already working for me, helping in my productivity. Here are a few you might try, too:

• Keep a to-do list. Keep several. Keep it up. Though I’ve been a list keeper for years, I’ve gone a step farther. I’m breaking each item into daily time segments. And I’m prioritizing.
• Plan tomorrow’s day tonight. Wow, this gets me working immediately on my new to-do list. No hesitations, no soggy thoughts about procrastinating. No feelings of angst about writing.
• Keep my list visible. Change it around when necessary. Check off each item as I finish. That one is a real morale booster.
• At the end of the day, record my completed activities in my journal or log. I use a Day-Timer notebook, which offers on each daily page a diary/work record. It’s encouraging to look back and see what I’ve actually accomplished.

These simple tips have removed some of the sog from my brain, so I intend to keep

implementing them in my workday of writing and marketing. Why don’t you give them a try, too? And let me know the outcome.

            That’s today’s news from the Backyard Bowl.