There is the sun, do do do do, there is the sun, behind the leaves . . . .

I love how the sun shines through the leaves of this little apple tree; I do believe this is the apple tree I snapped while taking a walk with GMR and Fat Lazy Labrador along Lake Junaluska.

It's already July 1. I can't believe June is gone already. Geez. And I woke up to a cool mountain morning as if it is spring again. I've been writing outside because I know when it begins to get too chilly, I'll think, "Oh, why didn't I write outside more often, now I'm stuck inside!" *haw* So, I settle myself with my laptop and write away, with the critters and breeze and ridges and distant smoky mountains.

I have just over 84,000 words on VkBook2. Rocking along! I added a chapter yesterday that I didn't think was going to be there; a situation that I didn't at first "see" but it began to appear yesterday as I re-read a chapter. There was a glimmer there, something along the edges, and suddenly the words began backing up against my pea-headed brain and I had to release them. I then knew that the situation had to happen and I'm glad I didn't leave it out.

Did you know that snuck is really supposed to be sneaked? (and really, this one is not that big of a deal since so many say "snuck" and I said "snuck" until I found out the proper way is "sneaked" -now I can't say "snuck" - a character can, but I can't, huhn.) That could care less is supposed to be couldn't care less? That I feel badly is supposed to be I feel bad? That one space after a period/question mark after your sentences is preferable to two spaces? That I didn't say one period after an exclamation point because if you are using exclamation points!! at the end of your narrative sentences you should try to strike those suckers out and instead show the exclamation in your writing. What kinds of "grammar" or "rules" do you try to follow when you are writing? And if you do not write, what do you "notice" when you are reading?

Trade-Paperback writer, writer, writer, I'll be writing more in an hour or two...

The library sent me some magic, because I wrote and wrote yesterday. Today I will be back at the library, as the carpenters will still be here; besides, I loved sitting in the library, working on VK, smelling the books, being near all those many many many books! I wonder if the librarian from yesterday is reading Tender Graces and what she thinks....I wonder this every time someone tells me they are reading about Virginia Kate. She's become Our Virginia Kate, hasn't she? Angie Gumbo Writer and I used to talk about VK-isms all the time *laughing* - those things she says and whenever someone would read Tender Graces, they'd come away with some VK-ism....teeheehee.

Here is something really cool that happens to me and I wonder if it happens to any of you. When I am in the midst of working on something - like VKbook2 right now for instance - I will go to bed and then in the middle of the night, or maybe first thing in the morning, I will awaken and the Very First Thought will be a sentence or phrase that is highlighted in my brain, like a neon sign almost, and I immediately think: "No, that's not going to work...." or "Take that out...." or "Change that..." or "That's out of voice..." or whatever. It's the coolest thing because I won't have been thinking about that part of my writing at all - or not even thinking about the work exactly, but something in my brain is working out something I didn't even know was a problem while I'm sleeping and then wakes me up and tells me that something isn't right in the manuscript....

...So, I woke this morning and one sentence popped into my head and I know it has to come OUT. The other morning, or middle of the night, an image of a description about Micah popped into my head and I knew I had to go in and fix something there. It's really interesting how that happens, and I'm glad it happens, but it's also kind of amazing how my brain works something out on something I'm not even thinking about! Probably when I'm reading over it or writing it, something in my brain files it away in that black hole where my words come from, and it's all jumbled, but at night while I sleep, the jumbles organize and then start telling me what's what on some more obvious things? *I'm shrugging*

Okay...last night I had the sillies. So I was acting silly and Good Man Roger was just shaking his head. Then I began flopping about the room, with my head kind of leading the way - my head went this way and that-a-way and I was being jerked around by my head, and I hollered out to Roger: "Help! Help! My head has a mind of its own!" .....Then I laughed at my own joke - I laughed and laughed and GMR laughed, too -- but was he laughing at my joke or my silliness? Who knows - but don't you think that's pretty funny? Huh? Huh? ...My head has a mind of its own? Get it? huh? heeeheheheheheheehhe :0)

Now, tell me if your head has a mind of its own - do you wake up and a something "comes to you" like that? Either if you ask a question or pose a problem, or if like what happens to me sometimes with my writing, does something just Become Clear to you upon awakening?

(PS - Look at what I saw, by coincidence, on my home page this morning after I wrote this post: Scientific American's "Brain has 'Moving Parts'" laughing- yup my head has a mind of its own...teehee

Hello VK my old friend....nice to talk to you again...oh, the sounnnds of writing....

Yesterday I received an email from someone who wrote: "I miss Virginia Kate. I wish the second book was already out...."

Do you know what this feels like? To have someone actually miss your character? These are the kinds of comments that make me want to grin and cry all at the same time. That and "I couldn't put it down," or "I didn't want it to end."

Which is why yesterday, I highlighted and deleted 30,000 words from VKBook2 -- that's a lotta words, friends. But, they were not our Virginia Kate's words. Writer, get out of the way. So, I got out of the way. But, 30,000 words! Oh Geez, get crackin, Kat.

See, I love Virginia Kate, too - and I want her to have her own voice. When you all pick up VKBook2 and read, I want it to BE Virginia kate again; I don't want you to be disappointed. I don't want book2 to be second rate to book 1. It must feel seamless, as if you just kept reading from book 1 into book 2 without hardly taking a breath. That's what I want - and it is worth the "sacrifice" of taking out those 30,000 words and going from where that LINE I told you all about is to forward. That free feeling tells me I did the right thing, as I also have said.

30,000 words - think about it.

But what I want to stress here to you who write is: There are ALWAYS MORE WORDS! Don't be afraid to write crap *laughing* -- what I mean is, write it all down, write write write, because later you can cut and paste and cut and not paste and put in and take out and rearrange and etc etc etc! There are always more words! You won't dry up! Don't be afraid to take chances with words and language!

When I wrote that original manuscript, and then split it in half, I never knew what would stay and what would go, what would change in the original half that would affect the second half. You have to just trust the process. You have to trust yourself. You have to trust your character's journey. You have to be FEARLESS sometimes!

You have to be able to delete sometimes. And you have to know there are always more words. Maybe I am being too simplistic. Maybe for some writers it comes more naturally, more "easily" -- maybe you are thinking: It would take me months and months to get 30,000 words! Okay, I understand this. Every person is different, every writer different - every journey different. Take from this what fits you. I never tell writers: "You aren't a writer if you....." I hate it when writers do that....as if there is a club and you have to have secret passwords, or special handshakes, or certain credentials to join this club. We're all lovers of books and words and language. We all have our own journey to take how we will take it. What separates success from "not success" is the ability to Keep Going. No matter what: you keep going. Do you think I'm not terrified? Even with a book out I am terrified sometimes....but, I love what I do. I love books, language, words, my characters, the feeling of someone out there reading my words....I put aside that fear and just plow forward.

But what I want you to take from this is sometimes you have to be fearless. Sometimes you just have to do what is best for your Character's Journey. Sometimes you have to quiet that voice that says, "But what if I don't have anything else to say?" You will always have something to say. If you feel as if you do not, it is because you are self-editing yourself, you are getting in your own way. Yes, somtimes being fearless and just vomiting out words will mean more work....but better more work than to present something to the world that isn't your best.

Maybe when book2 comes out, people will still love book1 better - maybe not - I can't predict that. But, when book2 is completed, I will know that I was true to Virginia Kate and her journey. At the cost of thousands of words....but new thousands of words will come and they will be Virginia Kate's voice...not some shadow of her.

If you delete delete delete - you can always retrieve it by pasting it somewhere else - just try it and see if by deleting something it makes you feel "Free" to create or if it does not.

Now, go be fearless! In whatever you do. Trust your instincts. Do what feels right to you.

They're coming to take me away, haha heee hee ho ho, to the loony farm, where all the writers go ..ha ha heehe they're coming to haul me alway ha ha

I couldn't sleep last night. I tossed. I turned. I turned. I tossed. My synapses fired off -one two three fifty-five-thousand-and-four. I had benign thoughts like, "What should I wear to the book signing reception on Friday?" My pea-headed brain went through the contents of my closet (such as I could remember) and rejected rejected rejected -- then my thoughts turned to how I needed to clean out my closet -- then my thoughts turned to shoes - then to how I needed to get rid of some shoes -- then should I go buy something sparkling new for the signing - then no, I shouldn't; I have enough stuff and in fact wasn't I just saying I needed to get RID of some stuff?

Then my brain went over here and over there and over yonder. Boing boing boing boing!

I thought, "Oh! I hope I am here when my books get here (today? tomorrow? the next day?) so I can take a photo of the delivery person hauling my box out of the delivery truck!" Them my brain went off on that -- oh! I can take a photo of that, and then the box, and then me opening the box, and then me pulling out the books, and then the book on my bookshelf, and then I can put it all on my blog... on and on I went.

Then I thought about what Marta Stephens did and thought what a good idea it was: she had people take a photo of themselves holding her book(s) and then posted them (with permission) to her site! See Here at Marta's Site, and the photo I did to the left, teehee. So, I thought how much fun that could be if y'all who get a Tender Graces book could take a photo of yourselves with it and send it to me to post! Huh? Huh? what do you think? huh? boing boing boing boing boing boing!

Then I had a very detailed dream that I was in a nursing home - no, not as a resident, but visiting - or something. And I can clearly see these elderly women--the lives they led and the lives they lead. A few of them fell and I rushed to help them and felt their frustration and anger at how they couldn't do as they used to. Their hair was perfectly coifed, their make-up done beautifully, their clothing neat and as if to say "I am ready to go - -somewhere, anywhere..." It was an interesting dream, but I'm not sure what it meant.

So, on and on and on and on and on goes my brain - bam bam bam boing boing boing! My face is breaking out and I'm trying to stop that before Friday *laughing* I have bags under my eyes. I am excited and terrified! By time Friday comes, who knows what I will look like *haw!!!*

And all the books are on their way to the places and people who have ordered. God. Oh geez. Oh oh oh oh!!!! Yes, I am using the dreaded Exclamation Point!!!! -- laughing....

I have to say this. I know that not everyone who visits my blog or knows me or whatever's me will buy my book - or can buy it - or wants to buy it -- or whatever. No one has to explain or apologize for not purchasing my book - I mean that. Join in on the conversation and excitement and whatever all you wish to, buy a book if it moves you to, but never feel you have to explain to me or apologize because you aren't purchasing TG....I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I love you for supporting in any way you feel moved: by coming by here and visiting, by sending me best wishes, by cheering me on -- it all means so much to me, whatever it is! Okay, that's said - now...................

BOING BOING BOING BOING BOING BOING!!!!!!!

image: google image www.irishabroad.com

Oh train, train...get me on outa this pile..oh traiiin traiin....get me on outa this pile

TENDER GRACES is at the printers. It is out of my hands now.

----------------

TG review copies are going out or have been out (eek eek!), and those will be coming in *gulp* I hope they love it....but I'm prepared to put on my Big Girl Panties and Deal With It if not.

----------------

The Rose & Thorn newsletter is almost done. (If you want to sign up, go HERE ). It actually usually goes out on the first of the month, but it will be delayed this month by a day or two.

---------------------

One book review written: The Maggie Valley Trilogy (Kerry Madden)

----------------------------

One book review drafted out: No Room for Doubt (Angela Dove) --

......and friends, I drafted this out whilst in the waiting room waiting for Good Man Roger to have a cancer cut out of his chest! It had grown big. We didn't even now it was a cancer - it was a red spot. Friends --my good friends - always always check out something you aren't sure of - have a dermatologist see it. That spot's been there a long time, just growing away. Fortunately, it wasn't the "bad" kind of skin cancer and once it's out, it's gone. It's out but he has a huge cut sewn up. And more than 4 hours spent in the dermatologist office as they cut out, checked in the lab, cut more, checked it, then sewed him up. CHECK OUT THOSE SPOTS ON YOUR SKIN! That's my public service announcement. Remember, it was "only" a red spot!

------------------------

One novella next reading for review: Illegitimate (Adnan Mahmutovic)

------------------------------------

The Tender Graces manuscript is now off the floor, and...well, now it's on a chair *laughing*

-------------------------------------

And for my Night Time Reading (I always set aside time at night to read - what's on TV anyway? I have a few faves, but not many), I am reading a novel now by a Big Time Author, published by a Big Time Publisher - and, well, here I am worried about mistakes in my debut novel by a small indie press-- and here in this novel I'm reading, before I get to 110 pages, there have been four "bumping out of the story" mistakes - not typos, but the ones where the character is doing something and then suddenly a couple paragraphs later, they are somewhere else or doing something else or whatever; they forgot to move the character from one thing to the next properly. So, it happens to even Big Time Authors in Big Time Published Books! (This is verging on the sloppy, though - hope there aren't many more of these!)

--------------------------------------

The mail is all gone through and dealt with and the dining table now has something nicer on it.

---------------------------------------

Two small WNC county libraries I found to donate TG to! Let's donate to our Libraries - books, our time, money - we never know until we ask what they may need. I hope to donate some of the Tender Graces books to libaries with small budgets. Oh, it's selfish of me to do it! I just love the idea of my book nestled in a library with other books! At night they'll have a party, books of old and new....oh!

--------------------------------------

Ecetera misc stuff I have to do...

---------------------------------------

Chug chug chug chug chug ....I think I can I think I can I think I can: up the hill I go....one thing at a time.

-------------------------------------

And waiting for me is the draft of the second Virginia Kate Novel - titled right now "The Unexpected Places" -who knows what title it will end up with! how exciting! and cover! and and...wait hold on -- getting ahead of myself. But, I do need to soon soon very soon close myself up and start work on Book Two of the Virginia Kate Sagas (and don't worry - each book stands on its own, you can read one or all 3---as it stands now there are planned 3---; it won't matter - I wouldn't do that to readers, *smile*)

Now, I need to get to work -- what are you doing today? What goal are you working towards? What do you need to "get done and out of the way" so you can get to something you know you will love to do, but will be a heckuva lot of work!

What has the day in store for you?

cartoon image from:

PS! I just found this! At The New Author --- I went by to do my reading and there it was...I am overwhelmed once again.... Brian at Eazy Cheezy is supportive, kind, and full of positive energy --thank you Brian!

http://members.pioneer.net/~mchumor/00images/5047_train_cartoon.gif

I gots a joy joy joy joy up on Kilian Knob, up on Killian knob to-dayyyy

I'm peeping in quickly! Tommorrow I'll have a guest blogger: I have one more peek at Tender Graces before it's out of my hands ....eek! I can't change any of the text and all that, this is just to make sure the things we caught and listed were fixed. If there is anything else in there, well, consider it Human Error .... thing is, you'll know me now and you'll read it and say, "Hey! Here's one of Kat's unfound errors! I found one I found one!" then you can email me and we'll laugh about it....haw! Um, I think we'll laugh...hmmmm....teehee.

Then, I also have to finish The Rose & Thorn newsletter; get my next book review done, and etcetera.

This morning, I was walking Fat Lazy Labrador Jake in the cove at Killian Knob and as I turned the curve in the road where the creek stays on my right, I passed where the water rushes down from the mountain into the creek and I felt a sudden Joy....as sudden as the wind that came tearing down the ridge and across FLLJ and me - the wind pounded my face and I laughed because it didn't hurt at all-the wind laughed too - The sounds of the singing creek, the rush of the water runoff from our recent rains, the wind washing over us and blasting through the still-bare trees with a roar, the spring birds that had earlier woke me (oh, I recognize the ones who have been gone and now returned!) -- all of this brought up my sudden joy.

I thought, as I rounded that curve, how lucky I am. Farther down, I glimpsed the distant Smokies - awe awe awe awe awe-some Grandfather and Grandmother mountains. There are ancient souls here - I feel them sometimes; I see them in orbs and once the Shadowman came to visit me; I am not afraid of them, in fact, they comfort me. (Which reminds me - while I was sitting by Frank in the hospital, I saw something pass over him - it was misty and had no shape, but it was SOMEthing -i t passed right over him....and then a few days later while Tommy was lying in the emergency room, I saw an orb race across the room and arc over him and then away---imagination? lights playing tricks? my exhaustion? our brother? our granny? someone else? I don't know, but I know I saw something).

So, I am feeling lucky and awed and wonderful and it struck me that No Matter what happens with Tender Graces, I am still loved and wanted and so very lucky to live where I live. If you took away my writing life (oh, I can't imagine that - but let's entertain it)...if Tender Graces weren't being published, if I'd never published anything, if I was "just" this Mountain Woman living in my little cove at Killian Knob, walking Fat Lazy Lab Jake, being loved and spoilt rotten by Good Man Roger, hearing and seeing all the things I do, well then, my good friends, that is a pretty dagum wonderful life, isn't it? That is the Dream Life I once dreamed about when my life was in disorder and pain. I am blessed? lucky? whatever you want to call it, this is a wonderful life I live.

I smile. I enjoy. I appreciate. What a lovely place. I give you my peace and serenity this morning. Yes, I must get to work, but I start my work with a feeling of joy - for how lucky am I? Not only do I have my little log house and my little life here at Killian Knob, but my novel IS being published, and I do have some little things out there published, and people ARE enjoying my work and my fur is being rubbed off so that I feel loved.

Namaste. *muwah!*

Pea-headed Kat Boops workin' on the weekend....

(photo taken of signs of spring at Lake Junaluska as I walked the other morning...ahhhhh)

I am peepin' my pea-head in here to say hello very quickly before getting back to work. I am reading the galley proof of Tender Graces and to do that I have to actually read it "word by word" --which means I can't read as I would normally. It's verrrryyyy sloowww but, if I don't do it that way, I won't catch errors that are hiding in there. Bellebooks does their reading of it, the author does hers, and I am having Good Man Roger read it as well. And, despite all of our efforts, I just know there will be a mistake or two in there - erk! It won't be because we didn't scour Tender Graces with Eagle Eyes, more than once. I did visit you all the other day, hope I didn't leave anyone out, and if I did, call me on it! Until I make this deadline, though, I'm going to be locked in this room and working, um, teehee, er, except I am here right now and I need to be there...so, I'll make this quick. Please continue to bear with me for not visiting and posting as I usually do.

I so appreciate Gumbo Writer Angie Ledbetter and Brian Mongold of Eazy Cheezy (click and read if you haven't) for being my Guest Bloggers. THANK YOU!

Also~! Brian of Eazy Cheezy interviewed me on his "Ten Questions..." series: he made me feel like a celebrity....teehee. If you haven't been by there and read, well, here's the link: Kat's Interview with Brian.

I do have this news: My book will actually be in at least one library in East Baton Rouge! Okay, maybe that doesn't sound so exciting, but it is to me! I love and adore libraries and am so excited. And, my local indie bookseller just ordered a very nice number of books so we could have a book-signing party - complete with champagne! and she's making this signing "reservation only" -wow! If you are in the area, let me know if you'd like to come...*smiling* -- if you have an indie bookseller you love in your area, let me know about it: that's what I'd love to do, have signings at indie's, at least where I can.

I send you a big ole Hug and Kiss - *MUWAH* -- send me positive vibes that I'll catch all those errors and make my deadline!

And for those who've pre-ordered, I want to take a moment to say I thank you...I am humbled and honored: THANK YOU~!

(PS -Hey, for you girls - I bought some Okay Pro-X cream in a tube - I splurged - I'll let y'all know if it is worth the extra bucks I paid for it!)

I can('t) see clearly now, my brain is frogged...I (ignore) all obstacles in my way...

I’d always thought about the writing process as just what it was: I sit down; I write; the story comes out. It makes for good fun to write this way, for I simply have a character nudge me (and I may only see that characters eyes, mouth, hair, and I may "hear" a prompt, “This is how it is…”) and off I go. In my way of "seeing and hearing," traditional stories about family and friends and Place and Belonging arrive—nothing really all that original. The originality is in the cracks and crevices, in the wording perhaps, or between the between. We find ourselves in our writing and our writing finds us--there is the meeting, the sonic boom of crashing together. The "oh!" of surprise at this big bang of creation.

Instead of plots and outlines and structure, my brain splinters and gives me a kaleidoscope of images flashing past so quickly that I can’t grab hold of them but one image at a time; but quickly and surely this happens, and I write down an image and another and another and go from there. All in all, its easier for me to just let my brain do its thing, write the story as it comes, and hope for the best.

Surely my brain's way of interpreting my world, in the way it perceives data and love and lives and images and words and thoughts has served me well enough? Or at times has frustrated me. Or left me dizzy with possibilities unseen and unarrived? Or given me gifts? Perhaps there are trade-offs. Perhaps if I saw my world in completes instead of parts, I’d not see things in the way I do, and in not seeing them in the way I do, perhaps I would not have "met" the characters who have come to me in visions of eyes, mouth, and hair. Perhaps I’d be someone else. Then I would not be me. My writing would be someone else's.

Embrace You. Be true to your writing, to yourself. Write What You Know means much more than what is apparent.

One more week for the book give-a-way! On Friday, I will collect all the "entries" and publish them on this blog. Then I will put up the names of those entires. Everyone will read these beautiful writings placed here and vote on the one that somehow tugs at something visceral - that has them think "oh!" or that makes them laugh or cry or think or that excites them - whatever it is that will cause one to say "That's the one I choose."

(google image from fr.fotolia.com)