OK, so I’m not a celebrity, but I am going to be on TV. I guess. If I don’t fall victim to a case of giant nerves before May 3. I have to admit I’d never heard of the Oklahoma County Metropolitan Library System’s READ ABOUT IT TV show…until I received an email yesterday from the show’s producer. Seems they are taping interviews with OWFI authors at the Fantastic Forty, Writer’s Glory, 40th Anniversary Conference in Oklahoma City May 1-3. And I’m one of the lucky authors. I’ll have a chance to talk about my fantasy anthology, OTHER WORLDS, for 8 minutes. Don’t get me wrong. I am flattered. I’m excited (in a shaky sort of way). And I’m scared to death. This is so not me. I write stories. I write books. Quietly. By myself. In my own corner of the world in Poteau, USA. I don’t even do public speaking, so why did I agree to this thing that is totally foreign to me? <SIGH> Because it’s a great opportunity to get out the word about a book I really love with stories that are very special to me. It sort of feels like a Mother Thing: I’m making a huge sacrifice because my children, those very special stories, need me to talk about them. As long as I keep thinking that way and not about 1:20 PM on May 3, I may survive. All prayers appreciated.
Here’s a fun quiz for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Be sure and post and let us know how smart you are. And be sure and believe them when they say it’s FAST. Have fun!
I did it! Three pages in one day! Now, I know this isn’t a major accomplishment for many writers, but for me, Queen of the Slowpokes, it’s BIG! What’s really great though is that my WIP is working. I’m enjoying the writing, having fun with it. After a five-year drought, no wonder I’m a happy writer.
Very early this morning–between 1 and 6 AM–I managed to get more writing done than I have in many days. For some reason, I woke up at 1 wide awake, so I started thinking about my current WIP, a middle grade fantasy novel. I’ll bet I made six trips into the next room to write down the ideas that kept pouring through. In fact, I discovered most of the major plot points for the book, including who is the real antagonist, clarifying a couple of names, and the all-important conclusion. What a gift! I’m tired today, but who cares? Now I can get some serious writing done. And…as if that wasn’t enough, in the middle of all this information flow, a completely different thought came to me. The words, “Chet’s wrist” popped into my head, and I suddenly realized that the reason my golfer husband’s wrist has been bothering him is because of a change he made in his left hand grip. Talk about tapping into the subconscious, or universal consciousness, or whatever. Something happened during those wee hours, and all I can say is, “Thank you!”
March is the month of windy weather, flying kites, Easter baskets…and LEPRECHAUNS! March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, and what better way to celebrate than by sharing a story about leprechauns? Check out Little Lost Leprechaun, my St. Patrick’s Day picture book about a little girl who decides to direct her family’s Shamrock Pageant.
Those pesky UFO’s–you know, flying saucers, unidentified flying objects, etc., etc.–just won’t go away no matter how much the government denies them and the media laughs at them. And I’m glad! OK, now you all know one of my deepest, darkest secrets: I BELIEVE IN UFO’S! I’ve even written a book about them: Dreamtime I’m so sure they exist and they’re right here with us that my question isn’t, “Are they real?” but rather, “Why are they here?”
What got me going on this subject was last night’s Larry King Live show. Anyone familiar with Larry’s show knows that he has more than a passing interest in UFO’s and has aired a number of shows on the subject in the past few years. I, like many other UFO buffs, believe this is a positive trend because of Larry’s credibility and the worldwide audience he enjoys. So, why another UFO show now? That’s easy: People in Stephenville, Texas, have been seeing unidentified objects in their skies. Credible people are having sightings. Down-to-earth, everyday, honest folks from the heart of the Bible Belt are looking up and seeing…something, something huge, silent, and inexplicable. And the word has spread all over the world. Here’s the CNN account: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/14/ufo.sightings.ap/index.html .And here’s a link to some video clips from last night’s show:
http://dandare.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/stephenville-ufo-discussed-on-larry-king-vide
o-from-you-tube/
Pretty interesting stuff, and since I live in southern Oklahoma, these things, whatever they may be, are practically in my front yard! You can be sure I’m watching the skies closely these days. Maybe, if I ever see one, I’ll figure out what those pesky UFO’s are.
Never underestimate the power of homemade soup when battling colds and flu. There’s definitely something restorative about dipping into a steaming hot bowl of soup made with your own fresh ingredients. I’m a vegetarian, so mine are meatless, but I really believe even a meat-lover will enjoy this hearty soup.
CANADIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP (meatless variation)
1 lb. split green peas (I use organic from Health Food Store)
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2-1 Tbsp. sea salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 med. bay leaves
Wash peas & rinse well. Cover with water. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to slow boil, cover & simmer 4-6 hours, stirring often, adding water as needed to desired consistency.
ENJOY!
–Paula
I’m putting in a plug here for one of my favorite websites, Herbal Healer Academy. If you’re interested in staying healthy naturally during this cold & flu season, check out these specials: http://www.herbalhealer.com/postcards.html . I’m battling some sort of respiratory ailment right now, and I’ve attacked it with Oscillococcinum, colloidal silver & a wonderful Native American flu remedy of essential oils that my herbalist mixes herself. These natural remedies seem to be working well. –Paula
Have you ever had a story that you couldn’t write but couldn’t stay away from either? I sure do. It’s called AMAZING GRACE, a paranormal romance novel that I’ve been trying to write for about six years. By now, I’ve had so many versions, so many changes, so many false starts, so many stops and re-starts, I’m not sure where I am, or where GRACE is either. I love the first chapter. It’s a near-death experience, and even now, six years later, I think it’s some of my best writing. But after that…yikes! I’ll bet I’ve written at least five different chapter 2’s, 3’s and 4’s. Once, I got as far as Chapter 6 and decided it didn’t work at all. About two months ago, I put it away, yet again. Then, last night, either while I was sleeping/dreaming or about to go to sleep or about to wake up, I had (another) epiphany. I knew exactly how to fix chapter 2. Exciting, right? Aaaa-aagh!!! Do I want to do this to myself again? No! But I can’t help it. GRACE haunts me, and I know I won’t rest until I’ve told her story. So, I just dragged out my stack of notebooks again, opened my GRACE folder again, and I’ll probably start writing…again.
This is a short film clip that my son, Tim, sent me recently. It doesn’t fit under Metaphysics, Natural Healing, Paranormal, or Writing, but it’s beautiful and definitely a part of My World. Check it out by clicking here. –Paula
