Lorijo Metz's Blog: ScifiWritermom, page 4
October 24, 2013
Creativity and Happiness
In 2011 when I began my blog, I called it Searching4Meaning. I chose that title because, honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was going to write, but exploring certain ideas I’d been thinking about, or ideas I would eventually think of, at least gave me something to blog about. And, I really wanted to start a blog.
My original blog header
Here I am in 2013 and the name of my blog may have changed, but all my old Searching4Meaning posts are still here. And, today I wanted to share a short, but Searching4Meaning-like thought with you. It has to do with Creativity and Happiness.
Have you ever noticed how it’s impossible to be unhappy when you’re in the midst of creating something you love!
For example, if you love to bake, baking a batch of super delicious cookies makes you happy. For a writer, like me, putting pen to paper (well, fingers to keyboard) might involve some frustrating moments…but the joy I feel at the completion of a new chapter, or even a stunning paragraph, can make even the gloomiest day shine! It’s true.
Sidewalk art – new until it rains!
My husband called me from the road yesterday. (He travels a lot for work) He asked how my day was. I told him it was great. I’d written a couple of posts for November and finished another chapter in my novel. I’d also exercised. I was feeling awesome. Then I remembered—the dentist’s office.
How could I have forgotten?
I’d spent the early part of the day in the dentist’s office. Bad enough—right? However, just before I’d gone there, I’d received some bad news about a family member and, as a result, arrived at the dentist’s office in a foul mood. A majorly foul mood. You know those straws that suck the spit out when you’re lying back with your mouth wide open listening to the soothing sounds of the dentist’s drill against your tooth…well, my mood was so foul I was like one of those straws, except instead of spit, I was sucking all the happiness out of the dentist’s office.
Hummm, happiness in a dentist’s office? I guess shouldn’t feel so guilty.
Anyway, by the time my husband called, I’d totally forgotten about my horrible morning, for I’d come home and spent the rest of the day writing—creating something new!
I’ve noticed this phenomenon before, but for some reason—maybe because I’m in new environment, a new home—it’s finally starting to sink in. If you’re a creative person, as I am, being creative is one of the best ways to be happy. But not just being creative, being productively creative—creating something new. I still have to spend time editing and marketing my work. I still have to deal with the everyday stuff and the real life problems. But, just a little creativity: a new paragraph, a new page or even a blog post—like the sun bursting through the clouds on a rainy day—can make all the difference.
As Oprah would say, that’s my “Ah Ha” moment. What makes you happy?
Filed under: Musings, Searching4Meaning Tagged: Arts, Bear, Business, creativity, Dentistry, happiness, Tree, United States, WESH, Writing
October 7, 2013
Brainstorming and Baby Pandas
After vowing to join my significant other on more business trips, I find myself posting from Washington D.C. this week. Timing is everything—right? So, along with other tourists I will not be visiting the Lincoln Memorial, nor will I be viewing the cute baby panda on the Smithsonian National Zoo’s panda cam. 
Awwwww
That said, I’m having a wonderful time. The weather is lousy, our hotel has a great exercise room, and Starbucks is only minutes away. Most important—I have SCAPPLE!
Scapple is, in my humble estimation, one of the most brilliant brainstorming tools I have ever run across. It’s mind-mapping software in its most user-friendly form. Jot a thought here, another there, a few more over there… line them up, down, across, or connect them with a line. It’s like brainstorming on a yellow legal pad, only better because you can move your ideas around, organize and reorganize them however you want.
Regular brainstorming vs Scapple. With Scapple you can move your ideas around!
I know… it’s not baby pandas, but it is beautiful, don’t you agree!
So, while I’m not doing a lot of sight-seeing, I am actually accomplishing a lot here in D.C.(Which is more than I can say for the politicians!)
Just so you don’t think it’s all work, work, work… below is video of hubby and me on Sunday morning visiting the National Cathedral. If its arches and spires don’t inspire you, nothing will. Moreover, while I may not be Episcopalian, I’m so grateful we attended mass. The Very Rev. Gary Hall gave one of the bravest, most inspiring sermons I have ever had the honor to listen to. Click HERE to listen.
Related articles
Pandacam Is Down, So Watch These Pandas Blog (animalnewyork.com)
National Zoo panda cam goes dark following government shutdown (kdvr.com)
Filed under: 4 Writers, Musings Tagged: baby panda, brainstorming, Giant panda, Government shutdown, Lincoln Memorial, mind mapping, National Cathedral, National Zoological Park (United States), Scapple, Smithsonian Institution, Starbucks, United States, Washington, Writing
September 30, 2013
Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness
October 6th -12th, 2013 is Mental Health Awareness Week in the United States. A large 
percentage of people in our world continue to view mental illness as a choice or a dirty little secret. When someone with a mental illness commits a crime, suddenly everyone with a mental illness is dangerous. The truth is, however, “The absolute risk of violence among the mentally ill as a group is very small. . . only a small proportion of the violence in our society can be attributed to persons who are mentally ill (Mulvey, 1994).” In addition, “People with severe mental illnesses, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or psychosis, are 2 ½ times more likely to be attacked, raped or mugged than the general population (Hiday, et al.,1999).”
In honor and support of all those who suffer with a mental illness in silence, I’m reposting a blog I wrote several years ago called Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness. To quote William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, “Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.” {Click To Tweet} Amen to that!
*****
A
Say someone you love is diagnosed with cancer…
Are you embarrassed, perhaps even ashamed?
Do you hide the diagnosis from friends?
When your loved one suffers through treatments that cause unpleasant, even visually unappealing side effects, do you hide their suffering out of embarrassment, depriving them of comfort and support?
In fact, if someone you love was diagnosed with any of the following, Type 1 diabetes, a brain tumor or muscular dystrophy, would you do anything less than, as they say, rally the troops to provide as much emotional support, prayer support, and information/educational support as you possibly can so they have the best chance of getting better?
Of course you would!
Now, what if someone you love is diagnosed with a mental illness?
Schizophrenia?
Bipolar disorder?
Major depression? (To name a few)
B
I won’t repeat questions 1 through 3 above (you can ask these yourself). As you do, keep in mind that according to NAMI (The National Alliance on Mental Illness) schizophrenia affects 1 out of 100 people (1.1% of the population, or about 2.4 million Americans). Most victims are struck down in the prime of their early adult years. Also, schizophrenia is far more common than many other disorders, such as multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy, which we hear much more about.
In addition:
Bipolar disorder affects 5.7 million American Adults (approx. 2.6% of the population)
Major depressive disorder affects 6.7% of adults or approximately 14.8 million American adults (1 man in 10, and 1 woman in 5 will have a serious depression in their lives, usually before they are 40 years old.) *
Rather than go on about the obvious: the deplorable way we treat people who, through no fault of their own, are diagnosed with a mental illness, let me ask you this: If someone you love was diagnosed with a mental illness, wouldn’t it be great if…
You could speak openly about it, so when the one you love is having an episode, people would sympathize and understand.
You could speak openly about it, knowing that friends and family would offer support to your loved one, such as encouraging them to seek or continue treatment or a high-fiving them when they are doing well.
You could speak openly about it, knowing that while your loved one may have a disease, the disease does not define them.
You could speak openly about it, rallying 10, 20, 100 or even thousands of people to pray for your loved one.
C
So that’s what I’ve been pondering lately. My intention was not to write a dissertation on the subject of why, worldwide, we tend to treat people with mental illness worse than people with physical illness (there are some cultures that refuse to even acknowledge mental illness), but rather, to give you something to think about.
Wouldn’t it be great if people with mental illness no longer felt ashamed?
Learn more about mental illness and help break the stigma at: www.nami.org.
(A: Pres. Abraham Lincoln suffered from depression, B: John Nash suffered from schizophrenia, C: Carrie Fisher suffers from bipolar disorder)
Related articles
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-close/mental-illness-the-stigma_b_328591.html (Interview with Glenn Close
Mental Health Stigma – Does it Add Up? (whereistandblog.wordpress.com)
Bipolar Disorder – What to Say, What Not to Say (everydayhealth.com)
Filed under: Musings Tagged: Bipolar disorder, Disease, Health, Major depressive disorder, Mental disorder, Mental health, NAMI, United States
September 24, 2013
SERIES: To Be or Not To Be (and when to stop being…)
SERIES: To Be or Not To Be (and when to stop being…)
If Amazon (the company) were a river and all the books in its vast online repository were drops of water, you wouldn’t be able to skim a pebble across its surface without hitting a book that is a part of a series.
Series are popular–they work in movies, on TV, and in books–and for good reason. No one ever likes saying goodbye to the people they’ve fallen in love with. We like to see our heroes and heroines overcome adversity, and then do it again, and again.
Novel series come in at least three different flavors.
1. Standalone books within a series with a rotating focus on various protagonists. Each novel within the series focuses on, and resolves, one major storyline, but the protagonist (usually a side character in one of the other novels) will claim the spotlight for one book within the series instead of all of them. Romance novels tend to lean this way (after all, happily ever after usually happens only once per couple.) Nora Roberts has written many trilogies of families and friends, with each book focusing on a particular person finding his or her happy ending. Sherrilyn Kenyon does this with her (apparently unending) Dark Hunter series as well.
2. Standalone books within a series focus on one or two key protagonists. Each novel within the series tackles one major problem and resolves the problem by the end of the book. Many detective and mystery novels adopt this flavor. As a teenager, I enjoyed Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. These days, I read P.L. Blair’s Portals series that features human detective, Kat Morales, and her elven partner, Tevis.
3. Non-standalone books within a series focus on one or two key protagonists, and story is typically best enjoyed in order from the first novel to the last. Fantasy and science fiction novels, with their sweeping storylines and their tendency to put entire worlds and civilizations at risk of extinction (hey, high stakes, right?) tend to lean in this direction. Each book should resolve a major crisis, but some threads are clearly left trailing as feeders into the next book. Some of my favorite authors fall into this category, including David Eddings who wrote the Belgariad and Mallorean series, and Neil Gaiman, author of the Sandman.
Just about all of my favorite authors are series writers. In hindsight, it’s no surprise that I would, as an author, lean toward writing a series. My Double Helix series is a series of four novels. When I finished writing the fourth book, I finally tackled the issue I’d been avoiding since November 2010, when I first started writing Double Helix series.
When do you stop?
Sometimes, the answer is easy: “when you save the world.”
But what if the answer isn’t as obvious? What if the world careens from crisis to crisis (sounds like our world, doesn’t it?) What if the world always needs saving?
I wrote the Double Helix series as a blend between a type 3 series (non-standalone) and a type 2 series (standalone.) The fourth book, Perfection Challenged, was actually the transition book between a non-standalone and standalone series. In theory, I could have gone on forever, coming up with yet another crisis for Danyael Sabre, the alpha empath, to handle. Challenges would always abound in a society transformed by the Genetic Revolution. Danyael would likely encounter most of them, but did he have to be the protagonist?
Let’s segue briefly into another series—Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy series. Occasionally a storyline or plot transcends each book and unifies the series. In Kushiel’s Legacy, it is the rocky path to love and happiness between the heroine, Phedre, and her protector, Joscelin. That storyline is the single thread that runs through the series, and for the series to end, the thread needs to be neatly knotted by the final book.
My readers love Danyael. It was hard to make the decision to move him to the sidelines, yet in practice, I knew that Danyael’s story was done, and for one primary reason. His story had come a full circle. He dealt with different challenges and antagonists over each of the four books, but the storyline that unified the series—his apparently unrequited love for the assassin Zara Itani—reached its conclusion in the fourth book. It was my gift to Danyael, the ending he deserved.
“But,” dismayed readers howl, “you haven’t yet done this, or that, or another. You haven’t finished telling all the stories…”
I’ve moved the spotlight off Danyael, but that doesn’t mean he won’t appear in a smaller role in another novel. Spin-offs are popular among series writers. Some side characters in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series show up as focal characters in her Dream Hunter series.
And so it will be for my Double Helix series. I’ve already written a young adult spin-off. I have others planned, including a standalone series of romantic thrillers featuring mercenaries from Zara’s agency, a novel about Xin, the Machiavellian clone of Fu Hao, a 1,200 BC general, priestess, and queen (busy woman indeed…), and a novel about Galahad, the genetically engineered perfect human being. Inevitably though, those novels and series will someday end.
Quoting one of my favorite characters, Death from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series: “It always ends. That’s what gives it value.”
“The best of the four books…the perfect ending to an amazing series.”
Perfection Challenged, the thrilling conclusion to the multiple award-winning, bestselling DOUBLE HELIX series, is finally here. Grab your copy today.
If you’ve never picked up the DOUBLE HELIX series, keep reading for a special offer on the six-time award-winning novel, Perfection Unleashed.
PERFECTION CHALLENGEDAn alpha empath, Danyael Sabre has survived abominations and super soldiers, terrorists and assassins, but he cannot survive his failing body. He wants only to live out his final days in peace, but life and the woman he loves, the assassin Zara Itani, have other plans for him.
Galahad, the perfect human being created by Pioneer Labs, is branded an international threat, and Danyael is appointed his jury, judge, and executioner. Danyael alone believes that Galahad can be the salvation that the world needs, but is the empath blinded by the fact that Galahad shares his genes, and the hope that there is something of him in Galahad?
In a desperate race against time and his own dying body, Danyael struggles to find fragments of good in the perfect human being, and comes to the wrenching realization that his greatest battle will be a battle for the heart of the man who hates him.
E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords
Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK
PERFECTION UNLEASHED
“Higher octane than Heroes. More heart than X-Men.”
Recipient of six literary awards, including First place in Science Fiction, Reader Views Literary Awards 2012 and Gold medal winner, Science Fiction, Readers Favorites 2013.
FOR A LIMITED TIME, E-BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR JUST $0.99 (Discounted from $2.99)
E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords
Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository
Connect with Jade Kerrion: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Filed under: 4 Writers, Musings Tagged: Amazon, Double Helix series, Jade Kerrion, Perfection Challenged, Perfection Unleashed, science fiction, Series, Writing
September 22, 2013
Author Interview with Jade Kerrion on her newest release, Perfection Challenged
Today’s author interview features Jade Kerrion who’s here to talk about how she got into writing and her latest novel, Perfection Challenged.
1. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I started writing at the age of thirteen when my school essays were returned to me with a bunch of “A”s scrawled over the top. Teenagers are impressionable. Being much more impressionable than most, and believing that my teachers knew what they were doing, I figured I was destined to be a writer. It’s only taken me tens of thousands of hours of work since then to be halfway decent at writing (and I’m still learning each day), but one has to start somewhere.
2. When did you start taking writing seriously?
In November 2010, my husband challenged me to stop writing for fun and to start writing as a career. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 2010 was the trigger. I spent that month writing Perfection Unleashed, my debut novel.
3. How many books have you written?
I released Perfection Unleashed in June 2012. To date, I have published six books; I’ve just released Perfection Challenged, the conclusion of my seven-time award-winning Double Helix series. I have another novel, Eternal Night, a paranormal romance/fantasy set in the future (sounds odd, doesn’t it?), scheduled for release in 2013.
4. What was your journey to becoming an author like?
Rocky, as most journeys are. For a while, I explored traditional publishing, but then decided I was too much of a control freak to take to traditional publishing. I preferred having creative control over my writing, artistic control over my covers, and process control over my publishing schedules. In the end, self-publishing made the most sense for me. That said, I do have a foot in the door of traditional publishing. McSill Literary Agency represents Portuguese rights for my Double Helix series.
5. Is there anything specifically that helps you write better/inspires you?
I think I’m past the stage of needing inspiration; writing is more of a compulsion now. In general, I have a compulsive personality; people like me should never get exposed to alcohol, cigarettes, or recreational drugs—we’re easy prey. Years ago, computer gaming and writing used to go hand-in-hand for me. My characters from my computer games inspired my writing. Since then, however, my characters have taken on a life of their own and thus, I have been freed to happily obsess about them without needing the occasional computer gaming boost to sustain them.
6. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
The hardest part is stopping. After multiple rounds of self-editing, several weeks of working with my editor, and several rounds of proofreading, I have to put the manuscript away and say “done.” I think it is entirely possible to edit forever, but at some point, you have to stop and send the book out into the world.
7. Do you have a specific writing style?
Third person past tense? To be honest, I’m not sure I know the response to this question. Some people say my style is much like one author or another (which would be an interesting feat, considering I’ve never read some of those authors.) Broadly, I’d say that my style tends to resemble serials or movies. I grew up writing fan fiction, and got accustomed to writing sections of chapters that almost inevitably ended on a cliffhanger just because that’s the way fan fiction is usually consumed on online fan forums. In addition, I write the movie I see in my head, and not surprisingly, people have commented that reading my books is like watching a movie.
8. Who is your favorite author?
Neil Gaiman is pure genius in his storytelling ability. I’m a huge fan of his Sandman series.
9. What are your favorite books and what genres do you prefer?
Science fiction and fantasy are my favorite genres to read and write. I’ve especially enjoyed the Belgariad and Mallorean series by David Eddings. To unwind, I settle down with a sweet and satisfying romance, preferably Nora Roberts. I also enjoy thrillers, especially some of Robert Ludlum’s novels.
10. What is some good advice/tips for young writers/aspiring unpublished authors?
Success in any new career takes time. Be patient. Invest in yourself—understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and be committed to continual learning and constant growth. It is said that it takes 10,000 hours of work to become an expert in a field. That’s approximately 5 years of full time 8-to-5 work, and you need to be prepared to make the investment of your time and resources for the long haul.
11. Advice for getting rid of writer’s block?
I think writer’s block is just an excuse. Writing is a discipline, like going to school or work each day, like exercising and eating healthy. It’s just something to have to do because it’s an expectation for achieving your career goals as a writer. Maybe that particular scene isn’t working out the way you want, well, work on another, but work on something. Thomas Edison said it best, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Today, you may not have the 1%, but you sure can muster up the 99% because that is under your control.
12. A favorite quote of yours you’d like to share?
Neil Gaiman’s character, Death, from the Sandman series, utters my favorite quote, “It always ends. That’s what gives it value.” That quote reminds me that what makes any experience, even life as a whole, valuable, is the fact that it ends. Because it ends, every moment is that much more precious and beautiful. Savor it.
13. What would you be if you didn’t become an author?
Well, I’m already several things. In addition to author, wife, and mother, I work full time in an education company in the area of business and learning strategy. I enjoy my job very much and don’t have any intention of quitting. People often ask how I find time to do everything I do. My response is always the same, “You’ll always manage to find time for the things that matter. Oh, and I don’t sleep much.”
14. Can you share some info about your current work with us?
Danyael Sabre’s hard-won normal life shattered the day Zara Itani freed the genetically engineered perfect human being, Galahad, from his laboratory prison. Three years have since passed. Danyael has survived months of brutal torture and the grind of quiet despite without losing the core of compassion that makes him the most compelling and infuriating man Zara has ever known.
Danyael’s greatest challenge, nevertheless, lies ahead of him. In Perfection Challenged, Danyael is forced to confront his own mortality and Galahad’s hate. At the end of his road, will he remain true to his convictions or sacrifice all to protect the woman he loves from the man who hates him?
15. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Only that I’m thrilled you’ve enjoyed my novels. To every one of you, thank you for sharing this journey with me. Your enthusiasm, support, and love for my characters are the reasons I keep writing. I hope you keep hanging around. The best is yet to come.
“The best of the four books…the perfect ending to an amazing series.”
Perfection Challenged, the thrilling conclusion to the multiple award-winning, bestselling DOUBLE HELIX series, is finally here. Grab your copy today.
If you’ve never picked up the DOUBLE HELIX series, keep reading for a special offer on the six-time award-winning novel, Perfection Unleashed.
PERFECTION CHALLENGEDAn alpha empath, Danyael Sabre has survived abominations and super soldiers, terrorists and assassins, but he cannot survive his failing body. He wants only to live out his final days in peace, but life and the woman he loves, the assassin Zara Itani, have other plans for him.
Galahad, the perfect human being created by Pioneer Labs, is branded an international threat, and Danyael is appointed his jury, judge, and executioner. Danyael alone believes that Galahad can be the salvation that the world needs, but is the empath blinded by the fact that Galahad shares his genes, and the hope that there is something of him in Galahad?
In a desperate race against time and his own dying body, Danyael struggles to find fragments of good in the perfect human being, and comes to the wrenching realization that his greatest battle will be a battle for the heart of the man who hates him.
E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords
Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK
PERFECTION UNLEASHED
“Higher octane than Heroes. More heart than X-Men.”
Recipient of six literary awards, including First place in Science Fiction, Reader Views Literary Awards 2012 and Gold medal winner, Science Fiction, Readers Favorites 2013.
FOR A LIMITED TIME, E-BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR JUST $0.99 (Discounted from $2.99)
E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords
Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository
Connect with Jade Kerrion: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Filed under: Book Discussions, Uncategorized Tagged: Author Interview, Jade Kerrion, Perfection Challenged, Perfection Unleashed, science fiction, Writing
September 18, 2013
Lonely Writer
When my husband and I decided to pack up our things and move, I knew at some point I’d face a period of loneliness. The decision to move had everything to do with what type of house we saw ourselves living in, taxes and family responsibilities. It had nothing to do with needing new friends. In fact, in the years since we’d moved to the northern suburbs of Chicago, I’d made some of the best friends, writing buddies and coffee clutchers a girl could have.
With that in mind, however, I knew if I was ever going to start over, I wanted it to be sooner than later.
Writing, for most people, is a solitary pursuit. It’s even more solitary when you’re a writer, as I am, who needs complete silence to be creative. I wish I could write in a coffee shop—Oh, how I wish! I have been somewhat successful writing in libraries, though my habit of reading my work aloud tends to earn me odd looks and “shhhhs” from concerned librarians. Anyway, I say solitary rather than lonely, for just as blogger Nathan Bransford, in his post on Writing and Loneliness, points out, I’ve never felt lonely while writing.
I guess what I’m saying is that the time has come. The period I knew was waiting for me is here. My husband is back on the road teaching and the new people I’ve met, while wonderful, still feel more like acquaintances than close friends. Now, suddenly, when I observe people busy working together in offices and retail stores, I wonder if being a solitary writer is such a good idea. I try to imagine myself in their world…but it only takes a moment for regret to set in. Regret, that is, over the image of myself taking any job that would take me away from the solitary act of writing—and immense gratefulness I don’t have to take such a job. That I don’t need to regret.
Solitude is heaven and loneliness need only be temporary. Soon after I post this blog, I’ll be off to my new Piloxing class. There, with other people I’m—as yet—only acquainted with, I’ll enjoy practicing a delightful combination of Pilates and boxing!
For more on writing, creativity and being alone…
Writing and Loneliness
The Power of Lonely
Writing is a Solitary Craft
http://www.pinterest.com/LuanneRicePins/writing-and-solitude/
Filed under: 4 Writers Tagged: Arts, Chicago, Loneliness, Nathan Bransford, Pilates, Solitude, Writers Resources, Writing
