Tia Silverthorne Bach's Blog, page 85

It's a Party: Oppression by Jessica Therrien

I am so excited for fellow campaigner JessicaTherrien. Today, February 28, her first novel, Oppression, officiallylaunches. *insert the sound of fireworks here*

To help her celebrate, several bloggersare joining her Virtual Launch party and talking about fate/destiny. Why?Because, in Oppression (Children of the Gods, Book #1), "Elyse discoversthat her destiny is deeply intertwined with the fate of the future."

My thoughts on destiny…
destinyn., pl., -nies.
1. The inevitable or necessary fate to which a particular person or thing is destined; one's lot.
2. A predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control.

I don'tlike to think that our lives are predetermined, beyond our control. It might betrue, but I'd rather believe that I make mistakes, learn from them, and pave myown way. Is "my own way" preset, and I'm just supposed to figure out how to getthere? Maybe, but that still leaves things ultimately in my hands.
One thingI know for sure… as an author, I completely embrace the idea of destiny. When Iwrite, I am Fate for my characters. Everything is predestined, althoughoccasionally a character speaks up and suggests alternate ideas or endings. Astrong character has the power to thwart my best intentions or plans.
Could I have hit on something? Maybe there is a predetermined path, but onlyfor those who yield to it. People who don't speak up and fight for a differentway. For others, the ultimate destination is limited only by what they canachieve and what they are willing to fight for.

What are your thoughts onFate?

*****
Pleasecheck out Oppression!

Summary(from Jessica's blog): Elyse knows what it means to keep asecret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, thatshe ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she lookseighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has amysterious power to heal.

ForElyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After thedeath of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guardedas possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age andability.

Orso she thinks.

Elyseis not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over theworld, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one ofthem, and they have been waiting for her.

Amongso many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for theprophecy. Some believe she will put an end to centuries of traditions,safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Othersare determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game isjust beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.
Buying options: 

$0.99 E-BookAmazon KindleEdition (US)
Barnes & Noble NOOK Edition (US)
Amazon Kindle Edition (UK, France, Germany)

$12.99 Paperback
Amazon (US)
Barnes & Noble (US) - on sale for $7.79
Amazon (Canada)
Amazon (UK, France, Germany, Japan)

Stay tuned for myreview and Jessica's interview here on Thursday, March 8 and check out the other stops on the OppressionBlog Tour here.

Cat and Mouse: ROW80 Late Check In

The world's still spinning... good to know. I didn't post this weekend, the first time I missed a post since 9/17/11. And my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) update is late as well.

For the last two months, life has been the cat and I have been the wind up mouse toy. Toward the end of last week I was kicking my own sickness and my daughter seemed to be on the mend. The end was in sight, or so I thought.

Weeks of sickness led to a juggling act. So many balls were in the air, and I was skimming by. Every morning I woke up and prioritized what HAD to be done. I managed to stay afloat. In a weird way, this felt like quite the accomplishment considering.

With less balls in the air, I decided Friday morning to do something crazy... put my WIP writing first. Friday afternoon and Saturday morning were designated for writing.

Then came...

Taxes - Mid-Friday, I was ready to send my final accounting to my tax guy. As I was about to hit send, I discovered our publisher used the wrong Tax ID number for our W2 reportings. An hour of discussion later, they promised to get back to me Friday. Shocker... they didn't.

I braced myself for a frustrating Monday morning, but my writing would still happen. Then came...

Blog comments - I've heard a consistent request across the Blog Universe lately: please get rid of the pain-in-the-butt word verification. I've been feeling the same way. Thanks to fellow blogger and campaigner, Melissa Maygrove, I finally figured out how to do this. I thought it was a problem solved, UNTIL...

Spam - I received no less than twenty-five spam comments in 24 hours. I deleted them all and now have comment moderation in place. Eek!

Finally, I was ready to write. But then came...

Daughter #2 - Poor girl. She's had three rounds of Strep this winter, two horrible ear infections (one requiring two rounds of antibiotics), an eye infection, and Bronchial pneumonia. She came to me with a rash. Long story short, we had a scary night and discovered she's allergic to Penicillin. She's now on Prednisone and a new antibiotic (for the Strep).

(Note: This is not the daughter recently diagnosed with Lyme's disease.)

I feel honored to have reached a point in my life where writing is my official business, but with that comes the pains of business: tax reporting, office management, record keeping, business calls (thanks to clients *yeah for clients*), project management, and so on. I'm adjusting, but I miss the days when it was just a passion.

Add to that my number one job as a mother, and well... you get the post above.

My ROW80 Update

Writing: See Blogging.

Blogging: W/T/F here and two book reviews posted on Mom in Love with Fiction. One of the posts here was a flash fiction piece I'm quite proud of (and my only writing since Wednesday): Pulling Him In.

Reading: Yes. I was up most of last night making sure my daughter didn't have breathing troubles, so I read. Reviews will be forthcoming.

Editing: No. I knew my mind was elsewhere. That's not fair to me or the client.

Diet & Exercise: *insert maniacal laughter here*

I'm down, but not out. Today, other than hovering over my daughter to make sure her swelling and hives were calming down, I made a plan to get caught up. The rest of today is a wash, so I focused on business issues and this blog post.

Tomorrow, I'm writing come Hell or high water. So unless you hearing about burning flames or a flood taking over Damascus, Maryland...

Tagged Again: Sharing My Answers

The lovely Rebekah Loper tagged me last Friday with some questions. I was finally catching up on some blog visiting today and saw it. Seemed like a fun Friday post, so I'll answer (but don't worry fellow bloggers, I'm not tagging anyone else).

1. What is your current writing project?

Mom and I are working on the follow up to Depression Cookies, our coming of age story. This time Krista is heading off to college and her mom, Abby, is facing a looming empty nest. I have a young adult novel brewing, too.

2. Why are you writing it?

Our first novel was well received, and Mom and I loved the idea of writing a teenager spreading her wings into womanhood while her mom is redefining what being a mom means. Plus, I love writing with my mom. She's the reason I am a writer, and a big part of who I am.

3. Do you have any pets?

A lovely American boxer named Jazzy (kids named her Jasmine after Aladdin, but it was too long). As you can see from the picture, she loves our children and will let them do anything to her.

4. What's the worst book you've ever read?

I'm so protective of books, because I pride myself in finding value in everything I read. Sometimes the value is knowing what I don't like. I'm sure this will be an unpopular choice, but my least favorite book in the last ten years was, hands down, Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I loved the play, and even enjoyed his Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. But Wicked left a lot to be desired.

5. Favorite TV show and/or movie?

My favorite movie, Shawshank Redemption. My favorite TV show... I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer, never missed an episode. More recently, I'm enjoying Once Upon a Time and Person of Interest. But my favorite TV watching experience is the Food Network. Any show. To get a glimpse into my Food Network obsession, visit my Food Network Style Challenge: Exposing my Food Obsession post.

6. What can you always count on to get you inspired?

My children and the books I read. Both foster my imagination and creativity in different ways.

7. What book did you read that inspired you to truly WRITE?
Anything Judy Blume when I was younger. She made stories out of everyday life, stories I wanted to read. Don't get me wrong, I also devoured the Lord of the Rings trilogy. But I'm always impressed with the stories that examine life and human relationships. I also love Fannie Flagg and Billie Letts. One of my favorite books is Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg.

8. Favorite food?
Ah, food. I love food. It's a problem. I blame my mother who answered all downer moods with something hot and sugary. Sweets are my downfall. To name a favorite wouldn't do justice to my obsession.

9. Worst thing you ever wrote?

My first novel was written in a composition notebook about two teenagers falling in love. I didn't know anything about love or sex at that time (I was a preteen myself), so it was pitiful. That being said, I hope it's the same sort of story my preteen would write. Idealistic and naive.

10. Best thing you ever wrote?

Depression Cookies . I'm proud of it and feel blessed to have written it with my mom.

11. Place you've visited that inspired you the most?

Anywhere that has family.

*****
Now a question for anyone who made it this far... Who do trust most to read your material and give you an honest opinion?

Pulling Him In: Campaign Flash Fiction Challenge

Time for the First Campaignchallenge!

The rules from RachaelHarrie's Writers' Platform-Building Campaign blog:
Write a short story/ flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excludingthe title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with thewords, "Shadows crept across the wall". These five words will be included inthe word count.
If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do oneor more of these (I did all three, yeah me!):·        end the story with the words: "everything faded." (alsoincluded in the word count)
·        include the word "orange" in the story
·        write in the same genre you normally write (women's fiction for me!)
·        make your story 200 words exactly!

Pulling Him In
Shadows crept across thewall, projections of an uninvited visitor. She knew he was there, inchingcloser to his desired place. Every day, she fought to keep this one corner ofher world private and make sure she didn't get lost in all his needs. But sheunderstood the desire for comfort and security.
"You shouldn't be here. We'vetalked about this." 
No answer and no retreat.
Every woman in her lifeoffered advice, convinced they knew the best way to make him a better man.Should she listen to them or trust her heart? Too often it had led her astray. Theman before abandoned her. He was always seeking something else, someone else, andwas never the man she needed him to be.
The visitor waited, patientand determined. He looked at her. With no words, he said all she needed tohear. The boy standing there couldn't be blamed for the men who came before.She owed him that much.
Her heart won. She pulledback the covers, and her sweet son cuddled close. The smell of hisorange-scented shampoo and the sweet sounds of his snoring lulled her into amuch needed sleep, and everything faded.
*****

If you enjoyed my story, please vote for me (#169) here. And take some time to read some other wonderful flash fiction pieces.

Gathering My Weapons: ROW80 Check In

The enemy creeps around my house, knowing we are ripe for the taking. I know better than to invite it in, and I've gathered all the weapons I can find. Garlic, crosses, and Holy water are for a different evil. One that is more easily defeated.

The evil I fight has no mercy and enjoys revisiting former victims. I've prayed for it to not return and visited specialists to get rid of it... yet Strep strikes again.

I knew I was feeling under the weather, but we'd been through our sicknesses. The whole family had Strep mere weeks ago. Antibiotics have flowed freely, toothbrushes were thrown away, things were disinfected... all to no avail.


I planned to be strong, push through--take some pill-based bravery. Then the phone call from school and subsequent doctor visit. Daughter #2 couldn't fiight it any longer. One down, Mama struggling, three more to go?

Yesterday was spent on taxes and organizing the business side of writing. I rocked it, although I wasn't smart enough to list it as a ROW80 goal. Finishing it cleared the way for writing today. I had some editing to finish first this morning, and again I rocked it.

Strep must have been laughing the whole time. By noon, I was staring into space feeling completely rundown. Then the call. Two and a half hours later (doctor plus CVS), we were back home.

Strep 1.5, Writing 0
Okay, not zero. I rewrote the same 300 words four times today trying to get it just right. I wanted it to sing, because it's a pivotal part of my WIP. It was whimpering along. Does rewriting 300 words four times count as 1,200 words? If so, I rocked writing, too!

I'm heading off to bed with what I hope will be a good book, so maybe all is not lost.

I Know This Much is True

publicdomainpictures.netI met with my Tax Accountant today, and I've been wading through receipts, bank statements, and Excel spreadsheets ever since. I'm almost done and may even get to go to bed sometime before tomorrow.

Brain numb, I hopped over to BlogHer to check out the February prompts. Today's prompt: Tell us something that you believe with all your heart is true.

I am a woman of faith. I do not deny or shy away from that fact. But there are so many other people, Kate from Teaching What is Good and my mother come to mind, who can put faith into words so much better than I can.

What I do believe with every ounce of my being is that you reap what you sow. Being a good person does not always have immediate rewards, but it's the right thing to do. The world tempts us to be unfair and unkind, to be selfish, because we often get what we want faster that way. But what's worth having is worth having with a clear conscience.

I might be a bit biased today. After meeting with my Tax Accountant, I was chiding myself for being too honest. The IRS makes you want to lie. No bones about it. Lying is easier thanks to the overly complicated tax code. I want to be honest about any income I receive from writing, editing, etc, but it complicates everything.

I admit I'm a worrier. That helps keep me honest, maybe it's a tool given to me before my choices began. I often joke that I could get so much more accomplished if I simply barreled through life without any thought or consideration to others or doing what was right.

But I hold my head high. As a parent, I know my kids will do what they see me do, not what I tell them to do. Knowing they watch my every move gives me another reason to stay true to myself, to do what is right.

What do you believe with all your heart is true?

I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D.

I am featured on Kait Nolan's A Round of Words in 80 Days today. My post, I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D., spells out the following reasons why the writing community inspires me:

Imagination
Network
Support
Passion
Ideas
Reading
Entertainment
Dedication

For more details about each of these categories, please visit my post at the link above.

If I had to write the same acronym for why my children (three girls who are 11, 10 and 6) inspire me, it would be because they are:

Imaginative - Nothing fosters the imagination quite like having a child around.

Needy - They have needs, but they are quick to define them and ask for specifics. Just the kind of women I want to raise. They don't know subtle yet, so they ask for what they want when they want it. Plus, what they need from me inspires me to be a better person.

Stubborn - It's not always bad. When you feel strongly about something, you should be stubborn. My kids demonstrate this ability consistently.

Playful - Life is an endless joyride in a kid's eyes. As adults, we too often forget to enjoy life. To. Just. Play.

Important - I never question my priorities when something involves my child. It's an easy way to figure out what matters in life.

Resourceful - Tell them they have twenty minutes, and it's amazing what they can find to do.

Exciting - To see life through a child's eyes is a gift. They get excited about things I've forgotten to see the beauty in anymore. Through them I can.

Daring - Rarely does fear rule the day with children. It's something we can all learn from.

What inspires you, and why?

Just Make Art: ROW80 Check In

Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad. Whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make more art. Andy Warhol
By Jack Mitchell (on Wikipedia)I read this quote yesterday on Facebook, and it really hit me. Art is subjective, there will always be haters. I can't let fear rule the day. A little fear can be good, keep you on your toes. But letting fear take over is the death knell to art.

The trick, at least for me, is to put out my best effort. I can control the quality of the work, but I can't control others' opinions. If I had that power, I'd use it first on my children anyway. After that, the power would probably be completely exhausted.

Even the best writers have a book panned every now and again. But the dedicated ones don't let it stop them. I want to be that writer.

ROW80 Update

I didn't realize we were just past halfway for Round 1 2012 until I read Kait Nolan's post today. I need to kick some writing butt from here on out.

Writing: Sad. Although I wrote three reviews and daily posts, I only wrote 843 words on my WIP. Yesterday I was going to catch up, but my youngest daughter and I had a mommy-daughter day (my oldest girls went snow tubing with Dad). Her first request: no computer. We had a wonderful day!

I can't do wordsprints Monday or Tuesday this week, so I'm planning to get up early both days and write, write, write.

Blogging: Daily here. On Mom in Love with Fiction, I finally posted a review on Thursday for my first horror read, a collection of short stories by Carrie Green. I have two 5-star reviews coming on Tuesday and Thursday this week.

Reading: Catching up. Yesterday, I posted a list of the books on my nightstand. I've had some great responses and am adding more books to my to be read pile.

Social Media: Still way behind on getting around to my fellow campaigners. The groups are really big this year, and I'm trying to pop over and read a few posts on each person's site. I'm not even halfway.

Diet & Exercise: I know I've overpacked my days when I eat like crap. No time equals bad food choices for me. I need to restructure my days and stick to a schedule. Same with exercise. I've been 50-50 on that, and it's because of poor time management.

Check out ROW80 and some great writers here.

My biggest obstacle to productivity lately is time management. What's yours? If you rocked your goals this week, please share your secret.

What's On Your Nightstand: Campaign Fun!

Jessica Therrien, a fellow campaigner, started a fun campaign game: What's On Your Nightstand? I seem to always be chasing my tail lately, so I'm late responding. Better late than never, right?

The following books are next to my bed:

1. 11/22/63, Stephen King

2. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

3. Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott

4. Elephant Milk, Diane Sherry Case
2011 Next Generation Indie Award Winner - Chick Lit
( Depression Cookies was a Finalist in this category, and I was curious to read the winner.)

And, since my Kindle and IPad are next to my bed, I thought I'd list three eBooks on there that I'm excited to read.

1. Oppression, Jessica Therrien -- I'm participating in the launch party on February 28. On March 8, I'll post my interview with Jessica and my review. *squeal*

2. Listening In and Other Stories, Shauna Kelley -- I loved her first novel, Max and Menna.

3. Red, Kait Nolan -- from A Round of Words in 80 Days' fearless leader.

And many, many more. Now I just need to start going to bed earlier so I can have more reading time!

What books next to your bed (or wherever you pile books)?

11 Questions: Campaign Fun!

I was tagged to answer eleven questions by Jennifer Fischetto, a fellow participant in Rachael Harrie's Writers' Platform-Building Campaign. Thanks, Jennifer!

I am supposed to answer the questions below and then create eleven of my own to pass on to other campaigners. However, I've noticed most everyone has been tagged, so I'm doing something a bit different. More details after my questions.

Without further ado...
 1. What is the one thing you wish you knew how to do but don't?
I'm sure my answer is skewed thanks to fighting with my blog today, but I wish I knew more HTML code!
2. If you could instantly know a foreign language (one you don't already know), which would it be?French. There's something lyrical about it.
3. What is your first birthday memory?It's a blur of moving boxes. We moved every 2-3 years, and almost always in the summers (my birthday is August 4). I remember some friends throwing me a going-away/birthday party in middle school.
4. If you could go back to age 21 (assuming you're legal, lol), knowing what you know now, would you?No. If I went back to 21, which does sound alluring some days, I'd want to still live with the spirit and idealism I had back then. No reason to know what you know until you know it.
5. If you went to your prom, was it everything you hoped? And if you didn't, do you regret it?I moved to a new city the summer before my senior year of high school. I had little to no expectations, so prom was a non-event. I went, checked if off the must-do teenage events, and had a good time with girlfriends. To me, it was the last thing standing in my way before college.
6. Would you rather: perfect health, complete wealth, or never aging?Above all, I would want happiness, but I don't want to not answer the question. Blame the fact that I'll be 40 in August, but today I'd take never aging. Ask me tomorrow, and who knows.

7. What is your favorite TV show from childhood?
Moonlighting. I had such a crush on Bruce Willis (pretty much still do) and even named my daughter, Maddie (I loved Cybil Shepherd as Maddie Hayes).

8. Which is the best book you've read in the past year?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I was never a nonfiction reader before, and this book opened me up to it. Also, Hunger Games, because my daughter and I enjoyed it together.

9. Which is your favorite book of all time?
Tough one. Ursula Hegi's Stones from the River. I also loved I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb.

10. Which kitchen appliance could you not live without (not including the basics, fridge, stove, and sink)?
My crock pot. I love to come home to the smell of dinner almost done.

11. If you had to choose, would you rather use an outhouse or have no electricity, forever?
My kids love the "would you rather" game. I'll have to ask them this one. I'd say use the outhouse and keep my electricity. But I'm paying someone else to clean the outhouse, that's for sure.

*****
I have one question for people visiting my blog to keep the fun going.

I love to read a good book, but more than anything, I like a book that surprises me in some way. What's the last book that surprised you?