Beth K. Vogt's Blog, page 89

In Others’ Words: Second (Novel, That Is)

“It wasn’t that she didn’t have a satisfying life–an exciting life, even. It’s just that at thirty-six years old, she’d hoped for . . . more.” Kendall Haynes in Catch a Falling Star

There are many stages to writing a book.

The initial spark of an idea. The fast-draft. The rewrite — and all the edits after that, leading up to the galley, or final edit. That’s where I am with Catch a Falling Star, my second novel with Howard Books, which releases May 2013.

Along the way, as I’m writing and editing, the art department develops the cover to represent the story that unfolds between the front of the book and the back cover copy. Today, I’m celebrating the wonderful talent at Howard Books that so beautifully captured the essence of Catch a Falling Star.

Yes, Kendall Haynes, the heroine of the contemporary romance, is a Jeep gal. And I love how it looks just like she’s gazing out over the night lights of Colorado Springs, the setting for the story (and where I live).

In Catch a Falling Star, you’ll watch Kendall, a successful family physician, struggle with the question: What do you do when life doesn’t go according to plan? At thirty-six, some of her dreams have come true. But are Kendall’s dreams of having it all — a career, a husband, children — nothing more than a childhood fantasy? God says He knows the plans He has for her –why can’t Kendall figure them out and be content with her life?

You’ll also meet Griffin Walker, a guy who prefers flying solo — both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of “flying a desk” are complicated by his parents’ death — making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can he get his life back on track … or has there been a divine plan all along?

Catch a Falling Star was prompted by a conversation I had with a good friend — and I learned a lot about myself, expectations, and God as I wrote this story.

In Your Words: What do you when life doesn’t go according to plan? Keep pushing for Plan A? Pull Plan B out of your back pocket? Or do you … just settle?

 

 

In Others’ Words: Youth

I attended a writers retreat in Monterey, CA last month. The theme? Dream Big.

There was a lot to love about those three days. Just look at that first sentence again:  I was at a retreat. With other writers. In Monterey.  But the encouragement, the time, to dream and dream big?

I don’t want to forget that.

And then I came across today’s quote and I realized the dream I am living today is what I dreamed about when I was much, much younger. Sure, there were other dreams. But being a writer was the one constant dream.

And it’s the one I hope only gets bigger, not smaller, as the years pass.

But I know that not everyone follows von Schiller’s advice and “keeps true” to the dreams of their youth. My doctor-husband, for example, was months away from graduating with an astronautical engineering degree when God stepped into his life and redirected him. The end of one dream (being an astronaut) and the beginning of another (medical school).

In Your Words: What about you? Have you stayed true to the dreams of your youth — or found yourself embracing a new dream?

 

In Others’ Words: Muscle

What does it take to be a writer?

I’m really looking forward to y’all joining the conversation today. Readers, I’d love to know what you think it takes to be a writer — what kind of “muscles” need to be developed?

Writers, author Natalie Goldberg says we need the “muscles” of determination, attention, curiosity, and a passionate heart. What do you think? What other “muscles” have you developed as you travel the writing road?

Me? Writing has helped me developed my eye muscles.

Really.

For me, it’s all about focus. And, yes, I could say it’s about staying focused so that I meet my deadline. But that’s not what I mean. Every day I have to fine tune my focus so that I take my eyes off me (Am I good enough?) and take my eyes off other writers (Are they better than me?) and focus on who I am from an eternal perspective.

In Your Words: What muscle have you developed as a writer? Is there a particular muscle that needs some weight training?

In Others’ Words: Glass

I knew what today’s post was going to be about last Friday.

I thought about the whole “glass half full” versus “glass half empty” mindset all weekend long.

Me? I used to be a “glass half empty” gal. Somedays I wasn’t even sure there was even more than a drop of water in the glass. Two things changed my perspective:

1. I focused on the word “gratitude” for an entire year. (More on that later this month.)

2. A friend told me, “There’s always something in the glass.”

My friend is right. There is always something in the glass. The only difference? How I looked at it.

Today I see the glass half full and thank God for what I have: more than I ever imagined.

In Your Words: I am thankful for everyone who visits this blog — and for every comment too. Today I’d love for you to join the conversation and tell me how you’d finish this sentence:

Today I see the glass half full and thank God for what I have: _____________________ (fill in the blank).

In Others’ Words: Nonsense

Sometimes I have to remind myself to have fun. Relax. Stop being so, so serious.

Yes, there are deadlines to be met. Children to raise. Problems to be solved. (Insert yours here: ____________.)

But there has to be time for laughter. Nonsense. A little bit of “what if” and “why not.” All the “shoulds” waiting for your time and attention? They’ll still be there when you’re done having fun. I promise.

In Your Words: What’s the last bit of nonsense fun you indulged in? Got any planned for this weekend? I’d love to hear about it — maybe I’ll be a blatant copycat and put it on my calendar!

In Others’ Words: Author Whispers

Writers try to get so many things right.

We try to figure out when to follow the rules — and when to ignore ‘em.

We try to make our fictional characters true to life so that readers talk out loud to them as they turn the pages of our novels. (Come on, admit it! You’ve done it too!)

We try to write stories that keep people up at night. After all, we’ve lost a few nights sleep over these same stories in the hopes that our readers can’t put our books down.

So much effort goes into the writing of a book … and yet, sometimes the most powerful moments are those unexpected moments of truth. The phrases almost left out. The sentences that slip into the story because they are the can’t-be-hidden beat of an author’s heart.

In Your Words: Writers — What are you trying to say when you write — and what have you whispered to your readers? Readers — What was the last whisper that escaped from the pages of a book, causing you to stop and think more deeply about life?

In Others’ Words: From Here to Eternity

I often talk about my pursuit of the To Do list. I have to admit, crossing things off that thing gives me such a feeling of satisfaction. For that moment in time, I know I’ve accomplished something: met a deadline or finished laundry or made that all-important phone call.

But the days — the moments — I’ve stayed true to myself, well, there’s nothing like that feeling of emotional breathing space. When I am able to look in the mirror and recognize myself – even if no one else understands why I did what I did or said what I said — I’m satisfied. Content.

There were times I bartered my soul, exchanging the truth for lies while letting the world think someone else was the real me. The older I get, the more I realize “me” is all I’ve got. Forget the whole “You only live once” mantra. This is my start on eternity. I want to get it right: being the “me” that God created me to be.

In Others’ Words: Who or what helps you be most truly “you”? When do you feel that you are being yourself — instead of giving in to the demands of the world?

In Others’ Words: Refusal

Last Monday’s blog post, “Hope and Having,” spurred a lot of conversation — including a fun bit of back and forth with my friend I call “Wise Guy.” If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ve probably heard me mention “Wise Guy” before. I call him that because … well, he is a guy who is very, very wise.

Simple enough explanation, right?

Last Monday’s quote was: Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. (Epicurus, BC 341-BC 269, Greek philosopher)

Besides telling me that Epicurus made him think of some Greek guy with a chef’s hat (Epicuriuos — as in Epicurious.com ), Wise Guy reminded me of some of his own iterations of  the Greek guy’s thoughts. I settled on today’s quote:

It is sad to refuse what is available for the sake of what is not.

Lot of truth there.

Don’t believe me? Then listen to this take on it:

Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.

Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.

It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?

There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. (Isaiah 43:19)

Ah, the power of words … and thinking about them … and turning them this way and that, as you apply them to your life — and then apply Truth to them.

Last Monday we talked about things like “now” and “contentment” and “gratitude.”

Wise Guy’s quote hints at how hanging on to yesterday — or dreams of what we wanted/hoped for that didn’t come true — can blind us to the joys of today.

And then Psalm 43:19? It’s like God tells me: Beth, stop looking back over your shoulder at what could have been. You’re going to miss what I’m doing in your life right now.

In Your Words: What I love the most about this blog is the conversations that we have. Any thing you’d like to add today? Maybe about a time when what you couldn’t have blinded you to what you could have? Or maybe you’re embracing a brand-new something God is doing in your life … I’d love to hear about that too!

I’m visiting my author-friend, Sandra Orchard’s, blog today and talking about fiction flavored with reality. I hope you drop by!

In Others’ Words: Writing Road

Just having a bit of fun here today. I read this quote and thought: Where else does writing lead to?

Writing leads to … late nights and little sleep.

Writing leads to … the red pen. (I’m an editor. What did you expect?)

Writing leads to … a serious break with reality sometimes. (The voices in my head are talking louder than the real-live voices.)

In Your Words: Your turn. How would you fill in the blank? Writing leads to _______________________. Writers, tell us where you’ve ended up. And everyone else, tell us what you imagine — or what you’ve discovered by watching your writer-friends.

 

In Others’ Words: Hope and Having

I almost didn’t post this quote today. I couldn’t decide if I liked or not. If I agreed with it or not.

And then, while I was talking with my husband about what Epicurus meant, I distilled the quote down to one word: Now.

Good ol’ Epicurus was reminding people to live in the now — not wasting today by focusing on tomorrow. And while I’m at it, don’t waste today by focusing on what somebody else is enjoying today — and then fuss that I don’t have the same thing.

My struggle with the quote — the reason I debated on posting it? We always need to be hoping for something … dreaming for something … reaching for the stars … extending our grasp … going for more …

Ah, tricky, isn’t it?

In Your Words: What’s now look like for you? What hopes have come true? And what are you hoping for?

And if I haven’t said it recently, thank you for joining the conversation. That’s why I started the blog … to get a conversation started — and then to get out of the way.