Beth K. Vogt's Blog, page 92

In Others’ Words: Writing & Reading

Photo by Whiter78/stockxchng.com

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ~Stephen King (1947-), author

I’m an author and, yes, I’ve heard the “To be a good writer you need to read” admonition so many times I’ve lost count. Of course, I’m lousy at math, so losing count isn’t that difficult for me.

But even though I know I should read, read, read to improve my craft, some days (weeks, months) I just don’t.

Believe me, I have plenty of want-to. And I also have several different To Be Read piles, as well as a Kindle loaded with options. But there are only so many hours in the day — I know, tell you something you don’t know, right? — and too often I have to choose between writing or reading.

And so, I choose writing.

And then there are weeks like last week, when I read two books: Lisa Jordan’s Lakeside Family, Karen Witemeyer’s Short-Straw Bride and started Jody Hedlund’s Unending Devotion.

And yes, it was good to enjoy someone else’s writing for awhile. Yes, my work still waited for me when I emerged for another author’s storyworld. But it refreshed my own imagination to be the reader for a while, not the writer.

In Your Words: Writers, do you ever struggle with choosing between writing and reading? Readers (and writers), what are you reading right now?

Contest: Where in the World is Daniel (Postcard #8)

 

After today, there’s only one more postcard in the “Where in the World is Daniel” Contest! I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012!

Don’t forget to leave your comment below or on my Author Facebook page for chances to win a prize package worth over $100. (Share on Twitter and your FB for extra entries. Be just sure to let me know!):

a collection of sixteen postcards by wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelson (Remember how Daniel gave Alli a gift of a Thomas Mangelsen photograph, Maroon Bells Daybreak?)
a $20 Starbucks gift card (Daniel keeps himself caffeinated while he travels the world!)
a “Life is Good” water bottle (Daniel’s motto — and he was wearing a “Life is Good” T-shirt in Chapter 1 of WYWH.)
a $50 Visa gift card (Always good to have on hand if you’re a traveling man like Daniel.)
a Heart of Adoption necklace (The same necklace that we gave away at the Debutantes’ Story Soiree.)
a signed copy of Wish You Were Here
a signed copy of my to-be-released in May 2013 novel, Catch a Falling Star

I won’t “approve” any guesses until the end of the day so that people have a chance to enter their answers. And yes, go ahead and ignore the Europe stamp!

Last Thursday Daniel was enjoying the sights and sounds of London! One day I hope to get there too.

In Others’ Words: Plans

 

Photo by pdsimao/stockxchng.com

“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.” ~Peter Drucker (1909-2005), writer

I start Monday with lots of plans for the week. Some of them end up being nothing more than good intentions by the time Friday rolls around.

And, yeah, that’s frustrating.

Sometimes legitimate interruptions derail my plans.

And sometimes I derail my plans. I just get . . . distracted. By things that seem worthwhile at the time. Like all that social media stuff I’m supposed to be doing. Or by the other stuff it’s easier to do than buckling down and writing that rough draft that’s been postponed all summer long because of a wildfire. And a computer crash. And a wedding. And, well, life.

Sometimes I need to do what needs to be done so that plans become accomplishments. And the reality is that takes work. Not excuses. Work.

So, it’s Monday. I’ve got work today — specifically, I’ve got two chapters to finish writing. What have you got planned?

In Your Words: Got any plans for today? For the week? I’d love to hear about them.

 

Taking the Challenges: The Letter “T” & Twenty-five Things about Me

Graffiti me -- and a little Goth too (but that's a long story!) Thanks to my friend Marty Osborn for the fun artistic effect!

 

I know, I know. This is a blog about quotes — not about me. And usually my blog posts are short.

But I’ve been invited by other blogging friends to “list x number of things about yourself” — and never complied. I’ve always been too busy … pushed to the max by deadlines and “to dos” and … really? Too busy for a little fun?

So then this past Wednesday rolled around. My friend Coleen Patrick blogged about the letter “L,” inviting anyone to join the letter-fun and offering to pick a letter for us. So, I said, “Why not?” and requested a letter. She gave me the letter “T.”

And then my friend Kim Henson of “Do you like cake?” fame (and so much more!) had such a fun “I Listed 25 Things About Myself … you should try it some time” blog post on Thursday.

Which brings us to today: The letter “T,” brought to you by me (and Coleen, of course), in a “Twenty-five Things About Me” post. Let the fun begin!

I am a twin. (Oh, look, I’m sticking with the letter “T.” This won’t happen for all 25 things, I assure you.) My sister, Brenda, and I are fraternal twins. Our parents called us “Day” and “Night” because I was fair and she was dark. I always liked that.
I went to Catholic school and, at one time, considered being a nun. I think most young Catholic girls do at one point in their lives. I even corresponded with a nun for a year — and she encouraged me to explore life before making a decision. I obviously opted out of the convent.
I was a spelling bee champ in school. Loved spelling bees. Math, not so much … which brings me to #4 …
I am the original carrier of math-anxiety. It all started here, folks. The minute anyone starts talking math, the white noise turns on in my head.
I one time dated five different guys named Michael at the same time. This was at the end of high school … and no, I was not a runaround kind of girl. It just happened. Now do you want to know what I did when I received a bouquet of roses signed “From Michael”?
The movie “The Kid” is one of my all-time favorite movies. When Bruce Willis yells, “I’m OK” — I want to jump up and yell it with him.
I do not like scary movies. At. All. One rule in the Vogt Family: If even one person is scared by a movie or TV show, we don’t watch it.
If God had asked me what talent I’d like to have — not that I’m complaining or anything, I’m just having fun with this list — I would have asked for the singing voice good enough to land me on Broadway — and the dancing ability too, of course.
I kiss my kiddos good night every night until they leave for college … because that day comes way-too soon. They may not remember, but I do.
A regret: That I canceled a trip to Europe because my then-boyfriend asked me not to go. S-T-U-P-I-D. The right guy would have said “Have fun and make sure to send a postcard!”
It took me way-too long to look in the mirror and like what I saw.
Romance for me is an impromptu dance in the kitchen with my husband.
I’ve lived in Turkey. Thank you, Uncle Sam, and the fact that I married a military man. I did not know that the Air Force could send you to Turkey — for two years.
I think it’s a wonderful thing to look at your adult children and think “I wish I had been more like you when I was your age.”
I realized a few years ago that I was an “Accidental Pharisee.” Blogged about it for a while … about how I was attempting to step away from the comfortableness of legalism into God’s lavish grace.
I know for a fact that a kidney stone is more painful than labor. How? Because I had a kidney stone when I was 8 months pregnant with my fourth child. This was also when I discovered that morphine is a wonderful thing.
I sing in my car — loud. Sometimes I dance. My daughters usually joined in. My son was glad when he got his own car.
My favorite Christmas song is “Silent Night.” I love to attend a candlelight service and sing that song. Then I’m ready to celebrate Christmas.
I am craft-challenged. I gave my sewing machine away when I turned 30. I haven’t missed it.
I love hummingbirds. I have a wonderful hummingbird story — but for now, I will just say that when I see or hear a hummingbird, I hear God saying, “I love you.”
My one word definition of marriage? W-O-R-K. But it is so, so worth the work.
I am a gluten-free gal. But so are a lot of other people, so it’s no big deal.
I need my girlfriends. They enrich my life. I like to give my friends nicknames. You’ve been warned.
I am living my dream, having the chance to write. How many people can say that? I sat in a conference one time where a speaker urged us to go out and pursue our dreams. I sat there and cried because I realized I was living my dream.
My favorite place to be? In my husband’s arms. (I bet you thought I was going to say the mountains or the beach …)

If you’re reading this post, well, first … thank you! And I invite you to join the fun and share something about yourself (starting with the letter “T” or not!) in a comment below — and then post your own Twenty-five Things About Me blog post!

Contest: Where in the World is Daniel? (Postcard #7) & a brief vlog

Daniel’s been the traveling man this month — and we only have two more postcards to go before the “Where in the World is Daniel?” contest is over and a winner is selected. So tell me: Where is Daniel today?

Watch this video on YouTube

Don’t forget to leave your comment below or on my Author Facebook page for chances to win a prize package worth over $100. (Share on Twitter and your FB for extra entries. Be just sure to let me know!):

a collection of sixteen postcards by wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelson (Remember how Daniel gave Alli a gift of a Thomas Mangelsen photograph, Maroon Bells Daybreak?)
a $20 Starbucks gift card (Daniel keeps himself caffeinated while he travels the world!)
a “Life is Good” water bottle (Daniel’s motto — and he was wearing a “Life is Good” T-shirt in Chapter 1 of WYWH.)
a $50 Visa gift card (Always good to have on hand if you’re a traveling man like Daniel.)
a Heart of Adoption necklace (The same necklace that we gave away at the Debutantes’ Story Soiree.)
a signed copy of Wish You Were Here
a signed copy of my to-be-released in May 2013 novel, Catch a Falling Star

I won’t “approve” any guesses until the end of the day so that people have a chance to enter their answers.

Photo by mancity/stockxchng.com

 

On Tuesday, y’all guessed it — or at least, most of y’all did: Daniel was in Ireland, kissing the Blarney Stone!

In Others’ Words: Tangles

 

 

by Zhonk/stockxchng.com

I love writing.  I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.  ~James Michener (1907-1997), American author

I read that quote by James Michener and thought: Yes! Yes! Yes!

I love writing too — even on the days I hate writing. You know what I mean: the days when the words won’t come. When the characters turn their backs on you. When you can’t even spell “the” without having to look it up in the dictionary.

Even on those kind of wretched days, I love writing. I’ve been pulled under by “the swirl and swing of words” that Michener mentions, and found myself tangled up in all sorts of emotions: fear and doubt and longing and hope that slakes my thirsty soul and bravery and love and even, dare I say it, hate for things ugly and defiling.

There’s nothing more invigorating than being caught in the pull of another writer’s words — pulled into the story world they created, where imaginary people become oh-so-real. Nothing … except when the words I write swirl and swing me into a tangle of emotions so that my imaginings come to life on the page.

 

In Your Words: What do you love about writing? Readers, do you have a favorite author whose writing pulls you into the tangle of human emotions?

Contest: Where in the World is Daniel (Postcard #6)

Daniel wandered a little farther a-field today: Where in the world is Daniel?

Leave your comment below or on my Author Facebook page for chances to win a prize package worth over $100. (Share on Twitter and your FB for extra entries. Be just sure to let me know!):

a collection of sixteen postcards by wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelson (Remember how Daniel gave Alli a gift of a Thomas Mangelsen photograph, Maroon Bells Daybreak?)
a $20 Starbucks gift card (Daniel keeps himself caffeinated while he travels the world!)
a “Life is Good” water bottle (Daniel’s motto — and he was wearing a “Life is Good” T-shirt in Chapter 1 of WYWH.)
a $50 Visa gift card (Always good to have on hand if you’re a traveling man like Daniel.)
a Heart of Adoption necklace (The same necklace that we gave away at the Debutantes’ Story Soiree.)
a signed copy of Wish You Were Here
a signed copy of my to-be-released in May 2013 novel, Catch a Falling Star

I won’t “approve” any guesses until the end of the day so that people have a chance to enter their answers. And I’ll give you one hint: Ignore the “Europe” stamp.

 

Last Thursday, Daniel was at Prince Edward Island, aka P.E.I., somewhere I want to visit someday! Lots of you who commented said you also want to go one day — and Sara Suderman is fortunate enough to have visited the home of “Anne with an ‘e’” Shirley, the heroine of Anne of Green Gables.

 

In Others’ Words: Joy

 

“I’ve grown to realize the joy that comes from little victories is preferable to the fun that comes from ease and the pursuit of pleasure.” ~Lawana Blackwell, author, The Courtship of the Vicar’s Daughter, 1998

Little victories.

What do those look like?

Getting to the end of a long day … maybe not finishing everything … crawling into bed and saying, “I’ll start again tomorrow.”

There’s a victory in being willing to try again when the sun comes up tomorrow.

Or maybe a little victory is when you don’t say what you’re thinking about that person who cut you off on the highway. Or you don’t count the number of the items on the conveyor belt in the “20 items or less” line at the grocery store — even though you know that person in front of you has way-more than 20 items. No, you give them grace because, hey, you’ve done the same thing.

Doing the gracious thing … little victory, there.

Sometimes the little victory is offering a hug instead of a cold shoulder. Or saying you’re sorry instead of lashing out. Or erecting a much-needed boundary between your heart and someone who only wants to hurt you.

All steps in the right direction — and all little victories that make a huge difference in your day.

In Your Words: What little victories have brought you joy lately?

 

 

 

 

In Others’ Words: Ears

photo by omdur/stockxchng.com

“Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble.” ~ Frank Tyger (1929-2011), nationally published editorial cartoonist & columnist

Don’t you relish a truth wrapped in just the right amount of laughter?

Listening is an art, really … but even more than that, listening is a gift. It’s such a beautiful way to consider someone else more important than yourself. Rather than making conversation all about yourself, you step back, silence yourself, and listen to the other person.

I know how I feel when I’ve been listened to … when I’ve been heard.

Valued.

Worthwhile.

Significant.

And I know the treasure of clamping a virtual hand over my mouth so that I can lean in and listen to someone else. I walk away knowing someone else better. A hope. A dream. A treasured memory. Even helping to bear another’s burden as they talk through tears.

Yeah, it’s nice to talk.

But it’s rich to listen.

And, as Frank Tyger says, it will keep me out of trouble.

 

In Your Words: What benefits of listening have you discovered? Any tricks for being a good listener?

Contest: Where in the World is Daniel (Postcard #5)

Daniel stumped a lot of people with his last postcard, so let’s see how it goes today: Where in the world is Daniel?

Leave your comment below or on my Author Facebook page for chances to win a prize package worth over $100. (Share on Twitter and your FB for extra entries. Be just sure to let me know!):

a collection of sixteen postcards by wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelson (Remember how Daniel gave Alli a gift of a Thomas Mangelsen photograph, Maroon Bells Daybreak?)
a $20 Starbucks gift card (Daniel keeps himself caffeinated while he travels the world!)
a “Life is Good” water bottle (Daniel’s motto — and he was wearing a “Life is Good” T-shirt in Chapter 1 of WYWH.)
a $50 Visa gift card (Always good to have on hand if you’re a traveling man like Daniel.)
a Heart of Adoption necklace (The same necklace that we gave away at the Debutantes’ Story Soiree.)
a signed copy of Wish You Were Here
a signed copy of my to-be-released in May 2013 novel, Catch a Falling Star

I won’t “approve” any guesses until the end of the day so that people have a chance to enter their answers. And I’ll give you one hint: Ignore the “Europe” stamp.

Daniel was in Vermont on Tuesday, and as Lisha Cannon recalled in her comment, he had a T-shirt from the Rocking R Resort in Waterbury, Vermont, which is near Stowe and Smugglers Notch. (Fran Shaw mentioned Smugglers Notch!)