Susie Finkbeiner's Blog, page 9
July 19, 2013
Stranded in Subway
Yesterday, I broke some thingy-ma-jobber on my mini van. I was on my way to band practice at church.
Needless to say, I didn’t quite make it.
Instead, I sat in the parking lot of a very posh gas station, looking at fluid drip from behind my tire.
Sitting in a black mini-van in the middle of a heat wave wasn’t an option. I needed to go inside to wait for my husband to rescue me (for the kazillionth time…he’s so good). I bought a way-too-sweet raspberry iced tea and sat, sulking, in the Subway dining room.
I had nothing to do but think.
To be completely honest with you, I’m stressed out. Uptight. At the edge of a place called “Burn Out”. Yup. I’m teetering there.
And with only 13 days until D-Day (ahem…deadline day).
I’m also feeling pretty discouraged. It feels like every time I get knocked over and am able to rally, something else comes along to push me down again. Over and over. Nothing huge. Just little things that add up to a lot of face planting.
But this is what I signed up for.
Really. I did.
Deadlines are a part of the publishing world. I’m thankful for the deadline. It means I have an interested publisher. That’s a good thing. Plus, a little fire under the tuchus never hurt anybody…well…I don’t think so, at least.
But the discouragement. The criticism that is just hard to swallow. Reviews that put a huge rock in the stomach. Someone looking at your work and deeming it “eh”? Oh. That stings.
But I’ve never been naive enough to think that my work would be immune from critique. And, really, it’s not as bad as I’d expected. Most days, at least.
(Side Note: Friends, can we talk? If you don’t like a book…any book…please remember to be kind when you review or rate it. Just consider how it would feel to have someone looking over your shoulder, pointing out your every flaw while you tried to do such and such a thing at work. Tough. Right? And, remember, there is nothing obligating you to review anything at all. If you can’t be kind and loving in your review…don’t do it. If you are a follower of Christ, remember that when you put your thoughts into words…even online. Thank you.)
Sitting at the booth in Subway, I realized that I love my job. I love this crazy pace and the way my fingers burn after a day of plentiful story crafting. And that, as frustrating as it was, I needed that time to be stranded for a bit. To gain a smidgen of perspective.
So, I got up and order myself a salad. I even paid a little extra for avocado.
July 16, 2013
Wear and Tear
Hey, thanks so much, everybody, for the fun we had last week celebrating the 6 months of Paint Chips with me. If you won a prize, I’ll get those out in the mail before the end of the week…and if you won chocolate (Jenny M, I’m looking at you), I’m probably going to have to send that out when it cools off a bit outside. Otherwise, you’re going to get a package full of hot chocolate. EEEP!
You’d think my job is pretty low impact. I mean, physically speaking. Right?
Well. Not exactly.
Long hours of sitting are killing my back. If I stand to write (which I do often), it kills my back. I have these weird callous things on the insides of my wrists from my laptop (at least they don’t hurt anymore). When I write a very intense scene, my whole body tenses up.
I’m not complaining. Just hoping to help you understand that…
I am exhausted.
And then this happened today.
So, I this is the reason I have nothing special and clever for today’s blog post.
I’m buckling down. Drinking the cheap (and nasty coffee) I found in my pantry. Ignoring the sinus pressure that’s crushing my right eyeball. Staying out of the humid air.
And, today, I’m writing like I only have 16 days until this manuscript is due.
Well.
Because that’s all I’ve got.
Drink a rich, dark, cup for me today, Friends!
July 12, 2013
Grand Finale! And Grand Give-Away!
Congrats to Linda M. for winning the Kindle ebook of Goodness & Mercy by Patti Hill! Also, Congrats to Jenny M. for winning the big prize pack from Wednesday! Ladies, I’ll be in touch to get all the arrangements made!
Today is the big close of our half birthday bash for ‘Paint Chips’. And, today’s prize is (I hope) pretty fun…and huge…and it makes me happy that one of you will win it!
Here’s what you could win!
A signed copy of Amelia Rhodes‘ book!
A $5 Gift Certificate to your choice of Starbucks or Biggby
PLUS!
A digital download of the ‘Paint Chips’ ebook, a ‘What’s Your Story’ necklace, and a $10 gift certificate to Better Way Imports!
THAT’S A $40 GIVE-AWAY!
I know. Big bucks. It’s cool. You are all my favorites.
So, click on the little “Rafflecopter” link below and follow the instructions to get entered! I’m taking entries until Sunday at 11:59 pm! Oh! And you can Tweet and Facebook about the give-away once a day for extra points. So…go get ‘em!
July 10, 2013
You’ve Got To See This – And a Give-Away
Congratulations to Jill D. for winning the $10 Better Way Imports Gift Certificate! Don’t forget, there’s still time to enter to win the Kindle copy of “Goodness & Mercy” by Patti Hill! Click HERE to enter!
Today is the day! 6 months ago, Paint Chips went live and out into the world as a sweet, little, bouncing novel. And it’s been such a fun ride ever since.
So, today, my give-away is for a MEGA, AWESOME prize pack that includes…
-Paint Chips tote bag
-What’s Your Story Necklace in your choice of bead color
-Fair Trade Chocolate (you pick dark or milk)
-Digital download of PAINT CHIPS for you or a friend
Really, all you have to do is post the book trailer for Paint Chips all over the known world! Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. So, follow the Rafflecopter link below to get going!
And have a piece of cake to celebrate with me. Well, maybe half a piece of cake!
Want to watch the video? Check it out!
July 9, 2013
Goodness & Mercy & a Give-Away
Don’t forget, yesterday’s give-away for a $10 gift certificate to Better Way Imports is STILL up and collecting entries. Hop over by clicking HERE. TODAY, we’re celebrating by talking about a GREAT, WONDERFUL, FABULOUS book by my friend Patti Hill. Read on through to find out how YOU can WIN a digital download of the book from me! Seriously, read on…
Have you ever read a book that you couldn’t stand to finish? Not because it’s terribly written or the plot is flat. But you didn’t want it to finish it because, within the pages, you felt at home? Like you really belonged.
I just did.
That book is the fabulous Patti Hill’s book Goodness & Mercy.
The novel is set during World War II (one of my very favorite eras to study). It’s about hopelessness, strong will, sacrifice, surrender, faith, fear, hope, family, war…I could go on all day. And I could sit and read the book over and again, too.
Here’s one of the reasons I LOVED this book: It was true.
Yes. It’s fiction.
But it was that kind of fiction that reflects so accurately the human condition, that it becomes a piece of life.
Like ‘To Kill A Mockingbird” or “The Grapes of Wrath”.
(Yes. I just compared modern fiction to Harper Lee and John Steinbeck. Make a note, folks. This is not common.)
Now, my Great Aunts grew up in the era in which this book was written. Aunt Olga and Aunt Bertha were the ones I knew best. And, let me tell you, the stories they told (and stories told of them by others) about growing up in wartime made me a better person, just for hearing them. Because those stories taught me about strength and courage and jaw clenched determination.
When I read “Goodness & Mercy”, I felt like I had my Great Aunts back. That they sat at our family reunions, sharing stories over French Silk Pie and my Aunt Bertha tipping her head back in laughter (she did that a lot).
That is why I loved the book.
“Goodness & Mercy” took me back, not to a simpler time. But to a more complex one. And it spoke to me and made me a better person, just for the reading of it.
And, my friends, you have a chance to win a free download. This book is currently only available as an ebook for Kindle users (sorry, Nook Friends). If you win and don’t have a Kindle, I can help you download the app for your SmartPhone or computer.
You know the drill (maybe). Click through the Rafflecopter link below to enter!
July 8, 2013
Happy Half Birthday!
Happy 6 Month Birthday to PAINT CHIPS!
Oh, I mean, the REAL day is on Wednesday. BUT, I thought we’d spend the whole week celebrating!
So, grab yourself a piece of cake, put on your party hat, and get ready for a fun week of Give-Aways!
Today’s Give-Away is…
A $10 Gift Certificate to Better Way Imports!!!!
Here’s how to enter…Click on the Rafflecopter link below and follow the directions. I promise, it’s SUPER easy!
Here we go!
July 2, 2013
ZIP IT — an open letter to the inner voice
You need to cut it out with the following phrases (and I quote):
“You don’t really think anyone is interested in what you have to say/do/write. Do you?”
“You aren’t good enough.”
“People are going to be so disappointed in you.”
“Remember that negative thing so-and-so said about you? Yeah. Just keep that on replay.”
“You are worthless.”
“Who do you think you are?”
“That other person is better/skinnier/more talented/a better mom/wife/housekeeper/person than you. You will never be as good as she is.”
“You are unloved.”
Yowch, Inner Voice. You need a few lessons in tact. Don’t you know that if you have nothing nice to say, you should just zip it and go home?
Seriously.
You are toxic as aspartame with a shot of hydrogenated oil. And double deadly.
So, hush up.
You aren’t welcome here anymore.
Let me tell you something, I don’t live for your approval. I know my worth in Christ. So, let me address some of your mean and nasty discouragements:
It doesn’t matter what you think. It doesn’t matter what you say or do or how loud you scream. You are just noise.
Now, enough of your babbling. Hush up.
I’ve got work to do.
June 28, 2013
June 27, 2013
Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That
Hey, hey, hey! Don’t forget to download your ebook of ‘Paint Chips’! It’s only $3.03 on Amazon and $3.99 on Barnes & Noble. Remember 50 cents from each e-book downloaded goes to The Manasseh Project …but only until Sunday, June 30!
I have 35 days. 35 days to edit draft #4 of this novel. 35 days to rewrite 75% of it. 35 days to edit draft #5. 35 days to (hopefully) do a draft #6.
35 days.
And in that time I have to
Clean my house
Do laundry
Cook
Play with kiddos
Drink coffee
Be a wife
Go to church
Be a friend
Promote ‘Paint Chips’
Plan for a presentation on Human Trafficking
Drink more coffee
Go to the beach
I’m not complaining. I can totally do all that. It’s exhausting. But do-able. Everybody has that much on their plates.
But there are some things that I don’t have time for
Obsessing over bad ratings/reviews
Rearranging my pantry
Wondering if so-and-so likes me
Fretting over my waist-line
Seeking revenge
Worrying if coffee is really stunting my growth
Ain’t NOBODY got time for that.
So. If you hear me fretting or worrying or neglecting my coffee, would you please remind me that I’ve got 35 days and counting down. And that I need to keep my focus on the things that matter?
Okay. Enough of this. I’ve got a purple pen to kill.
June 26, 2013
Prayers For Hedy
Yesterday, I wrote about a woman who touched my life when I was a mullet headed little girl.
Today, I’m writing an extra post about a woman who has pointed me to Jesus for a good part of my adult life.
Hedy Clayton is the kind of woman who shakes things up. Moves mountains. Not with super human strength. But with humble, soft spoken prayers.
If you ask Hedy for prayer, she’ll do it. But, watch out. You never know what amazing things will happen when she prays.
It’s not that her prayers are heard by God more than anyone else’s. It’s that she actually DOES pray. And she BELIEVES that He hears her.
A couple of years ago, she told me she’d pray for me to find a publisher. After I signed the book contract with WhiteFire for Paint Chips, she was not surprised at all. Delighted. But not surprised. Because she prayed for it. So, she knew something would happen.
I love Hedy.
Well, today, Hedy is asking for prayers. For herself. And this is a rare thing. She’s usually asking for prayers for other people. But today, she’s in need of them.
Today, she is having a lung biopsy. And she’s asking for prayers of healing.
Oh. And she asked us all to pray for one of her sons who is in China.
So, would you please pray for Hedy? It would mean the world to her.
Thank you, My Friends.
