Cathy Maxwell's Blog, page 3

Empower the Writer – GO ON RETREAT

Every six months or so, I go on retreat with a few writers.  We choose someplace quiet, near water if possible, and always when it is a good time of the year to sit outside.  The stated goal is to put as many words into the story as possible, but so far, that hasn’t happened.

Instead, what I gain during a Retreat is a better sense of myself.

And I need that. It is easy to lose sight of the reason I write.

Let me explain:  Books are part of the entertainment industry.  I write commercial fiction so I’m swimming in the mainstream.  That need to satisfy the vagaries of selling can sometimes chomp away at a story-telling soul.  At the very least, the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves start to trend negative.

A retreat simply puts me back in touch with that soul.  I take time for myself and to bounce ideas around without second-guessing myself because I’m with other writers, writers I trust. 

I used to attend a retreat organized by a large group of writers.  Close to a hundred of us would gather at an old inn built on a cliff where two rivers meet. Hawks and sometimes an eagle would soar the air currents above the clashing waters.  The sight could have  have recharged anyone’s energy . . . but the conversations in the bar reminded me that I’m not alone, gave me fresh points of view, and celebrated the story teller inside each and every one of us.  It takes courage to write a book and put it out there.  I would walk away from that retreat empowered, and it had nothing to do with industry leads or income comparisons.  I was a storyteller and as mighty as one of those hawks sailing high above those Shenandoah waters.  

Let us never forget, the fresh ideas, the amazing characters, the pushing of genre boundaries that delight readers doesn’t come from marketing departments or even off editorial desks.   It begins with a writer having a glimmer of an idea. Of feeling free enough to turn that idea around in her head, to examine it, trust it, and then let words do the rest. Encouragement from my peers has helped shape my most powerful characters.

But the days of the big retreat are over.  Writers still gather, but more for marketing and industry discussions.  Those conferences have their place . . . .but I must have a haven in a world that is often too brusque with creatives.

So I go on retreat with a small group of trusted writers/friends.  We hash out stories, we think about readers, we encourage each other to push on.

Retreats aren’t just for writers.  When we take time for them, they can replenish the soul of any group whether it be clergy or executives or educators or just people who need to drop out for a bit.

What did I pick up on this season’s retreat that will stay with me?  One is a renewed respect for my genre.  There are so many facets to romance that I don’t think I will ever tire of it.  Also the reinforcement to listen to the story in my head.  To trust myself.  After almost thirty years in this business, I still need to hear those affirmations. Including this one—that it is a gift to be able to rub shoulders with writers. 

Life is very good indeed.

I’ve Been Out and About

LCDR Maxwell says a few words at her promotion ceremony

So, pardon a rather boring post of my travels. I’m happy to be home but I enjoyed every second of my venture East.

My daughter received her promotion to Lieutenant Commander in the Coast Guard.  She is our highest ranking service member to date.  Of course I had to be on hand for the promotion ceremony which was held in front of the Military Women’s Memorial in DC. They even let me put on one of her shoulder epaulets.  Her son and husband put on the other. Later, we celebrated with a homemade charcuterie board and binge watching “Supernatural.”  

Of course I snuck in a trip to see as many friends as I could in Virginia. I lived there for twenty-eight years and there is much that I miss. I also spent time with my other daughter’s family. They are in West Virginia where she is a Hospice nurse. She has a new baby and there is nothing on the face of this planet more entertaining than a child delighted with life, especially when she is showing signs of being a redhead. I grew up in a family of redheads so I knew one had to pop up sooner or later. 

I also welcomed the opportunity to take in a few fall colors.  We don’t have autumn in Texas.  At least, not a colorful one.  The leaves hadn’t changed much in West Virginia and Maryland, but there was that feeling in the air that the earth was preparing for a glorious show of color.

All in all a very good trip.

My daughter, son-in-law, and one of the grandkids[image error]This mum is gloriousMilitary Women’s Memorial, DC

Happily Ever After? Or Happy for Now?

Inquiring minds want to know

Couple in the living room with question marks in front of their faces

I belong to a Romance Book Club. We just finished a contemporary where the romance was life altering, and life affirming. . . but the ending was not a scene of them entwined on the couch planning their nuptials or dreaming of spending every moment together until they both lost all their teeth to age. 

Instead, the author left the ending open. Each character grew from their relationship. They both ended up with what they wanted most and the love they shared had mattered. But in the end, no spooning on the couch thinking about a future. Instead the ending was one of realizing how fortunate they were to know each other.

I do believe that a romance novel is not about any happenstance relationship. It has to center on THE romance of their lives, an opportunity for them to grow and change for the better, a realization that they have finally found Capital L-O-V-E. But is it okay if they let go of each other in the end?

By the way, the book we read was about an older woman (almost twenty years older) and a younger man. Not my favorite trope no matter which sex is older, but the author brought so much energy to the story, I was open. I guess considering the plot line, I didn’t see how the book could end any other way than it did. However, the other book club members wanted the couch spooning ending while I was blissfully content . . . because sometimes life is like that.  And I didn’t want to think of what that age difference would look like when she was in her 60s.

What is your opinion? What does happily ever after really mean? Do the characters have to be together forever? Or can they be happy for right now?  Or just happy they knew each other at a pivotal time in their lives?  

So many choices!

Mars is Coming!!!!

Two strong-willed souls who are avowed enemies must learn to be lovers.

The last gentleman of the Logical Men’s Society is about to meet his match. I adore the Earl of Marsden aka Mars.  The man is confused. He thinks he understands the world, except he is  clueless.  Life is not about one’s vices. Love alone gives it meaning.

            It is time for Miss Clarissa Taylor to set him straight, if she can be persuaded to do so–and that is the challenge, isn’t it?

HIS LESSONS ON LOVE – look for it January 25, 2022.  Preorders are up!

Read all the details and an excerpt here:

His Lessons on Love

A Big Thank You!

Creating, changing, and upgrading a website is a huge endeavor—and not one that I have a hand in other than to outline what I want.

No, the one who does the work is Sally Schoeneweiss aka Sally Fairchild. For decades, Sally has maintained my site and guided me in new directions. The latter isn’t an easy task!

Over the summer, she worked on the upgrade. I love the freshness of the site and the ease of use.  That I can post this blog on my own is a sign that she was successful.

Thank you, Sally, for your advice and perseverance.  Messing with the internet is no easy task and you are greatly appreciated.

As to the future of the blog?  I plan on posting every Monday.  Wish me luck–

Here It Is – Time to Ring in the New

Here it is, my friends—the end of 2020 and the beginning of something we all believe will be better.

There have been heart-breaking losses over the last year. There have also been successes and life changes that I couldn’t have predicted. I believe we all know each other a bit better now.

2020 also reinforced my belief that kindness, generosity, and love are vitally important to my enjoyment of life. Oh, and that laughter and imagination unite us. I plan on carrying these qualities into the new year and celebrating them daily.

Happy New Year, my friends!  May 2021 give us the best of what life has to offer.

Don’t Over Think – Don’t Doubt – Create

I’m taking a beginning art course. I am not much of an artist and this is definitely moving me out of my comfort zone.

The other night in class, we were asked to draw a still life. It was of a Styrofoam ball and crumpled paper. The idea was that we cover the drawing pad with charcoal and then erase, or redact, the charcoal to reveal the highlights. It is basically drawing with an eraser.

When I finished, I thought I had a mess on my hands. My instructor assured me that everything I wanted was there and I was just as certain that I’d flubbed it all up . . . until I looked at the drawing days later. Then, I saw that everything I had wanted to achieve was there. And more.

How could I have missed my accomplishment? I had been ready to toss the drawing. And that is the danger of doubt, of perfectionism. The mind is too critical. At least, mine is. I can shut out what is right while my focus is on what is wrong or clumsy or amateurish—which I can see with glaring accuracy. Worse, doubt denies me the opportunity to experience what it means to evolve. Talent rarely pops up right from the start. The very nature of creativity is that we grow through experimentation and practice.

One of the challenges of writing commercial fiction is that perfectionism takes too much time and doubt is a career killer.  This is the reason why some of the best writers I know have never moved beyond writing the first three chapters of their novels.  They are crippled by what they can’t see yet. Every writer goes through a fear of failure. I don’t know any who aren’t convinced they suffer from a lack of talent. The ones who succeed are the ones who solider on, hoping that when they have a chance to look back, the bones of what they had envisioned will be there.  Great books are built on those bones.

How to move forward before I become my own worst enemy? Here are some lessons I’ve learned—

Find a mentor. This is someone who pushes you onward along with serving a heavy dose of encouragement. You can find these people in classes or in critiques groups. You can even hire an independent editor, one you trust. Not everyone has the gift to encourage. Wh
en you find that person, value them.Take a class. Push yourself.  Look at what you are doing from a different perspective.  There are writing classes everywhere. A weekend spent at a writing retreat can move you closer to your goals. Signing up for a class that pushes you to write faster will introduce you to new techniques and perspectives.Finish the book. Slog through the damn thing. Set word goals and stop going backward over what you have In the beginning, the only words that matter are new ones on a page. Later, you can “redact” what you don’t need. You can even start fresh, but with a more certain view of the story. All art is about working with the material until it sings.Don’t be afraid to fail. We build success on attempts that don’t quite work out. If you have it in your heart to create something, go for it. Promise yourself that for one hour a day, you will refuse to doubt and question your abilities.  In that hour, let the words fly. Later, you might be surprised by what you accomplished.

Finally, always remember, you are good enough. The desire in you to create is all you need to move in the direction of your dreams.

And don’t be afraid to reach out for support.

I Got a Tat

And I like it. My tattoo is a word, of course, because I live with words. In fact most of my decorating is done with words.  I have the word “believe” in my foyer. “Happily Ever After” graces a sign by the front door.  My kitchen wall has a host of words including John Lennon’s lovely observations about love.

For my tattoo, I chose the word “enough.” The punctuation is important.  No, I hadn’t planned on getting a tat in this lifetime—even though I have been a sailor. Nor was the idea original to me.  A nurse friend was telling of a patient she treated who had battled cancer for years.  

The patient had the tattoo on her wrist. Here is what “enough.” Means: I’m good enough. I’m strong enough. I am enough.

Let me add some of my own “enough.s”: I am old enough. I’m young enough. I’m healthy enough. I’m brave enough. I’m talented enough. I’m cheeky enough. I’m cute enough. I’ve dieted enough. I’ve eaten enough. I’ve talked enough. I always have been and always will be “enough.”

The tat is on my wrist so that while I’m at my keyboard, I can see it and realize I am talented enough to live boldly, wisely, and gracefully. May it always be so.

Best of Intentions? Making Things Happen

I just purchased new pans.  Tuesday Morning was having a sale.  I did some research, picked them up for a good price, and—hoo boy. Now that I have pans,  I MUST cook, right?

Or am I once more being caught up in my best intentions?

This is a dangerous question for me.  I have more visions of what I want to do than I have the actual time to follow-up on any of them.  I like deadlines because, if nothing else, they tell me exactly what I truly must do.  Otherwise, I behave like a one-winged bumblebee.  I sound busy but the reality is I’m going around in circles.

For the first time in ages, I am caught up on deadlines and family.  The next wedding is years away, all current babies have been birthed, and everyone is where they are, doing what they should be doing.

Now, is my time to dream and plan . . . so I purchased pans . . . and I live alone . . . and really don’t cook much.

Okay, here is what I want to tell myself:

Indulge. Don’t let this downtime go to waste.  I’m meeting up with friends I don’t see often enough, especially when my nose is to the grindstone. I write about human connections, and I need to live what I write.Yes, I want to set new goals.  I believe a writer must always set new goals and I’m not talking just about business. I need creative goals.  Cooking  is creative, no?  I will also take a class on specialty paint finishes.  I’ll reimagine the space I live in.Schedule. Planning is essential to success.  Yes, an emergency can throw every good intention out the window, but that shouldn’t stop me from asking what is it that I truly want, and then making a plan, and scheduling it, to achieve my goals.  By the way, I also need to plan downtime.  The muse must be fed and that is also true of my friends.  Perhaps buying those pans wasn’t so silly after allEvaluate. Now is the time to consider my business needs.  In my writing life, my computer is my single most important writing tool.  I need to consider new software to ensure I’m making the best use of my time possible.  I also review phone and internet services along with insurance and all other business needs  at least once a year.

Let me add to that last point. Sometimes I meet writers who are gimping along on sub-standard, out of date equipment.  Not good.  They are devaluing their work.  They are saying that the tools of their craft takes second place to everything else in their lives.  I don’t believe I must have the very best to do good work.  However, I must have the ability to operate effectively in the current publishing environment.  Or to use the pan analogy—when the Teflon starts scratching or flaking, it is time to upgrade.

And the bottom line with all of my best intentions is that I want to set myself up for success.  I may miss the mark, but at least I am heading in the right direction.

Hmmm . . . I wonder if I need a new stove?

September – The True New Year

Even though I no longer send my kids off to school, September still feels like the time for new beginnings.

This is the time of the year when I start thinking about my goals and my dreams.  This is when I roll up my sleeves and jump into a new project, especially since September and October are the lull before the holidays ramp up into full gear.

My projects for this September . . . I have a stack of books to read on writing comics; I would like to see one of my books used on a movie set; I wish to become more involved in my local community and plan to volunteer at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center (If they will have me. I travel quite a bit.) Oh, and there are the garden projects.

Finally, September is the right time to plunge into writing the new book. I’ve been outlining. Now, for the work.

What about you?  Is September your time for “me” projects? What dreams, goals, or desires flirt with your imagination in this month of falling forward into life?