Barbara S. Stewart's Blog, page 15
March 4, 2013
Shh…. I’m editing
I woke up early – rook a bike ride (stationary – new to me so when I say I made it 6 minutes, y’all go….. WHOOO HOOO!!!! ready…..)
I made it six minutes – will shoot for 8 tomorrow (if I can walk!)
All first round edits are back to me and I am cranking through them (not as many as I feared, but I know there are still many pages to go 
)
I need to be quick here because I really do need to get busy, but I wanted to THANK ALL OF YOU for the lovely notes that I find in my inbox and in the reviews you are giving me. I APPRECIATE AND REPLY TO EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT I CAN – because it’s important to me to let you know that I appreciate the CHANCE you took on a new author, the TIME you spent reading those little pieces of my heart, and…. The THOUGHTS you share on what you like (and didn’t). I hate getting a 1 or 2 star (and I have) with no reason why they didn’t like it – I only know that they didn’t, so I learn nothing from their experience….
I will check back in when I can but in case I don’t get back - I have an important meeting on Saturday – stay tuned…
And, as always – THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS JOURNEY WITH ME!
Love, Barbara
March 1, 2013
good morning!
I can’t believe all the traffic on the blog this week – I’ve been busy and haven’t added anything.. I have a meeting Sunday morning and I’ll share some thoughts with you after that.
Be well!
Love, Barbara
February 24, 2013
ch ch ch changes….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorNjvg1B48
I’ve made some to When I Look to the Sky, but with change comes compromise…
I’ve completed (I THINK) the suggested rewrites and am now editing the new chapters, then I’ll pass it back for another go. Some of the changes were easy, some I had to stop and go ‘hmmmmmmm…? WHERE am I gonna go with this?’ But then my fingers were rapidly typing and there it was….And some – well, I liked it, so I left it. I read, reread and read once more and decided that if I changed it – it would change the story…
I’m excited to get this done – I’m getting messages and emails asking ‘WHEN?’ But I want it JUST RIGHT! So I’m patiently working away….
Well friends, I have a big day of family and fun (and some reading to do in between, so off I go…
Love, Barbara
February 21, 2013
Quickie – I’ve got work to do! ha ha!
I’m so excited! I’m getting good reviews for Rock and Roll Never Forgets! (see the WHAT I’M HEARING page) And with the reviews come questions about the next book.
First let me assure you that the story goes on! You’ll just have to read to find out where it goes
The other question is WHEN?
I KNOW, I KNOW… me too!!! I got some pages back that need rewrites, so be patient! ha ha! I’m trying to, but it’s hard for me, because I’m as anxious as you!
Don’t Stop Believin’!
Love, Barbara
February 20, 2013
Dreams…
“For me, writing a novel is like having a dream. Writing a novel lets me intentionally dream while I’m still awake. I can continue yesterday’s dream today, something you can’t normally do in everyday life.”
~ Haruki MurakamiIt’s meaningful to me today because I couldn’t sleep last night – too many thoughts in my head… too many characters that need a path and a few who need their path REWRITTEN or tweaked. I just kept laying there trying to think of directions to go and couldn’t turn my thoughts off…
When I get home from work in the evenings Gene and I chat a bit, sometimes I cook, sometimes he does but I always end up in my “happy place”. I love the escape that writing brings me. I love thinking about who my characters are and what they look like. Is he tall dark and handsome or sandy blonde? Are his eyes smokey or like a shade of blue like the sky or water? Is she a strong willed-woman or a pistol, maybe a firecracker? Are they patient and which one is most? I love to look through Pinterest and I find pictures that I like of what I think a scene looks like or a dress I’m trying to describe, or a setting or a place.
It really is my escape. My friend at work says she has to go home and “wash the day away”, I just go into someone else’s world…
Anyway, I just wanted to share those thoughts… now I hope Andy, Eli, Matthew, Logan, and Mitchell will let me sleep tonight. (It’s always the men who wake me and Gene’s Ok with it…
Love and wishes for a day full of dreams for you too,
Barbara
February 16, 2013
Not too much…
RED!!!
Getting good feedback on When I Look to the Sky and not seeing a whole lot of red!!! That means I’m achieving my goal! Getting better with each word…
Life is good for this girl today!
Love, Barbara
February 15, 2013
Happy Friday!
Just a few words this morning – woke up too early, thinking about edits, and*** – so I decided to “stop by” for a few minutes.
It’s cold this morning in NE Florida – 37* according to weather.com – I’m ready for a cool snap, just wish we’d quit with the 80s one day and the 60s the next… Oh well, we don’t have to deal with that four-letter word – SNOW! On cold mornings I like a dash of nutmeg in my coffee – it’s so fragrant! So I am sipping coffee, ready to BEGIN…
UPDATE: Book Two of the Rock and Roll Trilogy – When I Look to the Sky – is out to my first responders! (ha!) Seeing some red, but that’s good – they are catching what I missed. I love them for doing this – I’m not naïve enough to think they want to read it to look for typos; they want to read it because THEY WANT TO KNOW! It’s all good though, as they read I get text messages, phone calls and emails that bring me great JOY! And they find things that they bring to my attention. I’m glad! I’m reading a book now where there is a character named ‘Carrie’ and more than once I’ve seen ‘Carry’ – spell check wouldn’t catch that – so I’m glad for my readers to check me before the next step! When I have those edits back I will do MY THING and then it will go out for round two. I bombarded my graphics designer with ideas for the cover last weekend, so that pot is stewing….
Book Three of the Rock and Roll Trilogy (I think this is the first time I’ve revealed the title!!!) – Feel Like Makin’ Love – is in the works. I know the story, beginning to end, now I’m filling in the details.
I also have two other stories in the works for future (I may get my 2012 NaNoWriMo story done by the 6/30/13 deadline in order to claim my ‘WINNER’S PRIZE’! and publish before Book Three and make y’all wait! ha ha!)
AND*** if you know me – really know me – you know I don’t sleep. This morning at four AM I woke up with two paragraphs in my head that I typed out on the iPad for another story (way) in the future. That’s how this whole journey evolved! Andy woke me in the middle of the night and said “I’ve got a story you need to tell!”
I’m happy!
I also want to say that I made the right move pulling Rock and Roll Never Forgets from the distributor I was using – LESSON LEARNED – stick with what works…. Since I went back to Kindle exclusively, in one month I have ten times what I had with the ‘other’….
Well… edits are waiting for my attention so I can get through When I Look to the Sky! ‘CARRY’ on peeps.
Love and wishes for a beautiful day, Barbara
DSB!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5wVZwdHmRY
I can’t help it – it’s my MANTRA!
February 10, 2013
Happy…
That’s how I felt when I opened my eyes this morning…
After a week of being sick, I finally feel good – my voice is still messed up, but I FEEL GOOD!
I feel happy because things are falling in place. My books are moving, I’m getting good reviews and…
I finished my edits on When I Look to the Sky – Book Two of the Trilogy. It’s ready for first set of eyes, edits after that, and then proofing…. forward motion…
I’m happy, that’s all!
Love, Barbara
February 1, 2013
Good morning world…
Looks like this might be a hang out on the sofa weekend… which gives me the opportunity to work on When I Look to the Sky and some “chores” to do like updating some things on the website. It’s not that I’ve been lazy – just busy!
I’d like to thank everyone who came out to the Meet the Author night at the Black Horse Winery in Orange Park to support me. It was fun and an awesome learning experience and I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to do it. I’m hoping to find some pictures from the event in my in-box soon!
Everyday I learn something new to help me move forward.
I’m receiving lovely comments and feedback on Rock and Roll as well as Boots.
I’m excited about this journey!
Take a look at the site later in the weekend and see what I’ve done!
Thank you for being a Traveler in my Journey!
Love, Barbara
January 28, 2013
POWERFUL WORDS!
Short message tonight – What a great week behind me…
I’ve had family here for few days for a lovely visit, and I’ve sneaked editing of Book Two of the Trilogy in. I’m not gonna meet me 1st (self-imposed) deadline, but I will chug forward. When I Look to the Sky is getting closer to reality!
I just got home from work and did my daily ritual…. check Kindle to see if books are moving (THEY ARE!!!) and then to see if there are any reviews (THERE WAS!!!)
One review… TEN POWERFUL WORDS – and they made me cry…
“Amazing. What an emotional ride. It touched my very soul.”
WOW – my day can’t get any better……
In the words of my favorite band, “Have faith, BELIEVE!”
Love, Barbara
