Savannah Hendricks's Blog, page 9

Why Some Rejections Do More Harm Than Good

You know what I’m talking about, right?

If you have ever hit send on a query and nearly danced in your chair, you know.

You swear you found the perfect agent, editor, or publisher. You studied up, you social media stalked, you perfected the query with sprinkles of personalization. That moment you hit send you actually smiled instead of cringed with worry and doubt.

This submission…THE PERFECT MATCH!

Then….

Dear Author……thanks, but no thanks.

How could this happen? This must be a mistake! Every positive thought you had about your writing and understanding how to query is now a sandbox of self-doubt. Why do I even bother writing you holler?!

This thought process ultimately sinks not only your self esteem, but your writing. You might take time off. Maybe delete all your stories or vow to be a reader and never a writer again.

Then, for most, we climb out of the sandbox, brush our pants off and return to writing and submitting. Only this time we remind ourselves that we can’t get hopeful about submitting. We can’t think we found a great match to query. So we don’t put our full hundred and ten percent into our submissions.

I’m here to tell you, stop. You must put just as much love and effort into each submission. Regardless of the outcome, if you don’t you will miss an opportunity. The opportunity to know that you did your best whether it is a yes or a no. Each manuscript is, often, a one shot deal. Don’t allow the ones before to prevent you from a yes now.

Picture Books to Warm Your Heart this Winter

Groundhug Day – I enjoyed this unique take on not only Groundhog’s Day, but Valentine’s Day. Illustrations were super cute too.

Click, Clack, I Love You! – This series never disappoints, another fun story with detailed illustrations.

When an Elephant Falls in Love – This story is simply beautiful, because it’s simply written.

Love

I found my new favorite picture book. This book is not just for children, but adults. Dare I say I teared up reading it?! (I was not a fan of the author’s other popular book, I know, shame, so I didn’t expect to like this one). I LOVED THIS ONE!

Love, Mama

Cute story about Mamas that have to leave for a bit. Teaching children that it’s okay to miss them and that they always return.

Ollie’s Valentine – Poor Ollie, young readers will enjoy this quick story and be able to relate Ollie feeling left out.

When You Have a Garden

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If someone was to ask a younger me, would I ever garden, I would surely have said yes. But a garden of flowers, most likely.

And flower gardens I did have, even a simple pot on an apartment balcony. A home with hydrangeas, small, and barely blooming when the moving truck came. A new state, homes with nothing but backyard dirt. And a home with failed attempts at all desert plants. Oh flower gardens were in my plans. Yet, a garden of vegetables and fruits, no.

I believed that was something unobtainable. Something that needed skill and planning. Something, that required lots of land and a coffee table full of how to books (okay, so I have two books, no coffee table).

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So, how I ever stumbled upon the gardens I now have, and wanting more, remains a mystery.

I have a 4×4 box and a 10×5 box, which I find myself walking around at least five times a day. As though I’m wandering acres on some farm in Texas. Veggies don’t grow that fast, but the way I snoop around the dirt you would think something new has grown every few hours.

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Turns out when you have a garden germinating, you can and do lose yourself in it. It’s like watching a baby sleep, just wondering when it will wake.

There is peace among the dirt. Green sprouts appear as though Thomas Kinkade painted them. And when you get to taste what has grown it’s a rainbow of joy.

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I just need more boxes now….

Home Again & The Whole Truth – movies

There are few movies I find interesting these days. Okay, these last few years. Okay…this last century.

So, when I find one I grab hold, take it in like waves rolling onto the dry sand.

[image error]I never saw a preview for Home Again, but as a Reese Witherspoon fan I could not really say no. Yet, because of so many boring can’t finish them movies, I figured this would be the same.

WRONG! 

Now this movie is not for everyone. There is zero story arc. Okay, maybe 10% arc, but it doesn’t matter, because Home Again feels almost like a Hollywood classic. A mix between Hanging Up/It’s Complicated and a Doris Day flick. (The fancy chic California house set didn’t hurt much either.) The movie is cute, funny, hopeful, and cozy.

[image error]Movie number two, The Whole Truth. First, just get past Renee Zellweger, it’s her. But my-o-my you can’t tell a bit. So much plastic surgery she could be hiding Barney under there.

This movie was gripping. You think you know, but damn, you don’t. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I promise you will he hooked. 

Going into 2018

[image error]Writers have a tough job. Not only do they need to create an original story, but they have to sell it too. If that is your end goal it will most often come with rejections. A lot! 

It’s similar to going to work and being told you suck at your job, but we are going to keep you on, someday you’ll get it right. Talk about walking back to your desk with your head hanging down.

Okay, now you have managed to sell your manuscript. Guess what?! When your book comes out you are judged too. Through sales and reviews. 

Thus, writing takes strength to believe in yourself, and your work. And, for most, it comes with stress and anxiety, even depression at times. But this year I’m making it great, and pushing past that. 

Now, I’m not into making new year’s goals, as I’ve mentioned over the years on my blog. But, I am into pondering. Hmm, maybe I should write a book about pondering. I’m rather an expert at this point. I look at 2017 and take what I didn’t handle well and focus on how I can lessen or all together prevent those choices. This includes my writing.

I hope, whether you have goals or pondering”s” that you make the best out of each day, week, and month. That you make yourself happy, and thus others around you will be happy too. 

Best Christmas Present Ever

Recently I overheard someone ask another what their favorite Christmas present was. It got me thinking, what was mine?

I thought, a rather long time.

Turns out I remember more about other things, than what the gifts were.

I thought some more and it finally came to me.

My favorite gift was not from a person at all, but from mother nature.

My father had moved us from sunny southern California to rainy cold Washington. I was beyond upset, having gotten not only food positioning the first day at my new school, but also chicken pox. So, I was pretty sure nothing good was ever going to come from Washington.

Christmas morning 1991 came and I woke, to the first time ever…to snow! And it was still snowing…ON CHRISTMAS MORNING! I mean a ton of snow had fallen over night, but it had yet to stop.

My father insisted that I open one present before I ran outside. It was a disposable camera.

[image error]Thank you all for your visits to my blog through out 2017. I hope my posts have inspired, informed, taught, and provided a smile. I will be on blog hiatus for the rest of December, returning with a new look come January (as I do every year). I wish y’all a wonderful Christmas and a bright New Year. Write to you in 2018.

Favorite Things 2017

It’s that time of year when I share my favorite things I have discovered this year.

1. JOSIE MARAN Argan Oil face cream SPF 47. I recommend shopping around for the best deal, saves you a bunch of money.

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2. Essential oils – I love these and use them daily/nightly. I’m partial to YL, as I’ve tried others and not had the same results.

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3. Plant based diet – Every week I see more news on how great this lifestyle is, and I can agree a million times. Find what works for you. I have cheat days, but I feel better and sleep better when I have a plant based diet day.

4. Community programs for free – your community should put on free workshops or low cost workshops. I attended one this summer about gardening (free) specialized to my area. I walked away with knowledge, a goodie bag and they even provided snacks!

5. Heirloom tomatoes – what can I say, I’m behind, but I tried them for the first time this year! I used to think why does anyone want to buy a tomato that looks all messed up?? But wow, the taste is amazing. Especially since most tomatoes I was buying, even organic, were tasteless and didn’t ripen properly. Bonus, I’ve been very successful at growing new plants from their scraps!!

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6. Macadamia oil hair – I’ve tried several brands and find them all to be about the same. Worked better than the coconut oil treatments I was using.

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Last Minute Turkey Recipe

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Okay, so if you are looking for an easy last minute turkey recipe, it’s here.

Any pound turkey works, I use one that has been chopped down to about 5 pounds, but have done this recipe on a full 10 pound plus one.

(About 6 years ago I made my first ever turkey, and by luck it was pretty darn good. I had no idea what I was doing that first year, but I improved on it to create the recipe I use now.)

Take your turkey and a pot or whichever you like to brine your turkey in. Then like you would butter, rub your turkey with bacon grease. Rub it well, then shove a little bit inside the bird. Let it sit overnight (Wednesday). 

Thursday, take your turkey and stuff it with cut lemon wedges, salt, pepper, and an whole thing of garlic (peeled and ends cut off). 

Cook as normal. Make sure you add foil to cover the bird, with the bacon grease it can brown quick. I usually remove the foil about thirty to fourty minutes before the turkey is done.

Enjoy! (yep it’s that easy)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING YA’LL! 

Bayou’s Song

[image error]First time I heard this single I was passing by Bayou’s vet, a place far out, rarely on my way to anywhere. It was the first time driving by his vet since he passed. It was a sign, I believe in signs, sue me. Stapleton performed Broken Halos last night at the CMAs. I cry hearing it, pretty much every time. Enough said. (The CMAs tend to block all performances on You Tube so here it is from Today).

Not again, whyyyyy?!

[image error]There is something to be said about reading through your manuscript for the third, fifth…seventh time that makes a writer want to slowly crawl into a cave.

You know your story back and forth, front and back, upside down and right side up. So why must you read through it….AGAIN!?

Because, just like a toddler screams, BUT WHY!? And a ten year old screams, LIFE ISN’T FAIR! You, dear writer, must.

There is no easy way, set it aside, come back later, again and again. You must, because without it, it’s not great and it’s not going to make it to editors’ desks.