Lydia Howe's Blog, page 41
April 22, 2015
S is for Sisters
Y'all, I get more story ideas than I'll ever be able to use. For this A to Z Challenge I'm sharing some of these crazy and random balloons with you just for the fun of it. The posts will be set up like a backcover blurb. Sit back and enjoy!
S is for Sisters
Jenna Willison is one of five sisters. That means she pretty much lives in a modern day Little Women setting, only better. Each of the girls are unique and have a special place in Jenna's life, but she get's along with her next younger sister, Penny, the best.
As the girls grow up and Jenna realizes that life isn't going to always continue on like she's used to, she's desperate to have one last sister summer before life changes forever. Only Penny has the chance to act in their community theater and she doesn't know if she's willing to give it up.
Sisters is a story of sisterhood, family, changes and growing up.
What I've Been Reading
Since we left home on Friday I've been enjoying reading. I think the writing side of my brain called a time out and the reading side of my brain called a free-for-all.
I've focused a good amount of time on my non-fiction reading list:
I read the last half or so of Love Does by Bob Goff and could barely contain my enthusiasm as I shared story after story with my family and quickly passed the book along to my cousin and sister who are both gobbling the book up. Someday I'll be reviewing it on here. A total Five Star book. Y'all should go buy it and read it ASAP. I don't think I'll ever be able to sufficiently rave about this guy.
I also finished the last third of Getting Things Done by David Allen. I had to read this book for work and unfortunately it's not really one of those books that meshed well with me. (Translation: I had to crawl my way through it and y'all aren't going to be seeing a review.)
I also began Home Run by Kevin Myers and John C. Maxwell. Y'all! It's amazing. I'm only on page 86 of 217 pages, but I'm really enjoying it. I received this book back in February when I was at the Salt and Light Conference. Mr. Myers gave a talk with the principles that are in the book and then at the end of the session each person got a book. I completely recommend this book and hope to review it for y'all after I've finished reading it.
I also started reading Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks. I've read this book (or at least part of it) before, but that was several years ago. I'm currently on page 106 out of 174 pages. It has a lot of really helpful information and I'm trying to immerse myself in books about writing, so I'm very thankful for this book.
I've also read four fiction books (one of them that I'll be reviewing on here soon) that add up to 1,215 pages of reading. Combine that with the 376 pages of fiction (It really felt like more! I'm always shocked at how much easier it is for me to fly through fiction compared to non-fiction, even though I really do like non-fiction). That adds up to 1,591 pages which is kinda a lot of reading for five days. (About 318 pages a day.)
One reason I took this reading blitz is because I'm still mind-tired from finishing When Life Hands You Lymes. I have been working on plotting my next book though (which is the second book in the Creation Quest series) and I'm hoping to begin writing it today. Thankfully I have a good grasp on what's going to happen with this story and it should be really easy to turn out. A couple weeks from now I think I'll be ready to move on to my next project. Excitement.
* * *
What about you? What are some of the books you've been reading recently? I'd be delighted to hear!
I've focused a good amount of time on my non-fiction reading list:
I read the last half or so of Love Does by Bob Goff and could barely contain my enthusiasm as I shared story after story with my family and quickly passed the book along to my cousin and sister who are both gobbling the book up. Someday I'll be reviewing it on here. A total Five Star book. Y'all should go buy it and read it ASAP. I don't think I'll ever be able to sufficiently rave about this guy.
I also finished the last third of Getting Things Done by David Allen. I had to read this book for work and unfortunately it's not really one of those books that meshed well with me. (Translation: I had to crawl my way through it and y'all aren't going to be seeing a review.)
I also began Home Run by Kevin Myers and John C. Maxwell. Y'all! It's amazing. I'm only on page 86 of 217 pages, but I'm really enjoying it. I received this book back in February when I was at the Salt and Light Conference. Mr. Myers gave a talk with the principles that are in the book and then at the end of the session each person got a book. I completely recommend this book and hope to review it for y'all after I've finished reading it.
I also started reading Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks. I've read this book (or at least part of it) before, but that was several years ago. I'm currently on page 106 out of 174 pages. It has a lot of really helpful information and I'm trying to immerse myself in books about writing, so I'm very thankful for this book.
I've also read four fiction books (one of them that I'll be reviewing on here soon) that add up to 1,215 pages of reading. Combine that with the 376 pages of fiction (It really felt like more! I'm always shocked at how much easier it is for me to fly through fiction compared to non-fiction, even though I really do like non-fiction). That adds up to 1,591 pages which is kinda a lot of reading for five days. (About 318 pages a day.)
One reason I took this reading blitz is because I'm still mind-tired from finishing When Life Hands You Lymes. I have been working on plotting my next book though (which is the second book in the Creation Quest series) and I'm hoping to begin writing it today. Thankfully I have a good grasp on what's going to happen with this story and it should be really easy to turn out. A couple weeks from now I think I'll be ready to move on to my next project. Excitement.
* * *
What about you? What are some of the books you've been reading recently? I'd be delighted to hear!
April 21, 2015
R is for Remembering
Y'all, I get more story ideas than I'll ever be able to use. For this A to Z Challenge I'm sharing some of these crazy and random balloons with you just for the fun of it. The posts will be set up like a backcover blurb. Sit back and enjoy!
Growing up in a house that used to be a stop on the Underground Railroad means Sophia's life is teeming with the remembrance of years gone by. From her grandfather's stories that he heard from his grandfather who built the house, to the books Sophia reads in the library to the research she does in school, sometimes Sophia feels as if she might actually be living in days gone by.
But when a previously unknown relative enters her life, Sophia realizes that her family might be sitting on a secret that not even her grandfather knows exists.
The Remembering House is a story filled with history, family loyalty and heart-racing suspense.
Writing Wish-Washy-Ness
My brain is laughing at my attempts to connect with my mind. I wanted to get writing done today, but I can't seem to concentrate enough to make it work. There's a good possibility I'll force myself later on and see what I can come up with, but sometimes I just want a break and so I'm giving myself one.
There are so many different projects I need to and want to be working on and it can be a little bit overwhelming. Thankfully I don't have any deadlines at this moment and so I can afford to give myself some leeway.
Do you know what I really want to write though? A story about a princess. I'm pretty sure I'm half-way to being infatuated with them. But that's the problem. Being infatuated is, by the very definition, short-lived. To write the kind of book I'm seeing in my head I'd have to have a very long-termed eagerness and delight with princesses.
I know it will come one day though. The pieces to this princesses story has slowly been slipping into place for the last three or four years now. One day, one day I'll allow it out and the book will be so very much fun to write.
Yesterday I was sitting with my feet in the ocean reading a book about writing and imagining new story ideas. I used to worry that I'd run out of story ideas, now I'm convinced I'll never have enough time to write about all of them.
It's as if writing stories can be endless. And I'm pretty sure that the facts and ideas and tips and books and blogs and websites that I can read about writing are endless. There's so much to learn. To put into practice. To incorporate into my life.
My whole life is one big convoluted experience that enhances my writing if viewed and used correctly and a stepping stone to my next milestone. Milestones that I'm happy to try and forget about sometimes for a few hours or days, yet it's hard because writing is so ingrained in me to my core.
Yet there's more to life than writing. Which is a good thing. Writing is just part of life. It isn't my life. At least I try and keep it that way.
There are so many different projects I need to and want to be working on and it can be a little bit overwhelming. Thankfully I don't have any deadlines at this moment and so I can afford to give myself some leeway.
Do you know what I really want to write though? A story about a princess. I'm pretty sure I'm half-way to being infatuated with them. But that's the problem. Being infatuated is, by the very definition, short-lived. To write the kind of book I'm seeing in my head I'd have to have a very long-termed eagerness and delight with princesses.
I know it will come one day though. The pieces to this princesses story has slowly been slipping into place for the last three or four years now. One day, one day I'll allow it out and the book will be so very much fun to write.
Yesterday I was sitting with my feet in the ocean reading a book about writing and imagining new story ideas. I used to worry that I'd run out of story ideas, now I'm convinced I'll never have enough time to write about all of them.
It's as if writing stories can be endless. And I'm pretty sure that the facts and ideas and tips and books and blogs and websites that I can read about writing are endless. There's so much to learn. To put into practice. To incorporate into my life.
My whole life is one big convoluted experience that enhances my writing if viewed and used correctly and a stepping stone to my next milestone. Milestones that I'm happy to try and forget about sometimes for a few hours or days, yet it's hard because writing is so ingrained in me to my core.
Yet there's more to life than writing. Which is a good thing. Writing is just part of life. It isn't my life. At least I try and keep it that way.
April 20, 2015
Q is for Quick
Y'all, I get more story ideas than I'll ever be able to use. For this A to Z Challenge I'm sharing some of these crazy and random balloons with you just for the fun of it. The posts will be set up like a backcover blurb. Sit back and enjoy!
In a world that thrives on a fast pace and a bucketload of accomplishments Kelsey finds that no matter how fast she goes, she's always wishing she were quicker.
Every single moment of her day is on hyper speed from the time Kelsey wakes up until she falls into bed exhausted at night. She's beginning to wonder if it's worth it though? Is the supper-turbo speed she's set for herself helpful, or is it stealing away the moments in life that really matter.
Deciding that it's time for a change Kelsey starts a blog and begins documenting her journey to a more balanced lifestyle. Despite the jokes poked at her and the friends who aren't quite sure they understand, Kelsey soon discovers a whole new way of life where she, and her aspirations, thrive.
When a Book Doesn't Resonate with the Reader... {The Book Snob}
Sometimes I read a book and I can't hardly put it down. In fact that's what normally happens when I'm reading a fiction book. Even if it's not a spectacular book, I still want to know what is going to happen next and how the author is going to resolve the conflict and what note the story will end on.
Every once in a while though, I find a dud. The kind of book that I finish more because I started it and I know I can learn from it and I have a mild case of curiosity surrounding it than because it's actually interesting. Those books are easy to put down and rarely enter my mind until I pick them up again.
What's sad is when I read a book by an author and really enjoy it and then I read another book by the same author (sometimes even in the same series) and I feel a very large case of 'book-let-down-blues.' Ugg!
Last night I finished a book I had been eager to gobble up because I'd read another book by the same author that delighted me and sucked me in. This book though? Sigh. I could barely muster up the enthusiasm to read it. In fact, I went and read another couple of books in the meantime and plodded my way through (ok, ok, so I only spent about two and a half days from the time I began the book until I ended it, but still!), and felt nothing pulling at me.
After finishing the book and feeling victorious that I could quietly file the book away, I began compiling the list in my head with the notes I'd stuck in my brain while reading about why the book didn't resonate with me:
1. I didn't connect with any of the characters
2. I didn't even like the main characters
3. The character's actions and reactions didn't feel natural
4. The character's thought processes were either lost on me or felt cliché
5. Some of the things one of the character went through were huge and I didn't feel like they were addressed correctly
6. The way the story was told. It started at the middle and then went back and forth between the future and the past. That means that we had a huge 'inciting incident' right at the beginning, and yet I didn't care about it sufficiently because who in the world are these people anyway? I'm pretty sure I would have liked the story a lot better if I could have read it chronologically
7. One of the huge pivot points to the plot is a clichéd pet peeve of mine and made me want to roll my eyes
Do you know what? This is the kind of thing that mildly freaks me out and I have to constantly refuse to let in my brain except for structured learning moments. And when I say this I'm referring to my great delight with the author's one book, and a distaste for another one of the author's books.
See, I am an author. Yeah. I have people reading my books. Crazy, right? Ever since my first book got published I've had to fight off the fear, guilt and worry that someone will read one of my books and think it's great and read another one of my books only to be let down. Because guess what, it's going to happen. There is no way every single person who reads my books is going to enjoy every single one of them. And I don't like that, because I don't like letting people down.
With the book I was reading there's a good chance that a lot of readers did resonate with the characters. That they could relate and care for and understand what the characters were going through. See, people don't always think through things and see the world the same way that I do. Or the way you do. Or the way your great-grandma did. That means that some books will pull us in and some books won't. It's not that the author is doing a bad job, it might just mean that the book wasn't your cup of tea. And that's ok. It really, really is, even when it doesn't feel like it.
And that my friends is what I have to remind myself of. I will write with my whole heart and learn and focus and grow and turn out the best books I can, but at the end of the day, not everyone's going to enjoy them. And that's ok.
Every once in a while though, I find a dud. The kind of book that I finish more because I started it and I know I can learn from it and I have a mild case of curiosity surrounding it than because it's actually interesting. Those books are easy to put down and rarely enter my mind until I pick them up again.
What's sad is when I read a book by an author and really enjoy it and then I read another book by the same author (sometimes even in the same series) and I feel a very large case of 'book-let-down-blues.' Ugg!
Last night I finished a book I had been eager to gobble up because I'd read another book by the same author that delighted me and sucked me in. This book though? Sigh. I could barely muster up the enthusiasm to read it. In fact, I went and read another couple of books in the meantime and plodded my way through (ok, ok, so I only spent about two and a half days from the time I began the book until I ended it, but still!), and felt nothing pulling at me.
After finishing the book and feeling victorious that I could quietly file the book away, I began compiling the list in my head with the notes I'd stuck in my brain while reading about why the book didn't resonate with me:
1. I didn't connect with any of the characters
2. I didn't even like the main characters
3. The character's actions and reactions didn't feel natural
4. The character's thought processes were either lost on me or felt cliché
5. Some of the things one of the character went through were huge and I didn't feel like they were addressed correctly
6. The way the story was told. It started at the middle and then went back and forth between the future and the past. That means that we had a huge 'inciting incident' right at the beginning, and yet I didn't care about it sufficiently because who in the world are these people anyway? I'm pretty sure I would have liked the story a lot better if I could have read it chronologically
7. One of the huge pivot points to the plot is a clichéd pet peeve of mine and made me want to roll my eyes
Do you know what? This is the kind of thing that mildly freaks me out and I have to constantly refuse to let in my brain except for structured learning moments. And when I say this I'm referring to my great delight with the author's one book, and a distaste for another one of the author's books.
See, I am an author. Yeah. I have people reading my books. Crazy, right? Ever since my first book got published I've had to fight off the fear, guilt and worry that someone will read one of my books and think it's great and read another one of my books only to be let down. Because guess what, it's going to happen. There is no way every single person who reads my books is going to enjoy every single one of them. And I don't like that, because I don't like letting people down.
With the book I was reading there's a good chance that a lot of readers did resonate with the characters. That they could relate and care for and understand what the characters were going through. See, people don't always think through things and see the world the same way that I do. Or the way you do. Or the way your great-grandma did. That means that some books will pull us in and some books won't. It's not that the author is doing a bad job, it might just mean that the book wasn't your cup of tea. And that's ok. It really, really is, even when it doesn't feel like it.
And that my friends is what I have to remind myself of. I will write with my whole heart and learn and focus and grow and turn out the best books I can, but at the end of the day, not everyone's going to enjoy them. And that's ok.
April 18, 2015
P is for Packing
Y'all, I get more story ideas than I'll ever be able to use. For this A to Z Challenge I'm sharing some of these crazy and random balloons with you just for the fun of it. The posts will be set up like a backcover blurb. Sit back and enjoy! {Note: This would be an idea for a short story.}
Lindsey Overhall lives the dream life as she travels from exotic place to exotic place with her dad. From the Bahamas to Paris to China Mr. Overhall's work takes him all over the world and throws one adventure after another into Lindsey's path.
There's one problem though: No matter where she's going or how long she'll be gone for Lindsey can never figure out what to pack and what to leave home. Her dad is getting tired of lugging huge suitcases around though, so Lindsey turns it into a game... Her goal is to pack everything she'll need into just one backpack.
And, since we're on the subject of traveling, I thought I should share a sunset picture with y'all that I took tonight here in Aruba. :)
April 17, 2015
O is for Opportunity
Y'all, I get more story ideas than I'll ever be able to use. For this A to Z Challenge I'm sharing some of these crazy and random balloons with you just for the fun of it. The posts will be set up like a backcover blurb. Sit back and enjoy! {NOTE: This is actually one of the books I have written!}
Twelve-year-old Olivia Hall’s dream of a friends' club ends when she finds out her family is moving. Her parents assure her it's a good thing, opening a new world of possibilities for the Halls. But going from ‘miss popular’ to ‘the new girl’ won’t be easy, and Olivia is not convinced.
Soon she begins to realize that although her life has suddenly changed, there's plenty of adventure to keep her on her toes. From making new friends at Forward Focus, to hanging out at the world-renowned Kids Zone, to meeting the curious head chef, she discovers that there's much more to life - and her new surroundings - than she ever imagined. How will she make the most of these new opportunities? Or will she let them slip away?
Action Kids' Club is a delightful, short chapter book for kids with a variety of interests.
* * *
I'm in Aruba now! It's beautiful and the weather is wonderful and the house I'm staying at is quite lovely. I'm looking forward to sharing some pictures with y'all next week!
When Life Hands You Lymes #67
Hey y'all! I'm happy to announce the 67th segment of my fictional story,
When Life Hands You Lymes
. This post continues right where this post left off. I hope you enjoy!
That night we were sitting around in the living room when Jason all of a sudden jumped out of his chair with a boyish grin. “I miss our late sibling swimming parties. Let’s go.” “You mean tonight?” Katie looked at her watch and yawned, “It is getting late you know.” Jason shrugged, “You only get to come visit me for the first time in Calliefornia once, you know.” “He does have a point.” Darrick jumped up from the couch where he had been sitting. “Let’s go and get changed. Last one in is a rotten egg.” That was all I needed to run toward our girls’ room. As usual, the sun went down and my energy started coming in. Going to bed was the last thing I felt like doing. I changed into my swimming suit and was heading out the door by the time Katie was finally roused enough to head into the room. “I guess we’re having a swimming party.” She seemed kind of dazed. “Looks like you’ll be the rotten egg.” I smiled as I skidded out of the room. This was going to be so much fun. “Are Mom and Dad coming?” I asked Darrick. “Naw, they said we could go along without them.” The three of us scampered down to the pool, laughing and hushing each other the whole way. I reveled in the light-heartedness, my heart feeling like it was about ready to burst with joy. I loved my family so much. When we got to the pool we walked to the deepest end then stood in a line, oldest to youngest and holding hands we counted to three and then jumped in. Before my brothers could catch their breaths I launched into an all-out water fight. When I was younger I had learned the perfect way to splash water out of self-defense because the boys were always picking on me when we went swimming. I used my v-shaped hand technique and Jason and Darrick sputtered with surprise and returned the splashing. “You three sound like a bunch of chickens being attacked by a fox.” Katie’s loud voice made us pause mid-splash. “Join us!” Jason waved for her to jump in. “The pool is secluded, no one is going to hear us so we’re fine.” “I could hear you out in the hall.” Katie was still scowling. “Not too loudly though, right?” Darrick swam over closer to Katie who was standing by the edge of the pool. Jason and I follow him. “I guess not...” Katie’s voice is still upset, but I can see a twitch under her eye. I gasp, realizing she’s stringing us along and quickly begin swimming backward. Just in time, too. With a hoot of laughter Katie dumped a bucket of ice right on top of my brothers. Howling the boys dunked under the water and then came up teeth chattering dramatically. “You won, you won.” Darrick held up his hands. “Water fight is officially over.”
That night we were sitting around in the living room when Jason all of a sudden jumped out of his chair with a boyish grin. “I miss our late sibling swimming parties. Let’s go.” “You mean tonight?” Katie looked at her watch and yawned, “It is getting late you know.” Jason shrugged, “You only get to come visit me for the first time in Calliefornia once, you know.” “He does have a point.” Darrick jumped up from the couch where he had been sitting. “Let’s go and get changed. Last one in is a rotten egg.” That was all I needed to run toward our girls’ room. As usual, the sun went down and my energy started coming in. Going to bed was the last thing I felt like doing. I changed into my swimming suit and was heading out the door by the time Katie was finally roused enough to head into the room. “I guess we’re having a swimming party.” She seemed kind of dazed. “Looks like you’ll be the rotten egg.” I smiled as I skidded out of the room. This was going to be so much fun. “Are Mom and Dad coming?” I asked Darrick. “Naw, they said we could go along without them.” The three of us scampered down to the pool, laughing and hushing each other the whole way. I reveled in the light-heartedness, my heart feeling like it was about ready to burst with joy. I loved my family so much. When we got to the pool we walked to the deepest end then stood in a line, oldest to youngest and holding hands we counted to three and then jumped in. Before my brothers could catch their breaths I launched into an all-out water fight. When I was younger I had learned the perfect way to splash water out of self-defense because the boys were always picking on me when we went swimming. I used my v-shaped hand technique and Jason and Darrick sputtered with surprise and returned the splashing. “You three sound like a bunch of chickens being attacked by a fox.” Katie’s loud voice made us pause mid-splash. “Join us!” Jason waved for her to jump in. “The pool is secluded, no one is going to hear us so we’re fine.” “I could hear you out in the hall.” Katie was still scowling. “Not too loudly though, right?” Darrick swam over closer to Katie who was standing by the edge of the pool. Jason and I follow him. “I guess not...” Katie’s voice is still upset, but I can see a twitch under her eye. I gasp, realizing she’s stringing us along and quickly begin swimming backward. Just in time, too. With a hoot of laughter Katie dumped a bucket of ice right on top of my brothers. Howling the boys dunked under the water and then came up teeth chattering dramatically. “You won, you won.” Darrick held up his hands. “Water fight is officially over.”
April 16, 2015
N is for Nails
Y'all, I get more story ideas than I'll ever be able to use. For this A to Z Challenge I'm sharing some of these crazy and random balloons with you just for the fun of it. The posts will be set up like a backcover blurb. Sit back and enjoy!
It's not every family who has their own family business and it's not every business that gets the catchy slogan of Nailing it since 1854.
Mark loves all the steps involved with making carpentry nails, but some times he wonders if he'll measure up to all the responsibility he'll face when the ownership of Huston's Nails is passed on to him. His older brother opted out of the inheritance in order to go to law school and Mark knows he's free to leave as well, but deep down he knows that the iron in his blood won't be satisfied with any other career.
Nailed is a coming-of-age story that will touch the heart.
It's not every family who has their own family business and it's not every business that gets the catchy slogan of Nailing it since 1854.
Mark loves all the steps involved with making carpentry nails, but some times he wonders if he'll measure up to all the responsibility he'll face when the ownership of Huston's Nails is passed on to him. His older brother opted out of the inheritance in order to go to law school and Mark knows he's free to leave as well, but deep down he knows that the iron in his blood won't be satisfied with any other career.
Nailed is a coming-of-age story that will touch the heart.
