Tammy's a liar. A stretcher-of-the-truth. A teller of tall tales. A fabricator. In other words, she's a writer...
While reading her blog, I discovered Tammy had passed the liars' torch to me, along with this award:
According to requirements of the award, in order to receive the huge cash prize and the semi full of Rice a Roni that accompanies the cute colorful certificate, I must tell you four truths and a lie. See if you can discern which one is the lie:
- I've been skydiving before. In fact, I've done it three times and look forward to doing it again.
- I have a half-sister who is in prison for life, without parole, for killing her step-grandson.
- I once worked in the Chrysler plant for a short period of time; unfortunately, my ineptitude got me fired.
- Both of my children were born at home, by choice, without any drugs.
- I once spent the summer working in a national forest. It was an all-women work camp, and involved stringing barbed wire, digging post holes (by hand) and clearing trails.
(I think I am also supposed to post a photo of me writing. That will have to wait until next week...)
Now I am going to pass on this award to some of my blogging friends. (And I must admit, a few of these bloggers I've picked because I am dying to see what kind of lie they brew up.) And the few, the chosen, the awarded, are:
Lisa Ricard Claro and her wonderful blog and meme. She writes marvelous stuff, shares writing opportunities, and has even launched a new meme recently. Check out her Book Blurb Friday if you haven't already...
Janel and her "Jumble." She writes. She creates bracelets and necklaces that are works of art. She's way too talented for her own good. Let's see if she can spin a tall tale as well as she can weave wire and beads.
Katie and her writing from the west coast. Sometimes the stories she tells (true ones) are so hilarious and "out there," I'm suspicious. I think she's a well-honed liar, but I could be wrong.
Liza Bean, in care of her two-legged friend Pearl. Of course, Pearl is welcome to tell four truths and a lie, too, but I am far more interested in Liza Bean's hair-raising "tails."
Linda and her blog. Linda shares her writing expertise--generously--and she makes me laugh (as do the vast majority of my blogging buddies).
OJ Gonzalez-Cazares and her blog. She's done quite a bit of traveling, and has a unique spin on life. I think even her truths would sound like lies.
Barb and her purple pen. I am looking forward to her four truths and a lie, written with a rhyme scheme...
Becky Povich and her blog. Ooops, sorry. She's supposed to be working on her memoir and not spending endless hours on blogspot. (You can write four fast truths and an even quicker lie...And then get back to your book!)
And finally, last but certainly not least, is Donna and her book publishing blog. Everyone's heard the phrase, "Still waters run deep." That's Donna. Who knows what kind of crazy, far-fetched true tales she's keeping hidden, under the surface? It'll be fascinating to find out.
A blogging friend of mine---Lisa Ricard Claro---has launched a new meme. (I have no idea how to pronounce that, or what it means. Hopefully no one will ask me...)
Every Friday (actually, late on Thursday) she will post a photo. It is your mission---if you choose to accept it---to write a blurb that would appear on the book cover, so that readers are enticed enough to purchase the book.
Unfortunately, when I tried to (repeatedly) save the photo (it's an interesting shot of some trees, shot by Christina Claro), I got some weird message: "server rejected," if I remember correctly.
Check out Lisa's blog. Come up with a blurb of your own. Don't be afraid. Stick your toes in. The water's warm and just right...
And without further fanfare (because the story is not trumpet-worthy), here is my blurb:
The Whisper in the Trees
When Annie returned with rusty-red stains on her shirt, no one was suspicious. After all, it was raspberry season...
But when her grandson Manuel was still missing four days later, suspicions swirled. Annie was the last one to see the toddler alive. Could she have done something to him? Impossible!
Or was it...
At the end of the fourth day of searches, Annie confessed. She would take the authorities to where Manuel lay, his head crushed...on the condition that her estranged husband came along. He needed to see the horror that was on his shoulders.
Because, according to Annie, every time she hit Manuel with the rock, it was a blow meant for Duffy. It was a pay-back for his abandonment. For his cheating. For all the lies he told.
Unfortunately, the trees had not become silenced. They were still whispering...still clamoring.
But for what? (149 words)
Yesterday I went to a St. Louis Writers' Guild workshop entitled "Procrastination," given by Tricia Sanders. Since I am the Princess of Procrastination, I thought I might as well attend. After all, there was a chance I could discover new ways to put off til tomorrow what I should be doing today.
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| photo by Srh Vee |
Fortunately, I found the opposite. Tricia shared some practical advice on how to keep our writing on track, such as:
- Write for short intervals--20 or 30 minutes--and set a timer. (You can go to http://www.cooltimer.com/, I'm told, to get one on your desktop.) When the timer goes off, you have a set break--5 or 10 minutes--to get something to drink, go to the bathroom, etc. and then of course, back to writing...
- Set up "office hours," hours where you are working and should not be disturbed. (Why do we insist on answering the phone when it rings and we're in the middle of something? After all, the phone is for our convenience, not everyone else's. You can always check the answering machine/voice mail, to ensure it's not an emergency.)
- Reward yourself when you achieve a small goal. "When I finish reworking the opening lines of this story, I get to phone a friend/take a walk/do a bit of knitting/play with the dog." (Do not get in the habit of rewarding yourself with chocolate concoctions. I've tried this, and now they are going to have to open up the side of my house with a wrecking ball because I can't fit through the doorway. Think about it...)
- Write down your year's worth of writing goals and email them to a writing buddy. Have your friend do the same. At the six-month mark, send them (via the postal carrier) to your friend. He/she has six months left to achieve them.
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| photo by Don Moyer |
What advice do you have for procrastinators?
And welcome to my three newest followers...Thank you Ellie for stopping by. I hope you continue to read things of interest.
Welcome Madeleine Maddocks. You can check out her blog. (She creates soft sculptures...I'd love to see some of them!)
And thanks also to Dominic de Mattos. You can read his blog by going to his blog called Writes of Passage.
