I lost my Grandma last Friday to a 14 year battle with cancer. She was very loved and will be missed.

Through My Grandma's Eyes

Through my grandma's eyes she saw the world like no one else,

She saw a person dressed in rags, dirty from life's woes, and she'd hug and feed them.

If she saw a child not in church, no way to learn about God, she'd find room in her car.

A person that didn’t know the Lord, she'd show them the way.

Anyone in pain, she'd wrap them in her arms and say she wished it were her instead.

She'd give her last sweater, gladly, without second thought to someone who was cold.

If I could be half the person my grandma was, I'd see an enemy through loving eyes.

What a world it would be.

Closing my eyes now, letting the tears stream, I imagine her wearing the wings God made for her. She's crying right along with us—not because her life ended, but because we are sad.

I want to remember her as the most beautiful person God blessed us with, even if for a short time. She was the wife, sister, mother, grandmother, friend that we all were so proud to know and definitely loved.

She taught me how to live and she taught me how to die. Just a glimpse through my grandma's eyes.

Developing Pace

Check out Infinite Characters on my group's latest blog on developing pace in your novel. I'm Tom & Jerry, what are you? Also, there are some really neat stories about a kiss being interupted by an animal.

Tantalizing Love Scenes

I just blogged on how to write Tantalizing Love Scenes on my group blog: http://infinitecharacters.com/2011/07/20/tantalizing-love-scenes/. Please check it out if you have time.

Mama, the pigs are loose! How to corral all those unruly critters.

Check out my group's blog at http://infinitecharacters.com/2011/06/28/mama-the-pigs-are-loose-how-to-corral-all-those-unruly-critters/ to see what's going on!

New Group Blog

My wonderful critique group and I started a group blog at www.infinitecharacters.com. I'd love it if you could check it out. Mildred did a great interview with talented writer, K. Dawn Byrd.
K. Dawn will be giving away one gift card for a free download of Mistaken Identity to someone who leaves a comment at the close of this interview before midnight, Wednesday, June 22, 2011. Please check back on Thursday, June 23, 2011 for the winning post. The winner must email me within 5 days at mildred@infinitecharacters.com and leave your email address to receive the gift card.

Building your Book Blurb

A group of writers for Writer's Alley came up with a fantastic list of ways to build a book blurb.

While taking in the fabulously seductive smell of books in B&N, I agree, I love to look at the backs of books and see what's I'm in store for me on a lazy Saturday afternoon while the kids play in the backyard and I mingle in the hammock. I need to be brushed away from my busy life, if only for a moment. So, the story is so important. And how do I know about the story? From the blurb on the back of the book. It needs to be fresh and unique. And wow, do I need to be hooked. And nailing the book blurb or “back cover” copy is so important.

"Regardless of whether you draft your logline and surrounding sentences before you begin writing your first word (I recommend drafting at least a rough version of this before you begin writing) of after you’ve typed The End, this step is crucial to get right."

It's like building a home. Here are the materials you'll need:

A strong foundation = a high concept logline
This is you're gotta-read-it hooked sentence. Decision to buy your book or not will hinge on how well you’ve crafted your concept.

Mortar & bricks = compelling characters
It's imperative on how you choose to describe your characters in your back cover copy. "Are we talking Plain Jane and Boring Bob or Intriguing Ida and Captivating Carl?"

Insulation = the current reality surrounding your character(s)

Plumbing = word choice

You don’t want a well written novel, only to have the back blurb be mediocre.

Windows = a glimpse of your voice and writing style
Here's where you give the reader a taste of your writing style.

Electrical = excitement factor or what James Scott Bell calls the “ka-ching” in The Art of War for Writers
Read it to others and see what they think.

Roofing = A hint the reader can trust in the satisfying experience

Let me know what you think.

Source:
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. ~St. Augustine