WIP #2

One of the many, many lessons I have learned in my years of writing is never to put all your hopes into one story. As great and wonderful as a novel can be, to not have a second story waiting is naïve. Trust me, know from personal experience. For years I placed all of my hopes into one Epic Novel that was to be my “be all and end all” in my literary career. Needless to say that story was never picked up. So as much faith as I have in my Great Depression novel, it would be foolish of me not to have another WIP. After all, something had to keep me occupied in 2016 while I fretted away on my various submissions.

Some of you may know that I was very blessed a year and a half ago to go to Poland with the CANDLES Museum and tour Krakow and Auschwitz- Birkenau. It really was a life changing experience that I will never forget for as long as I live. Though I have been interested in the Holocaust since I was twelve, dreamt of visiting Auschwitz, and wanted to learn from Eva Mozes Kor – I must admit that I had ulterior motives in going. I was there partly to do research for a prospective story.

The novel is based in Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau; it spans most of the war and some of 1946. And it is told from two perspectives: a Catholic woman and a Jewish man. Unbeknownst to them they are connected and must come to terms with their prejudices to find a way to co-exist. It is almost finished and I hope to speak more about it in the coming months, especially now that the movie “The Zookeeper’s Wife” is to be released, which is based in Nazi Occupied Poland.

Until next time.

The One Without a Title

August has slipped by me and this blog has been neglected. Even now I can’t think of much to write about.

WIP #2 has been revised and revamped, with no avail. It is a little sad because I love it and the characters. Have only had one request for the full manuscript and another request for the first five pages. Both ended in rejections. None of the agents want to touch it. In hindsight, I had much better luck with WIP #1. But I’m not devastated. My latest project has me distracted and is my consolation. I actually sent off a query for it, just as a test to see what response it would receive. It was a rejection, of course, but the agent encouraged me to send it to her associate at that agency. It needs quite a bit of polishing, but at least she didn’t say it had “potential.” I’ve heard that phrase so many times that I loathe it now. May that word be forever banished from my vocabulary. (Just kidding.)

Newest developments around here? My family and I have upgraded to mobile phones and we have become addicted to them. Between the phones, DVR and our own computers, we have entered into the 21^st century.

All for now!

Life Update

Well, it’s been a month since I have updated on my life. The month-long posts dedicated to the Holocaust were pretty successful, I think. All of those stories of survivors, victims, rescuers and resistors remind me of what got me interested in the first place. No matter where I go or what I do, the subject of the Holocaust isn’t far behind me. I can’t explain why, but it my magnificent obsession.

It has been a full year since my Dad has passed away. At times it feels like it happened just yesterday and at other times it feels like it has been over a decade. Sometimes the pain is so deep and the sadness so great that I don’t have the words to express my grief. Or the tears. I am going through a dry spell when it comes to crying. I can only muddle through and place my hope in God that someday times will be better. In many ways it is getting easier. We’ve gotten through all of the firsts and we are making plans. So that’s good.

My sister discovered that she has a gluten allergy. For the last few years she’s had issues with her digestion. Last year she had her gall bladder removed and expected that after a couple months to feel better. In many ways she only got worse. A few weeks ago, after a bad reaction to a meal, the three of us prayed and I did some snooping around on the internet. A half hour or so later, we concluded that she was gluten-intolerant. Now that she has detoxed from gluten, she has started to feel better. 

I am slowly and carefully querying the agents for WIP #2. I sent out a barrage of queries for WIP #1, up to ten a day at times. This time, however, I have limited myself to six queries a week. One agent (that I had high hopes for) rejected it sight unseen. One Christian agent (rather her assistant) said it wouldn’t fly in the Christian market because the heroine is deceitful. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across Christian novels with a deceitful hero or heroine. She did say that the tone was good. Meanwhile, keeping myself occupied with WIP #3. It’s difficult to pace myself when it comes to a project that I am especially psyched about. I just want to dive in, head first, swim around and lose myself in it completely. I had my sister read a draft of it and she liked it and gave many helpful suggestions for it. If all goes according to plan (in all likelihood, it won’t because life never goes according to plan) perhaps I can query the agents about it in the fall. 

Blah, Blah, Blah

My Dad’s uncle Bill died last Friday. If you’re reading this, I am asking you to remember Uncle Bill’s family in your prayers. He was a great man and will be sorely missed by all. It seems like wherever I look, friends and family alike are suffering through something. Loss of a loved one, sickness, unemployment… I know that this is part of life. I am just eager for life to settle down again.

I finished the first draft of WIP #3 in a month’s time. That is a record for me. Usually it takes up to three months for me to complete a first draft. This first draft is much shorter, approximately 43000 words. And I’m sure it’s crappy, as most first drafts are. Going to let it set for a couple weeks and do some research, then I’ll pick it up again and work on draft 2.

Sort of in limbo with WIP #1 and #2. WIP #1 was rejected by nearly every agent under the sun. For the heck of it I entered it into a contest for self-publishing (Crossway Books, a Division of B&H). What do you know, it is one of the 30 semi-finalists. Want to wait to hear the results from that before I do anything to WIP #2. I did query six agents about it and haven’t heard anything back. Then I stopped. Do you ever get a Still Small Voice tell you not to do something? I don’t pretend to hear God’s Voice, but for whatever reason, I feel like He is telling me not to query. And to wait for Him to provide the right agent for me. None of that makes sense to me. Logically the thing for a writer with a manuscript to do is to send it off.

“God’s foolishness is so much wiser than our wisdom.” So said Corrie ten Boom.

So I am going to try and wait on Him, though it makes no sense to me. Tell me if I’m talking crazy or if I’m procrastinating. One thing is for sure, I’m not in a place where I can receive another 150 rejections. I need to wait a bit and build up my personal resolve before I try anything. 

Odds and Ends

First new blog entry of 2013. The last month and a half has been too crazy for a proper blog update.

Christmas was a bit rough. We were all down sick and the pressure of the holidays put a strain on us. I’m just glad that the 2012 is now over. There were a couple of bright spots: reconciling with family, having a new animal baby addition to the family and finding a new church. But for the most part it was terrible.

Have been under the weather for the last month. Caught some kind of bug and just haven’t been able to throw it off. I went to the doctors and the labs came back saying the rheumatoid test was high and the cbc test was abnormal. I’m going back later this week for another blood test to see if there is any change. So ready to feel better again.

Well, after 150 some queries to the agents, and mixed responses from all, I’m going to have to set aside WIP #1 for now.  Just don’t have the gumption to revise it right now. Maybe in a couple of months. Placing my focus on WIP #2. Hope to high heavens this one works out. It’s different in tone and theme and I am far more passionate about it. Scared though. Well, it will be a couple of months before I send off queries for it. Got to polish it and get my nerve up. Am now focusing most of my attention on my new version of what was once Epic Novel, which is now WIP #3. It’s completely different from before and connected from anything else I have written. Which is for the best.

Going to try and write some short pieces. The one non-fiction story about my healing is to be included in the upcoming book “I Believe in Healing,” by Regal publishers. I received $50.00 for it and retain the copyright, so maybe I can submit it to Guideposts or something later this year. We’ll see.

All for now.

Yada, yada, yada

Can’t help but think of where I was eleven years ago today. Nothing about that period in my life is the same. But then nothing about our whole world is the same. Everything seems to be turned upside down and inside out. I keep waiting for the world to right itself, but it continues on its destructive path. I guess until we all surrender to the One who can make everything right this is how life will be.

Not sure what to write, but just want to write and post something. With all that’s happened this year, my anxiety problems have returned. I had really started to become comfortable in my own skin, if that makes any sense. I switched medicines and so I have had to re-learn everything. How to calm myself down again and to relax if possible, and to go places even when I feel like crap. That’s not easy when I feel loopy. Ah, the joy of anxiety attacks.

In the last couple months, this gray striped cat has hung around our house. We called him “Gilbert” and fed and watered him. He seemed content, then he disappeared. We feared that he had been hit by a car or that someone else had taken him in. He showed up again after a three week absence (we think he was catting around) and one morning brought a little friend with him. The little friend couldn’t have been more than six weeks old; a cute yellow-striped tabby kitten. We named him Rumpelstiltskin, Baby Rumpel for short. The poor thing had worms and an upper respiratory infection, but we got him some anti-biotics and were doctoring him. We made the mistake of letting him outside and a neighbor grabbed on to him. Knowing good and well that we were caring for Baby Rumpel, she took him to the vet and had him put to sleep. Naturally we were devastated and infuriated. Thankfully we were able to spare Gilbert from the same fate. After learning that he was healthy and had been neutered, we tried making him part of our family. That didn’t quite work out because we already had two cats and he wanted to dominate them. We weren’t sure what to do, but a co-worker of my Mom’s heard that Gil needed a good home and offered to take him in. So, we’re all very relieved about that.

Still, I have a lot of anger (maybe even hatred) for what this neighbor did. She has done other things, smaller things to us. There was a time that we were friends, but that was long ago. If she hates us, fine, whatever. But to take a poor, innocent little kitten and put it down just to spite us…it’s going to take an act of God for me to forgive this woman. I don’t claim to be perfect; maybe we did do something to offend her or hurt her in the past. But, really, euthanizing a defenseless kitten as a means of revenge? God give me strength! Hatred is a sin, I know. This is just something I will have to work on, I guess.

I haven’t been writing too much the last few weeks. I did a little last week on WIP #2 and ought to resume my work on it. I’m also doing research for WIP #3. I did hear a piece of news though that is exciting for me. I had submitted a short story for this book that is to be published next year called, “I Believe in Healing.” Well, it has been chosen to be included in the book. So, yay! I’ll finally be published. 

Life Update

I have slacked off from blogging. I’m lucky if I do one post a month. Life is just crazy, you know. There is the house to take care of (not doing such a great job at that though) and four animals, my aunt, and a few hobbies that I have. Then I am working with my two novels: the first WIP I am promoting to secure an agent for and I am doing my level best to complete the second WIP. The hunt for an agent continues. WIP #1 was originally written so that I may have a foot in the door of the publishing world. Along the way I fell in love with it and consider it my story-of-convenience (which is ironic, because the novel is about two individuals who enter into a courtship/marriage-of-convenience). I had thought it would be snatched up right away since the plot, themes and characters correspond well with everything else that is out there in the Christian market. To my surprise, most of the Christian agents have no interest in it. It is the secular agents that have been more compassionate and kind about it.

The second WIP is at the half-way point, I think. As for quality of writing, it has surpassed the first. It is a story I am passionate about. I want to finish it to see it published, but in a way I will hate to see it end because I love it so much. So, I am toying with the idea of sequels for it. It has to have a solid plot though, that way it will live up to its predecessor. Anyway, WIP #2 will be difficult to market. There are subtle Christian themes woven throughout the story, but the plot deals with spousal abuse, violence, marital rape and adultery. Not the typical Christian romance, right?

I’d like to do a blog post about the books I have read within the last year or two. If only I can get around to it. Recently I finished “Vanity Fair,” by William Makepeace Thackery. Super great! Rebecca Sharp makes a brilliant anti-heroine, even more so than Scarlet O’Hara. In my person opinion, Scarlet was too abrasive and annoying. I know that was part of her disposition and she couldn’t be any other way. But Rebecca Sharp is so manipulative and conniving, that she is almost likeable. She constantly slips into trouble, makes trouble and loves trouble, but somehow gets out by the skin of her teeth. Just when you think she has sank too low into the abyss; she rises up out of it. Right now I am reading “The Portrait of a Lady,” by Henry James. His style is different than what I am accustomed to, but it is enjoyable. His heroine Isabel Archer is endearing. I like good, strong heroines who know their own mind. They may have their flaws and stumble into all sorts of mischief, but it doubles the pleasure to watch them repent and learn their lesson.

I can’t believe “Downton Abbey: Season 2” is already over! I spent the last year sniffing around the internet, looking for spoilers. When the season debuted here in the US, I knew most of what was going to happen and it spoiled most of the surprise. This year I am going to do my best to avoid websites, articles and pictures that will give away the plot. Most of my favorites are still my favorites: Anna and Bates, Dowager Countess, Matthew, Thomas and O’Brien. Interesting enough, my appreciation of Mary and Edith raised and my respect for Sybil and Branson vanished. Last season Sybil was my favorite of the Crawley daughters and I thought her little romance/friendship with Branson was cute. But this season they irritated me. I had thought that when news of the Romanov massacre had come to light, that Branson might condemn what the Bolsheviks did. He merely shrugged it off as a worthy sacrifice for the cause, and Sybil said nothing. So, they are no longer my favorites. And Lord Grantham, what is wrong with you? What is with the mid-life crises dalliance with the maid? Well, at least you showed Mary mercy for her mistake. “Downton Abbey” is such a soap opera, but I love it! Can’t wait until next January! Why, oh, why can’t it air here in September as well?