Things To Be Grateful For

This week, I really had no idea what to write about. As I sat in front of the computer screen my mind  drew a creative blank. The past few months have been a blur of activity - book contracts, promotion, writing, lawyer appointments, part-time job, and taking care of my kids and ALL of what that entails, ie. homework, appointments, activities, back to school, making lunches, getting them to do chores, etc., I think I'm just plain old tired! And this being the anniversary of 9/11 and with the 14th of September marking what would've been my 15th wedding anniversary, I found myself in a melancholy mood. So, I thought I'd take a moment to look back at where I've been and rejoice in my life at this moment.

1. Nearly a year ago, my husband and I separated. Hard to believe it's been that long. I've trudged through the last few months as best I could. Divorce wasn't something I wanted, but then neither was the way we were living. I remembered way back in those first dark couple of months when I chatted with the boyfriend of one of my BFF's. He asked me about the situation, and I concluded with, "That may sound dramatic but that's how I feel." His response was: "No, that doesn't sound dramatic. I've read your work and you have a passion that comes through. You deserve to live that passion out loud with someone who will share that with you." Needless to say, I teared up much as I did while thinking of it, as the day he said it. The kind words of my friends have helped me get through many a dark moment in the last while, and I'm so thankful for the kind words of others.

2. Ten years ago, I was expecting my 2nd child when the Twin Towers fell. It was difficult to feel right about rejoicing in his impending birth with so much destruction and devastation, and all the babies that year who would never know their mothers or fathers. But in a couple of weeks, he turns 10 and is the sweetest, kindest young man you'll ever meet. While the world is a lot more fearful place, it becomes increasingly more difficult not to instill that fear in our children. But I remain hopeful that we can make the world a better place for our kids by focusing on bringing them up right.

3. In the past five months, I've received 4 contract offers for my books. Three are short stories and will be published as ebooks, and one novel will be published as an ebook and in print. So far. I'm not done yet by a long shot! I am grateful to have these opportunities to be able to do what I love - write stories and share them with the world. I'm also told that a couple of my erotic poems will be added to an anthology with another publisher. Details on that to come...

4. Men. This may sound weird, but I have many men in my life who I'm grateful for. Some of them have come and gone, being downright creepy, however, they taught me to stand up for myself. My dad has been a great support to me, and I'm so thankful he's still around for me to enjoy his company and for the kids to know their grandpa. I have some really great male friends who have listened, providing advice from a man's perspective when I needed it. They've encouraged me to stand my ground, and made me laugh when I've been down.

5. My girlfriends. I saved the best for last. My fellow Angels have stood by me even though they are all so far away, but your support has meant the world as I went through such a trying time, and celebrating my successes with you is one of the highlights of my year. To all my other BFF's - I'm so thankful to have so many of you in my life who listen, let me cry, share some laughs, and just let me be, well, ME. Over the past few months, I've strengthened my friendships with those already in my life and forged new ones. I'll forever be grateful for what your presence has brought to me and will continue to bring.

To end off, I thought I'd share a poem I wrote the other night while I sat by the fire. Thanks to my muse who has returned with a vengeance!


I sit here outside in front of the fire
with the full moon rising ever higher;
Listening to all the night sounds
in darkness, night life abounds


I sit back, relax and close my eyes
and it never comes as a surprise;
Finding that I wish you were here
whispering naughty things in my ear


Imagining your arms wrapped around me
holding me close, ever so tightly,
on my neck, your lips leave their mark
shivering, I cling to you in the dark


I open my eyes to find I'm alone
put a hand to my heart, and know you're not gone;
Trudge into the house, tuck myself into bed
dreams of you, swirling through my head


It's a work in progress, just as we all are. So tell me - what are you thankful for?

When Life Hands You Lemons...Write a Story

When life hands you lemons...we've all heard that saying, and many of us can certainly look at the events in our lives as a little (or a lot) sour at times.  My own personal bout with breast cancer has made my mouth pucker a time or two.  The funny thing about it though is I haven't let it slow me down much.  With a career in both education and writing, a husband who can't sit still, and three young children, a pity party just isn't going to happen, and I certainly don't want one.

For a while now, though, I've been thinking about my experience, and a meeting with my local Kentucky Romance Writers opened my eyes to something I'd been toying with.  A guest speaker by the name of Shirley Garrett (click on her name to visit her website), author of A Tap Water Girl In a Bottled Water World, explained that it was a story about her early childhood that got her speaking and writing for a living.  You see, she and her siblings were abandoned by their mother at an early age to live with an aunt who wasn't exactly the nurturing type, and their father was in the military and gone most of the time.  At the age of four, she and her siblings were adopted (by two separate, but close in proximity, families), and the first Christmas the family spent together was her first story she wrote and published.  This is a perfect example of taking the lemons of life and making a very nourishing story.

I have my own ideas for what I'd like to write down, and I kind of had an epiphany of how to go about it.  For a long time, I could only focus on the negative aspects of having cancer (typical mortal me), but now I realize that I need to focus on the positives, and yes, there were positives.  What blessings emerged from such a difficult time in my life?  I've made connections I never would have made; I've learned a few things about myself I never realized I had in me; and I've accomplished a few things I never would have dreamt before.  These are the ideas I want to promote about life's bitter events.  I think if you're going to put yourself out there, do it in a way that uplifts.  That's my goal as I begin writing about my personal experiences.

I don't know that I'll ever publish any of it, except maybe on a blog, but I think I'll be better for getting it down on paper, so to speak.

The truth is, we live in a world full of lemons.  I am currently praying for the folks along the East Coast who've been affected by Hurricane Irene.  Many of these same people just experienced a pretty significant earthquake.  We know bad things happen.  Life is all about obstacles and overcoming.  As writers, why not get a good story or two out of the bad?.

Now, I couldn't post to this blog without some kind of eye candy, so I found this oh, so, delectable model named, Nicholas Lemons.  He must be on hard times because he's apparently lost the shirt off his back *fans self*.

Happy Writing!

Cherie
http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com
http://www.cheriemarks.com
Into the Fire, releasing October 5, 2011 from The Wild Rose Press

Sex and the City: Who Would You Be?

OK, I admit I'm a big Sex and the City Fan. Not so much the movies, but the series was one of my favorites- I still watch re-runs. I was drawn into the lives of the four women, Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.
As I was trying to decide what to blog about this week - yes, I was watching TV while pondering - I started thinking about the varied personalities of the women and wondered if that was what made the show such a hit. Was it because every woman watching could find a little bit of herself or her friends in the women on the screen?

So then I thought about how these characters fit into the eight archetypes that writers use when building a character. Since I've seen every episode, I had a pretty clear idea of where each woman would fit. But for those of you who haven't seen the series, I thought I would make a comparison. And then if you have the chance to see the show, it might give you ideas for character development/flaws. Plus, I just really like the show.  LOL

The main character is Carrie Bradshaw.(A writer. Gotta love that!) She narrated the series. She is archetype THE SPUNKY KID: gutsy and true, she is loyal to the end. She is a favorite of many writers, and for good reason. You can’t help but root for her. She’s the girl with moxie. She’s not looking to be at the top of the heap; she just wants to be in her own little niche. She’s the team player, the one who is always ready to lend a hand. But in my opinion, Carrie has a healthy dose of THE FREE SPIRIT in her. I saw traits like:
eternal optimist. Playful and fun-loving, she travels through life with a hop, skip and a jump, always stopping to smell the flowers and admire the pretty colors. She acts on a whim and follows her heart, not her head.

Next comes Samantha Jones. I think Sam is one of the most complex character on Sex and the City. (I'll tell you the other one in a moment) She plays the role of a successful business woman who chooses to live her private life . . . in sexual decadence. Her character makes no apologies that she has random, meaningless sex - "like a man". However, as the series continued, her character grew, the audience saw other sides to her personality. She even learned how to fall in love. Anyway, I think Sam is an even mix of archetypes THE BOSS: a real go-getter, she climbs the ladder of success. This is a “take charge” female, who accepts nothing but respect. Reaching her goal post the most important thing in life to her, and she isn’t bothered by a few ruffled feathers along the way. And THE SEDUCTRESS: an enchantress, she gets her way. This is a lady who is long accustomed to sizing up everyone in a room the minute she enters. Mysterious and manipulative, she hides a streak of distrust a mile wide and ten miles deep. 

Next, let's look at Charlotte York. Although Charlotte has a job in a museum, she doesn't hide the fact her real goal is finding the perfect husband. She's an example of THE WAIF: a distressed damsel, she bends with the wind. She’s the original damsel in distress. Her child-like innocence evokes a protective urge in the beastliest of heroes. But don’t be fooled, because the WAIF has tremendous strength of will. She won’t fight back; she’ll endure.

Lastly, Miranda Hobbs. Lawyer. Busy, busy career-minded, Miranda. To say cynic is not going too far.  She is the other character that had so much growth during the series.She's THE CRUSADER: a dedicated fighter, she meets her commitments. No shrinking violet, no distressed damsel, here. This lady is on a mission, and she marches right over anyone in her way. Tenacious and headstrong, she brushes off any opposition to her goal. BUT she's got the hidden trait of THE NURTURER: serene and capable, she nourishes the spirit. Not always Suzy Homemaker, this lady takes care of everyone. This hidden trait is her growth and by the last season, the last show, her kindness had me in tears.
OK, that and the fact that "Mr. Big" goes all the way to Paris to tell Carrie "she's the one." Ahhh, romance:)

I hope this helps gives a visual example of the archetypes. In my opinion one of the best books on the subject is THE COMPLETE WRITERS' GUIDE TO HEROES AND HEROINES by Viders, Cowden and LaFever. This is where I got all the above information and is a wonderful resource! Here's the link in case you'd like to purchase this book  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FCVEGY/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d5_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=14XZ96K4YWYSC1FJWT2T&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938811&pf_rd_i=507846]-

The End

Two simple words. To a writer, they can mean the accomplishment of one project. To a reader, the end of a book or a series. In fact, this past July was the end of an era for me. In fact it was the second end to the same era. The final installment of the Harry Potter series was on the big screen. I admit it. I am a big, make that a huge Harry Potter fanatic. In case you didn’t know I wrote my master’s thesis on the series. In fact the final book came out the spring before I wrote my thesis.

Back in July of 2007, I remember standing in line at midnight to pick up the final book and then racing home to start reading it. I spent the weekend devouring that book with a box of Kleenexes handy. However, while the books were over, I had the movies to at least look forward to. Now they are over, too. I did go to the midnight showing to see the final film before I left for Germany and I was excited. But that excitement was mixed with the sadness of knowing that now one of my all time favorite serieses was really over, for good.

I know I can revisit the characters by rereading the books and watching the movies over and over, but it isn’t the same as picking up one of the books for the first time or seeing it come to life on the big screen for the first time either. While it is fun to revisit characters, it is sad when their stories end too.

What are some stories (books or movies) that you didn’t want to see end? As a writer do you anticipate the ending or dread it? Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, did you see the last movie? What did you think?

MUSES

When I hear the word muse, I think of painters with naked models spread before them. But what about writers, can we have muses? Damn straight! Without them, we would struggle with that next chapter, or getting our characters to reveal their deepest darkest secrets.

Some writers use music to unlock their creative juices or a special writing space, while others need a special author’s work: poetry or a favorite story. Others need all of those things and more.

I used to snub my nose at writing for less than two hours at a time. I needed time to create, but it turned out to be a poor excuse. With practice, I learned to write in fifteen and thirty minutes before  rushing to work. Below are muses I use to get my creativity flowing before I sit down to write so I'm off and running when my fingers hit the keyboard: 

Music: It drowns out the non-writing thoughts that try to invade my writing time and creates a mind mood for the scenes I’m writing.

Characters: I get them talking before I writing their next scene.

Story: I brainstorm the scene I plan to write or the story as a whole, whether it’s flushing out a scene I’ve written or one that I’m struggling with. I ask what if’s and why’s before I start to write.

There are many muses, the trick is to find what will help you get past your writer’s block, get a closed mouth character to spill their guts or help you find the solution to the problems in your story.

So ladies, what muses help you get past those humps in your work, other than photos of half naked men? (Although those helps too). 

Ah, such a hard decision.......

So since I'm trying to save money and edit and write more, I've decided to slow down on my book/kindle purchases. In lieu of that I've had time to go through my bookshelves and pick out books to re-read. The only problem is......which one do I want to start first? God, there are so MANY! But here are a few recent choices I had to choose from........

You've got the eternal alpha bad boy. He's totally hot, with changeable hair and eyes. He's all hard, sharp angles, distrustful of most everyone, doesn't want to be bothered with bull shit, or any other nonsense, for that matter. He can play the guitar, and he can SING.......Nickelback at that! And he's sarcastic enough to cause laugh out loud moments when you're in public. Then you get the raised eyebrow look from everyone in a fifteen foot radius. Of course I'm talking about ARCHERON.

My other selection brought me to historical England. To a Duke, a member of the peerage and ultimately, doing his very best to make sure that NOTHING causes one little blemish on his impeccable image. He's cold, arrogant, and toes the line, literally. Doesn't that just make you want to watch him get shoved, HARD, into a little scandal? Like falling in love with someone totally not suited for him? Because you and I both know that his headlong snap into Love will cause me, the reader, to fall headlong also. I'm talking about SARAH MACLEAN'S recent conclusion in her Love by numbers series, ELEVEN SCANDALS. Her hero is HOT in a way that will make you wish YOU were the one doing the prodding!

Now we have the super hot, SUPER HOT, novella, I WISH by Lisa Kleypas (a rita award winning novella ladies). The story is scorchingly searing in its intensity whenever the herione finally gets her man where she wants him. Have I mentioned how HOT this one is? Just thought I would reiterate. The hero was (in the past) an inveterate slob, drinking, smoking, gambling, looking worse for the wear, but suddenly he has to change, and change he does. Now with all that drinking bloat gone, his eyes shine with health, and the myriad things he wants to do with our little herione. With his tall, devilish good looks, pinchent for spitting out less than suitable remarks, causing our herione's face to blush, and enough charm to slip the bloomers off of any woman, he's set to get his heart caught in the herione's trap. But in the end they both get caught, rather explicitly!

I didn't have any problem picking which one I wanted to read...I chose them all! And of course lingered over the really good parts!

So my question is ladies, when you are hard pressed for a good read, what are YOUR fail safe choices? Choices that also tend to fire the imagination and get you geared up to write that one scene that has been holding out on you.....

It's Official: Sex Is Healthful

I heard some interesting news lately. Sex is good for us. No, really. It actually has positive effects in a variety of life’s areas. Checking out the info online, I came across verification in a WEBMD article “10 Surprising Health Benefits of Sex.” Below is a link if you’d like to read all the delightful details. Here is a brief listing of those benefits.

1. It Eases Stress
The article says sex can lower blood pressure and reduce stress overall.

2. It Increases Immunity
Studies show those who have sex at least once weekly may produce more “of an antibody called immunoglobulin…which can protect you from getting colds and other infections.” Spoiler alert: The article says the increased level does not apply if we have sex more than twice weekly. Bummer.

3. It Burns Calories (One of my favorites)
A half hour of sex accounts for nearly 100 calories (85 + the article reports.) Come on girls--only 30 minutes? What’s the rush?

4. It Aids Cardiovascular Health
Heard that sex could cause a stroke when we’re older? Not so, says at least one study. It also says sex reduces the “risk of fatal heart attack by half.” One problem with this study is, it targeted men, only. Oh, well. It’s good news for our significant others, right? BTW, when are these studies going to focus on women, I’d like to know?

5. It Helps Self-Esteem

6. It Improves Intimacy
According to the article, sex accounts for high numbers of ‘the so-called love hormone,” (oxytocin) “which help us bond and build trust.”

7. It Reduces Pain
So ladies, we can forget the old “Not tonight dear, I have a headache.” Now it’s, “Come here dear, I have a headache.”

8. It Lessens Prostate Cancer Risk
This is another bit of good news for the men in our lives.

9. It Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles
Actually if we do a few Kegel exercises, that should help ‘before.’

10. It Helps Us Sleep Better

No surprise there, right? Although after a brief nap, we can sometimes feel more energized.

http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-sex?page=2

Now all this made me think. More and more recent studies show sex is healthful. If it’s healthful and can actually reduce or prevent some illnesses, would a physician prescribe such activities?

Can you imagine a whole new category of healthcare workers that might spring up in the next decade? I wonder if these workers, like some current life aide helpers, might perform duties in the home? Would their services be covered by health insurance, like various preventive measures are now covered?

And if we’re prescribed such preventive measures, can we order up our ‘medicine’ from a company’s portfolio? Blond hair or brown? Beard or no? Ah, well. The speculation is all in fun. Of course.

But it might make an amusing story.