My Story, Daddy's Words, is published in Chicken Soup for the Soul.

We all have memorable times in our lives that we reflect upon while digging for inner strength. I wrote about one such time in my life. My story, Daddy’s Words, is included in recently released Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Inner Strength: 101 empowering stories to inspire and encourage you to overcome your own challenges.

These empowering and uplifting stories by people who have overcome challenges, solved problems, or changed their lives will help you find your own inner strength, resilience, and remind you to think positive, count your blessings, and use the power that you have within you.

Real stories from real people.

Triumph can blossom from tragic events or quiet moments shared with a love one. I pray those who read these stories are better able to seek and find their inner strength during difficult times.

Blessings,

Cheryl

Baking a Book with Un-Imaginary Friends.

One thing book authors have in common is: They didn’t do it alone.

Most people think of writers as being loners, which is partly true. We sit alone exploring our thoughts, until we dream up imaginary friends (characters) and create situations to dip them into. We carefully choose just the right ingredients we need for our fabulous adventure, romance, tragedy, or mystery, and then write our creative little hearts out. Soon, with pencil to paper, or fingers to keyboard, we discover we’ve produced a story!

But wait! That’s just the first draft, or the batter, so-to-speak. Now it’s time to mix in our un-imaginary friends—beta readers, critique partners, and editors. This is when the story is stirred, beaten, and baked into a delicious book. 

Thank you to my un-imaginary friends. You know who you are. :)

Auntie Em!

Submitting, revising, promoting, Oh My!

The release of Piper’s Passion Cookies is nearing and my excitement is building. It’s hard to believe things are moving so quickly. The three rounds of edits are complete, and not only is my story stronger, but I’ve made a friend in the process. My editor, Valerie Mann, is incredible. She is knowledgeable, encouraging, and downright awesome!

[Dorothy] I'm going to miss the way you used to holler for help before you found your courage.

[Cowardly Lion] I never would've found it if it hadn't been for you... 

I’ve been following the yellow brick road and now I’m finally nearing the wonderful Land of Oz. I feel so blessed to have so many people along the sidelines cheering me on. You all know who you are! My sister has been one of my greatest supporters. We’ve shared a love of the writing world since we were tots, and here we are walking this publication road together. It doesn’t get much better than that.

I’m afraid there’s no denyin’, I’m just a dandy-lion, a fate I don’t deserve. I’m sure I could show my prowess, be a lion, not a mou-ess, if I only had the nerve.

Writing has always been part of my life, but to be honest, the thought of sharing my creations with the world sometimes fills me with anxiety. This journey to my first publication has been a wild one. My brain over-thunk, my heart skipped beats, and my nerves were rattled on a few bumpy passages, but it didn’t stop me. The nerve was always there, I just had to dig deep to find it.

[Dorothy] Weren’t you frightened?

[Wizard] Frightened? Child, you’re talking to a man who’s laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe…I was petrified.

The process of having my first story published has been very stimulating. (A wiz!) I never imagined it would be this much fun. The journey is exciting and the path ahead is endless. Having a dream is just the beginning. It is following that dream that leads to a happy ending.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue.

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true…

Over the rainbow...that’s where you’ll find me.

Inspired!

I’m inspired!

After viewing a profile photo of a guy holding up the tower of Pisa with his foot, I’m itching to return to my WIP (work in progress), Sunday in the Piazza. Recollections of my spring trip to Italy are flooding back and the urge to infuse those memories into my story are intense. It is exciting to have that fire lit under my butt. LOL

My writing was paused (other than a short story here and there) to sod our yard, have sheetrock repaired after storm damage, paint the entire indoors of my house, and prepare for my son’s wedding. All that is nearly completed (except for a few more rooms to paint) and I’m eager to get back to my daily writing. I’ve missed it.

Although it was painful to step away from my WIP, it was a blessing in disguise. Last month I worried my opening chapter wasn’t powerful enough, so when I opened my manuscript this morning I looked for weaknesses in chapter one, and got back the feel of the story. I was ecstatic when I became completely engrossed. I like the beginning of my book and have returned to my original love for the story. Yay!

I wish I didn’t have to work today. I’m eager to create more of Sunday Phillips’ Italian romance and plan to dive back in—head first—when I get home this evening.

Italy, watch out! I’m about to unleash a powerful romance on your beautiful country. ;)

I pushed the send button. Now I wait...

Piper’s Passion Cookies has been submitted. Yay!

I completed the first draft on the due date, so I didn’t have much time to fret or edit. After a quick read-through, I rephrased a few sentences here and there with the help of two fabulous fellow authors. It is unlike me to spend so little time polishing my work, but with less than five minutes before the deadline, I pushed the send button anyway. Aaugh!

A blurb of my short story:

Piper Bell finds an old wooden chest in the attic while rummaging through her grandmother’s belongings. Inside is a book titled Granny Bell’s Magic Recipes. The cookbook couldn’t have come at a better time, for she needs to take cookies to the neighborhood pool party. With the touch of an enchanted easy-peasy ingredient, Granny Bell’s passion cookies promise to capture even the most reluctant man’s attentions—and her love life could certainly use a little magic.

She tests her first batch on the poolside bachelor partygoers, and Voila! The fruit cookies are a success. Men are swarming her like yellow jackets on watermelon, including Donovan Tate, the man on her mind since moving to Magnolia Acres the day before. The passion begins and things heat up… but Piper wonders if she should’ve stayed out of the kitchen.

I had fun writing my first humor-romance. Creating the quirky narrative and wacky characters was exhilarating, and I look forward to revisiting them in future sequels. Piper is already cooking up new magical adventures in my head.  

I’ll know if my story is a finalist in the 1PlaceForRomance summer romance contest by June 15^th. (Wish me luck!) Until then, I wait…

The Finish Line

Last night was the season finale to NBC's fitness reality show, The Biggest Loser. After shedding nearly half her body weight, the winner stated that even more than losing the weight, she was most proud of finishing something she started. That statement really struck a chord with me.

I’m constantly inspired to write stories. Often, a single word, object or feeling can spark ideas for my next plot or character. I frantically search for my voice recorder, paper and pen or indispensible laptop, to document everything pinging around in my head. In turn, those ideas and characters become a story—a new beginning. 

The problem is, a story must contain yin and yang. Endings have to be written for those beginnings. Finishing something I’ve started seems to be one of my greatest writing challenges. I have little problem coming up with ideas or interesting characters. On the contrary—I come up with too many! 

Upon hearing The Biggest Loser’s fabulous speech, I was inspired to do what she did. Finish something I’ve started. Have you ever told yourself, “I’m not going to start another story until I finish one of my zillion works-in-progress.”? So have I. This time I mean it. I will complete a work-in-progress. The race is on. I’ll run through the finish line ribbon with my arms outstretched and screaming, “I did it! I’m a winner!”

I can do it.

  

3 Reasons Why I Read

As a writer, I’ve learned an important step in improving my craft is reading books. Whether it’s a tome within my genre or something from another world, it makes an impact on my writing. Along with being amused and diverted, my imagination soars, and ideas take flight.


3 (other) reasons why I read:
 

1.         Imagination Vacations! I’m able to travel to fabulous destinations just by using my mind's eye. Reading takes me to faraway countries, mystical lands, historical time periods, or even an ordinary neighboring town—and I can go there at my whim. It doesn’t require taking time off work, booking flights, planning itineraries or digging deep into my savings. No, reading provides me with endless, creative opportunities for spur-of-the-moment holidays.

 

2.         New Friends! Reading introduces me to hordes of new friends! With today’s busy lifestyles, friendships sometimes become stretched or neglected. It’s comforting to know that during those times, or at anytime for that matter, I can open a book and have friends waiting at my request. I treasure many of those friendships and have carried a multitude of them with me since my youth. Piggy and Ralph, Huck Finn, Charlotte, Heidi, Scout, and Pippi to name a few.

 

3.         Entertainment—often complimentary! I can’t get enough entertainment. Reading is the best kind, in my book. (Tee hee. Pun intended.) Exciting rides on the reading railway supply me with fabulous romances, intriguing mysteries, heart-pounding thrillers, and tear-jerking dramas. Oftentimes these rides are free! Libraries, loaners and ebooks of the classics cost nothing at all, so I climb on the rollercoaster of stories and hold on for dear life. Whether I choose a fast-paced whirlwind story, or I slowly savor each satisfying word, the journey to the last page of a novel will certainly leave me feeling moved, amused, surprised or fulfilled.

Vacations, friendships, and endless entertainment… It just doesn’t get any better than that!

Help! I'm being overrun by my characters!

For the first time, I diligently worked on an outline before I began writing my current story. Now here I am less than 2000 words into it and the storyline has already changed—dramatically.

Why can’t I stick to my outline?

I suppose my characters have stronger wills than I do. My main character has refused to take the path I charted out for her. Stubborn woman! I sure hope she knows what she’s doing. She seems to have developed into a headstrong woman, instead of the docile, moldable creature I first had her pegged as. Who knew? I suppose I’ll give her a little time to prove her way is better, but I’m reluctant to completely let her have her way.

I am the boss here after all!

At least one of my supporting characters is behaving. She’s a snappy, tell-it-like-it-is kind of woman, so I’m counting on her to keep my MC in line. I can’t allow myself to be overrun by my own creations—can I?

What about you? Do you create detailed outlines for your stories, or do you just wing it? Have you been overpowered by your characters? Please tell me I’m not alone…

3 reasons to join a writers group

Last week I attended my first writers group at a local coffee shop. What fun! I really enjoyed myself. I drank a cup of steamy Moka Java, and was introduced to other authors who share my passion. In addition to my online writer friends, this group promises to be a great opportunity to share, give, take and grow.

I’m a motivated writer. I write every day, but I’m constantly looking for ways to improve my craft. So, if not for motivation, then why join a writers group? Well, to keep from boring you with a multitude of reasons, I’ll narrow them down to my top three.

1. Friendship

No matter the experience level, preferred genre, writing style or goal, making a connection with other writers is a special thing. Writer-friends bounce ideas off each other, give and accept guidance, and talk about make-believe beings and worlds without getting strange looks.

2. Opportunities

On our authoring journeys, we each travel along different paths. That’s a good thing! Diverse gifts, contacts, experiences, and opportunities are sure to abound. The input we receive from other writers is invaluable. Oftentimes, a fresh set of eyes will spot errors, discrepancies, or weaknesses that we fail to see because our tired eyes are too familiar with our own story.

3. Support

Non-writers may find it difficult to understand why we devote so much time to our writing. They may even feel we’ve gone insane—creating, admiring and loving imaginary people who only exist in our minds. They simply don’t understand that writing is the only way to make them come to life. 

These are only three reasons to join a writers group. There are so many benefits. Are you a member of a writers group? If not, I encourage you to join one. Sometimes, finding a local group is difficult, but an online group of virtual writer-friends can be just as valuable.  The united energy flow will give lift to our stories and take them even higher.

Don’t run this writer’s race alone! It’ll be nice to have someone there to cheer us on through the twists and turns, and congratulate us when we cross the finishing line of each book.

~A Writer's Hart

The Gift of a Memory

Today, while working on my Italian romance novel, I got lost in the memories of my recent trip. One of the numerous things I cherish from my time in Italy is not only the delicious cuisine, but witnessing the Italian culture passionately embrace mealtime.  Family and friends gather at local ristorantes for lively and lengthy full course meals; spending two to four hours savoring their dining event. Yes, I said event. Mealtime in Italy is exciting, significant and fun.

After an exhausting day in Rome, a ninety minute train ride to Lucca, and ten minute hike to our hotel, my daughter and I just wanted to grab a bite to eat and go to bed. We left our bags in the room and asked the kind (and very handsome) desk clerk, if there was a nearby restaurant that stayed open late. He pointed us down a cobblestoned walkway that forked in four different directions and said it would be on our left—we couldn’t miss it. We followed his directions (although not very well) and after passing the same white church for the third time, we somehow reached the trattatoria.

We were warmly greeted by the owner and seated in the back of the empty dining area. I told her we would just get dessert since it looked liked they were about to close, but she insisted we eat a meal. “No.” She patted my arm and smiled. “Big party come soon.”

Big party came soon, and came loud. Over a dozen men and women took their seats at a line of tables adorned with floral bouquets, bottles of wine, and colorful cloth napkins. Almost immediately my daughter and I were invited to join them. We kindly declined their invitation, saying we were leaving soon, but they wouldn’t hear of it. Four men came to our table, lifted the chairs we sat in, and placed us at their table. What were we to do but laugh and enjoy the ride? Corks began popping and brimming plates were set before us. Our bellies rumbled as our senses were tempted by the wide array of cold cuts, cheeses, steaming pastas and plates of tiramisu. The powerful scents’ effect on our bellies rendered us incapable of resisting further. We were happy to be held captive by happy, generous Italian friends and forced to eat and drink more than I thought our bodies were able.

The food and wine was delicious, but the countless cheers, clinking of glasses, and laughing with generous friends made the night unforgettable. When the bottles ran dry and the party came to a close, one of the gentlemen offered to walk us back to our hotel—in the rain! Good thing he did, because we had no clue how to find our way back. Waterlogged and weary, we said our Ciaos at the entrance to our hotel. The Lucca showers saturated our bodies, but didn’t extinguish the glow in our hearts.

Memories are a wonderful thing, aren’t they? You can relive the noteworthy times and revisit those who’ve made an impact on your life, no matter how many miles distance you or years pass by.

Now…back to writing my novel.

~A Writer's Hart

An Italian Romance Novel

Yesterday, while trying not to obsess over the submissions I sent off last week, I started outlining a new novel. The idea for the story crept into my mind in March, when I began planning a trip to Italy.

In preparation, I watched the movie classic Roman Holiday (for the zillionth time) and pushed my nose into travel guides every spare moment. I learned about the land of love, its magnificent countryside, cuisine, museums, basilicas, piazzas, and more. That's when it popped into my head... What a fabulous opportunity to write a romance!

Making sure to pack a journal, I plotted to document every Italian site, nuance, and flavor I encountered so I could implement them into my book. I was certain Italy was the perfect setting for this new romance to blossom.

The moment I stepped off the airplane at Rome’s Fiumincino Airport, the story began to take shape and the characters in my mind came alive…

Now, two weeks later, a romance novel is born from a colorful imagination, fabulous memories, and a journal bursting with Italian treasures.

Molto emozionante! (Very exciting!)

~A Writer’s Hart