Incomplete Ramblings

Parallel Heat by Deidre Knight

2006-10-26T17:00:00.000-04:00

Deidre Knight Cranks up the Heat in Her Latest Installment in the Parallel Series: PARALLEL HEAT

“Intelligent characters, hot romance and breathtaking adventure with epic feel—exactly what I want to read!” - Susan Grant, New York Times bestselling author

“A fantastic and riveting new voice in paranormal fiction.” -Karen Marie Moning, New York Times bestselling author of Spell of the Highlander

“At times humorous, at others heart-wrenching, but always compelling, Deidre Knight offers readers a fresh, wonderfully creative glimpse at the complexity of human decisions. What a page-turner!” - Gena Showalter, Author of Playing with Fire

In the unforgettable, alternate world of Parallel Heat, two enemies are bound by betrayal, vengeance—and forbidden passion.

Warrior and royal guardian Marco McKinley has been assigned a vital mission on Earth, where a war between human fighters and otherworldly soldiers is rising in the far reaches of Wyoming. But he's also been warned about twists of fate yet to come-ones that will transform him into the enemy of his own people and appoint him the personal protector of beautiful soldier Thea Haven.

Little do Marco and Thea know, but they have met before in an alternate universe, and they are bound by betrayal and vengeance. Now, on a world at the brink of destruction, forbidden passion ignites—but will the destiny Marco has glimpsed unfold a second time?

Sign up for Deidre’s newsletter and be eligible to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate, signed copies of her books, and plenty of other goodies! Just click here.

Check out the book that launched the series, PARALLEL ATTRACTION or order your copy of PARALLEL HEAT today! And coming in April, PARALLEL SEDUCTION.

Quote - Worrying

2006-10-24T18:03:00.000-04:00

This came to me via email from a friend. I am a known worrier but that's another issue.

When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about.

-- Albert Einstein, The World as I See It.

ONE

2006-10-14T17:45:00.000-04:00

I'm back...

2006-10-14T16:35:00.000-04:00

I promise to try and update my personal blog more.

Even though it's been over a year since the last miscarriage -
going to the shrine at innocents.com helped me a lot.

It made me sentimental a bit, and I even called my husband and told him despite everything that I still love him.

Does this means that I want him back? No. It was not an emotionally healthy relationship for me.

I understand that now. I'm moving on with help from my friends and my church.

We're still fighting about the divorce and his promises of financial help. Because right now I'm shouldering all the burden and up to my neck in bills and debt that we both should be responsible for. That's part of the problem - I can't afford a lawyer. I save but then something comes up and there goes the little nest I saved.

It's difficult because I'm back to living with my mom. And at 33 years old, that's not something I envisioned. But there's also my mom's health that I have to take into account. So it's good in a way that I'm with her because I can help her out and take care of her.

Right now she's doing better. We haven't had a bad episode in a few weeks.

Sigh. But that's my life. And I'm not complaining just venting and unloading a bit because stress can kill.

And what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I know in my heart that things will get better, that I can do it and make it thrugh this tough period. It's only a matter of time, only a matter of getting to the light at the end of the tunnel and forging ahead.

Issues and Thank yous

2005-10-12T11:32:00.000-04:00

First, I would like to thank everyone for all the kind words, cyber hugs and encouragement with dealing with the recent miscarraige.

It was my third and sometimes it's hard to give up hope.

I went from not knowing if I could get pregnant to knowing/accepting/being ecstatic that I could get pregnant to not knowing if I can stay pregnant. Which is where I am right now.

I know if it is in the cards for me, in the divine scheme and plan of things that it will happen when the time is right. When the moment and the man who is meant to be the father of any children I may have is available and ready (though don't quite know who that could be at the moment but that's another issue).

And I admittedly have issues. I love children and babies but I can't hold them at times or be around them. My best friend and his wife just had a child this past week and while I'm happy in my heart and soul. I just can't express it yet. I can't look at the pictures without the longing and hopes and even a few tears. Cause truthfully, it hurts just a little bit.

There are some who say I should talk about it or be so open about it. But if I can help someone, give support to someone who is going through what I am, put a face and a voice to the issues of infertility, miscarriages, endometriosis then I've done something good and made a difference. If we don't talk about it, just keep our emotions inside then it becomes like a disease that festers and eats away at us. For far too long I've held things in and kept quiet, doing what others wanted instead of what I wanted and needed. Not anymore. If you don't like it, don't read it. But one thing that I've discovered, is that it helps to talk? Plus, you never know who will be listening, if it helps one person, shows them that they are not alone or the only one going through this or someone understands then I will keep at it.

I will get through and we will survive with prayer and perserverence

A Click A Day

2005-10-12T11:28:00.000-04:00

A click a day on this link:

The Breast Cancer Site will help raise much needed money to fund free mammograms.

ABOUT THE BREAST CANCER SITE

Your click on the "Fund Free Mammograms" (on the site) button helps fund free mammograms, paid for by site sponsors whose ads appear after you click and provided to women in need through the efforts of the National Breast Cancer Foundation to low-income, inner-city and minority women, whose awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is often limited.

EARLY DETECTION: DO YOU KNOW THE FACTS?

Each year, 182,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 43,300 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In addition, 1,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 400 will die this year.

If detected early, the five-year survival rate exceeds 95%. Mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

The National Cancer Institute and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that women in their forties and older have mammograms every one to two years. A complete early detection plan also includes regular clinical breast examinations by a trained medical professional. Monthly breast self-exams are suggested in addition.

Click here for more information about breast cancer and the issues surrounding it.

Dreams

2005-09-11T21:25:00.000-04:00

All my life I've only wanted 2 things.

I mean really wanted 2 things. One was to be a writer - which i've done, doing, continue to do. The only thing that sparked a passion and hope and love and made me feel alive was writing.

The other was to be a mom.

Remember those reports for school, if you had to do them, where you would be in 5 or 10 or 20 years? What would you be doing in the year 2000? How would life be in the 21st century? Would there be flying cars, etc?

Whatever I imagined, I always had 2 constants, the man, setting, etc changed but the constants were me being a mom and writing.

Now it's come to face the fact that the mom thing may not be happening. I'll always have hope but this is miscarriage number three and with my reproductive issues and other concerns. I'm beginning to wonder will it ever happen to me. I love my nieces, nephews and honorary Goddaughter. But it's not the same.

Will I be able to finish a pregnancy? Go full term?

I have a hard time being around pregnant women sometimes. Going down or near the baby aisle in the grocery store, clothing store, etc.

I don't know but part of me refuses to let the dream die. It's in God's hands and when it's supposed to happen it will. I know all that but it's just...

Frustrating.

And it hurts.

Edited to add: This is a reality post not for sympathy. But I thank everyone for your thoughts, kind words and prayers. It helps. And maybe talking about it helps and maybe I can help someone else.

Been away but I'm back now

2005-09-11T17:23:00.000-04:00

I know I've been gone for awhile but I've been dealing with some health and personal issues.

Another miscarriage and a resurgence in migraines.

But I'm back now and though not at 100% I'm working, moving and going forward.

So look back for more updates.

2005-06-03T09:57:00.001-04:00

One of the beautiful horizons of Hawaii I witnessed when there in December 2004

2005-06-03T09:57:00.000-04:00

fun in hawaii

The Debt

2005-06-02T19:34:00.000-04:00

Having trouble with the names in this one, it's a novella that I just started cause I'm blocked on the others. It's the first few pages of the story.

Thoughts, critiques and general comments are welcome. It's the first real draft of the story.

---

Every DEBT comes due.

That’s what the note attached to the partially opened front door of Janae Marie Devere’s condominium read.

Still standing on the front porch, Janae made two phone calls one of which was to the police. And the other was to her best friend/part-time lover, Diego Martinez.

She called the police so she could make a report. Janae called Diego so he could investigate and for morale support.

Diego Martinez was more than just a friend to her. He was the only man Janae trusted completely. It didn’t hurt that he also ran one of the top three security and private investigation firms in Detroit. She also happened to be in love with him. Janae kept it at a distance, inside the safety of their friendship, wanting but never telling him.

It was still a nice evening out so she leaned against the hood of her car and waited. She didn’t want to trample on any evidence by going inside or staying on the porch to long.

As she suspected, Diego was the first to arrive. She leaned back onto the car, palms pressed against the steel to keep from running to Diego.

"I got here as fast as I could." He said stepping his six-foot four-inch frame out of his SUV. Diego went over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into him.

Janae inhaled the deep, sensuous scent of his aftershave. Light and crisp, never one to overdue, you always had to get closer to smell and appreciate the scent.

"You okay lil’ bit?" he asked, his head cocked to the side to see her face. He involuntarily inhaled the scent of the rosewater spray she wore and brushed a stray lock of ebony hair out of her face.

She nodded weakly, leaning into him even more. Diego gave her a kiss on the forehead, "I’m fine. Shaken up but fine, I didn’t go inside." She leaned her head on his chest and sighed.

"Good." Diego said giving her another squeeze. He knew she was lying because she didn’t protest him calling her by the nickname she’d earned as a child that still followed her to this day and which she loathed.

With Diego came his partner and another one of their friends, Sebastian Goddard.

"Tell us everything." Sebastian spoke with a firm but gentle. He leaned on the opposite side of her on the car as they all waited for the police.

Janae never got a chance to answer and reluctantly, she moved away from the warmth of Diego’s body when the police arrived.

It was strange but the air seemed cooler somehow. She straightened and waited for the officer’s to get closer.

"You called in a complaint?" the first officer who had stepped out of the patrol car said. When he got closer, Janae was able to see that his nameplate read, W. Carlyle.

"What seems to be the problem?" the other officer said, D. Noble asked. He pulled out his notepad.

"I came home and my front door was half open." She explained to them.

"Are you sure you closed it?" Officer Noble asked.

Janae blew out a breath, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, instead, she responded, "Yes sirs. I closed and locked it after I set the security code."

"Okay. And this is your residence?" Officer Noble asked.

"Yes sir." Janae responded.

"And your name, full name please." Officer Noble asked.

"Janae Marie Devere."

"Thank you." He made a note in his note pad, "And do you own or are you renting or purchasing this residence?" Officer Noble inquired.

"I own it. I brought it a little over 2 years ago." Janae replied.

"Maybe the wind blew it open." Office Carlyle suggested, looking around the condominium complex.

"No." Janae shook her head, "If that had happened, I would have gotten a call on my cell phone that the door was open or had been tampered with." She paused, looking each officer in his eyes, "That didn’t happen."

"The lines must have been cut." Diego said.

"Or jammed." Sebastian added.

"And who are you?" Officer Carlyle asked looking from Diego to Sebastian.

"We’re friends." Diego said, stepping up behind Janae, he put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

"We also set up the security for Miss Devere. As well as run the MY Security Agency." Sebastian explained.

Both officers’ nodded.

Officer Noble made a note in his notepad.

"There’s also a note attached to the front door." Diego pointed out.

The officer’s climbed the stairs to the front door. They read the note, looked at each other and then called for back up.

The police were there for over three hours. They questioned Janae, glared at Sebastian and Diego, dusted for fingerprints, more questions, questioned Diego and Sebastian, searched for evidence, messing up her immaculately organized, arranged, and clean house.

When it was over, Diego simply looked at her and said, "You can’t stay here. We’ll have a team over in the morning to go over everything."

"First of all, that’s not necessary. I’m sure I’ll be fine here." Janae told them, "The police went over everything. How are your people going to be able to get anything now?"

"’Cause they’re good. Among the best in the city, if not the state and the Great Lake region," Sebastian explained without hesitation. "And they’re the top in their fields and areas of expertise as well as having been trained by the best. That’s why we hired them."

"Okay. Save the sales pitch for someone else." She paused, looked around the room, "I’m sorry. I’m tired. And I really don’t know who would do this or why? I’m a party/event planner and organizer not someone typically on the list of people who alienate others to do this." She sighed, ran a hand through her ebony hair, "Can you just leave now? I really want to get started here."

"You’re not staying here," Diego said. He had been listening to the conversation but also was mentally going over an inventory of things in Janae’s house that he remembered. He was thankful that he had helped her pick out most of it. He planned on coming back to her place and getting started once he had had her settled at his house.

"Maybe it was a bad party?" Sebastian joked.

"Ha ha ha. " Janae faked a laugh, "Now if you’ll just leave I can try to clean up and get some sleep before your crew gets here."

"You ARE NOT staying here." Diego repeated slowly, emphasizing each word.

"Fine! Take me to the Marriott Downtown then. I just have to pack a bag." Janae said.

"No." Sebastian said stopping Janae’s assent up the stairs to her bedroom, "Leave it."

"Then what the hell am I going to do for clothes?" She said, glaring at him, hands on her hips, from her place on the landing.

"You have clothes at my place that you’ve left." Diego told her, "And before you protest, you’re staying with me. That way I can better protect you."

"Yeah, that’s the reason you want her to stay with you." Sebastian muttered under his breath.

Diego stepped outside to make a phone call and set things up for the next day with their people.

#

Across the subdivision parking lot, a rented Chevy Blazer sat with its lights and ignition off. The car was backed into the space. The driver leaned forward intently watching the interaction between everyone and all the activity going on at Janae’s.

She watched as some neighbors came out to gawk and a few went over to her, hugging her. She growled, her eyes turning black from their natural gray color.

The car was silent except for the noise from the driver tapping her fingers on the dashboard.

#

"I noticed you didn’t protest too hard when Diego suggested you stay with him." Sebastian said.

"He didn’t suggest, he ordered." Janae reminded him.

"If it’s a problem, you know my place is huge and way too big for just one person. You can always stay with me." He offered.

"No. That’s okay. Diego’s place is closer." Janae gave him a smile.

Sebastian shook his head and laughed, one of these days those two were going to let the other know how they felt and their relationship was going to go from casual sex and best friends, more than friends to the next level. He knew she was lying but didn’t call her on it, because in actuality, his apartment downtown was closer than Diego’s house which was on the city’s west side.

Pitching a Novel

2005-06-01T18:22:00.000-04:00

Informative and insightful piece on pitching a novel.

As with anything, this is just one resource and may not work for everyone. What I do, use what I can and discard the rest.

The Divine Chocolate of Being Romance

2005-06-01T16:27:00.000-04:00

The Divine Chocolate of Being Romance by Monica Jackson

Good article/blog that gives a lot of food for thought.

Passive versus Active

2005-06-01T14:56:00.000-04:00

Another great resource and something I struggle with.

A great definition --
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/p.html
From the Guide to Grammar and Style by Jack Lynch.

Passive Voice.

The active voice takes the form of "A does B"; the passive takes the form of "B is done [by A]."

There are two problems with the passive voice. The first is that sentences often become dense and clumsy when they're filled with passive constructions. The more serious danger of the passive voice, though, is that it lets the writer shirk the responsibility of providing a subject for the verb. Dan White gives an example:

"I'm sorry that the paper was poorly written." If you're going to apologize, apologize: "I'm sorry I wrote a bad paper." The active voice forces one to be specific and confident, not wimpy. And the stakes can be higher when you're talking about atrocities worse than bad papers. This is why nefarious government and corporate spokesmen are so fond of the passive voice: think of the notorious all-purpose excuse, "Mistakes were made." Then think about how much weaseling is going on in a sentence like "It has been found regrettable that the villagers' lives were terminated" — notice especially how the agency has disappeared altogether. It should make you shudder.

In your own writing, therefore, favor the active voice whenever you can. Instead of the passive "You will be given a guide," try the active "We will give you a guide" — notice the agent ("We") is still there.

Don't go overboard, though. Some passives are necessary and useful. In scientific writing, for instance, sentences are routinely written in the passive voice; the authors are therefore given less importance, and the facts are made to speak for themselves. Even in non-scientific writing, not all passives can be avoided.

Don't confuse am, is, are, to be, and such with the passive voice, and don't confuse action verbs with the active voice. The real question is whether the subject of the sentence is doing anything, or having something done to it. I have been giving is active, while I have been given is passive.

Grammer Slammer

2005-06-01T14:45:00.000-04:00

A great resource.

Sometimes we all need a little help. And admittedly grammer isn't my strongest suit, I use way to many commas.

Any other grammer resources you want to share?

Writing the Ethnic Romance

2005-06-01T14:43:00.000-04:00

A great article I wanted to share.

Warning - Chain Letter Circulation - Ignorance Part II

2005-06-01T14:18:00.000-04:00

Personal Notes—
http://www.leadershipaib.com/news3.html -- where u can see this online (one of the many places)

http://wjlbdetroit.com/reading.html -- rebuttal (sorta)

This is circulating again, came around in 2002 now it’s back. It’s meant more to inflame then enlighten and it should be taken with a grain of salt.

There is much more that we don’t do for each other. We have been known not to help, to give bad advice to sabotage or to sabotage decent, good friendships and relationships out of spite or jealousy.

We ignore each others in times of need and we turn a deaf ear, turn a cold shoulder, shut others out when we need a friend, an ear or whatever out of fear or to keep ourselves closed off from those who care about us. – (And that’s just what I’ve witnessed personally)

But I also know that it is not true, the majority while some may fit a few, why are those the ones people are judged by? And this isn't just in the african american race/culture/heritage but in many others as well.

I don't watch the news cause it is subjective, the camera has one lense and it points in one direction and shows one view, a bit like writing.

And on that token, as a writer, even before I started seriously writing, I read. Why did I start to read? because I wanted to see what intriqued my sister so much. She'd get so ingrossed in her books that she'd ignore me.

Why am I posting this? To open a discussion for one, to educate for two, and three, because ignorance in the form of intellegence really pisses me off. My question is why?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLACKS DON'T READ THEY ARE STILL OUR SLAVES ===============================================================
I don't know if the article appeared in the news or was on a New York radio station or not but it is really a sad peice of work because much of it is so true. All is not true because some of us do read!!!! THIS OUGHT TO MAKE YOU MAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! READ AND WEEP! Please Note: For those of you who heard it, this is the article Dee Lee was reading This morning on a New York radio station. For those of you who didn't hear it, this is very deep and true! BLACKS DON'T READ. This is a heavy piece and a Caucasian wrote it. BLACKS DON'T READ! THEY ARE STILL OUR SLAVES we can continue to reap profits from the Blacks without the effort of physical slavery. Look at the current methods of containment that they use on themselves: IGNORANCE, GREED, and SELFISHNESS.

Their IGNORANCE is the primary weapon of containment. A great man once said, "The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book."

We now live in the Information Age. They have gained the opportunity to read any book on any subject through the efforts of their fight for freedom, yet they refuse to read. There are numerous books readily available at Borders, Barnes&Noble, and Amazon.com, not to mention their own Black Bookstores that provide solid blueprints to reach economic equality (which should have been their fight all along), but few read consistently, if at all.

GREED is another powerful weapon of containment. Blacks, since the abolition of slavery, have had large amounts of money at their disposal. Last year they spent 10 billion dollars during Christmas, out of their 450 billion dollars in total yearly income (2...22%). Any of us can use them as our target market, for any business venture we care to dream up, no matter how outlandish, they will buy into it. Being primarily a consumer people, they function totally by greed. They continually want more, with little thought for saving or investing. They would rather buy some new sneaker than invest in starting a business. Some even neglect their children to have the latest Tommy or FUBU. And they still think that having a Mercedes and a big house gives them "Status" or that they have achieved the American Dream. They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities. With the help of BET, and the rest of their black media that often broadcasts destructive images into their own homes, we will continue to see huge profits like those of Tommy and Nike.

(Tommy Hilfiger has even jeered them, saying he doesn't want their money, and look at how the fools spend more with him than ever before!). They'll continue to show off to each other while we build solid communities with the profits from our businesses that we market to them.

SELFISHNESS, ingrained in their minds through slavery, is one of the major ways we can continue to contain them. One of their own, Dubois said that there was an innate division in their culture. A "Talented Tenth" he called it. He was correct in his deduction that there are segments of their culture that has achieved some "form" of success. However, that segment missed the fullness of his work. They didn't read that the "Talented Tenth" was then responsible to aid the Non-Talented Ninety-Percent in achieving a better life. Instead, that segment has created another class, a Buppie class that looks down on their people or aids them in a condescending manner. They will never achieve what we have. Their selfishness does not allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way of their goal. Their so-called help organizations seem to only want to promote their name without making any real change in their community. They are content to sit in conferences and conventions in our hotels, and talk about what they will do, while they award plaques to the best speakers, not the best doers. Is there no end to their selfishness? They steadfastly refuse to see that TOGETHER EACH ACHIEVES MORE (TEAM)!

They do not understand that they are no better than each other because of what they own. In fact, most of those Buppies are but one or two paychecks away from poverty. All of which is under the control of our pens in our offices and our rooms. Yes, we will continue to contain them as long as they refuse to read, continue to buy anything they want, and keep thinking they are "helping" their communities by paying dues to organizations which do little other than hold lavish conventions in our hotels. By the way, don't worry about any of them reading this letter, remember...'THEY DON'T READ!!!!'

What gives you the right?

2005-05-28T02:12:00.000-04:00

I'm an avid reader.

Heh heh heh! No big surprise there right? I mean I usually am right 2 or perhaps 3 books at a time. People ask me how, why, etc. I don't know. I get bored easily. I lose things a lot, right now I don't know where my glasses are and I need those to see. But that's not the point. Just like I have 3 different manuscripts being written at the same time, while not simultaneously cause even I'm not that crazy, when I get blocked or frustrated or think my writings crap (depending on my day and the way the wind of life is blowing) I pick up a different manuscript cause as I said I get bored easily. Again not the point.

I love to read. I have books from high school, even elementary school still.

Okay the point - I don't like reviews. I try not to read them. And I often wonder who gives the reviewer the right to review? What are the credentials? Qualifications?

Just a love of books? I have that.
A degree in English? I have that too.

A lot of books I get I buy either from the cover art is interesting and the blurb interested me and i've browsed a few pages and it caught my attention. Or from word of mouth like Michael Baisden's God's Gift to Women my best friend recommended it and I agree, excellent book. Now if I had just went by the reviews, I probably would have passed on it.

How many people have passed up a good book because of a bad review? Or picked up a bad book because of a good review?

Aren't reviews just another person's opinion? I mean, when did we start letting others dictate what would be of interest to us in reading and in life. Why should their opinion matter and not our own? Why don't we trust ourselves? Obviously something about the book must have interested us or we wouldn't have picked it up right?

Sometimes I think I'm going to start a book review site with my friends and co-workers who read. We read all types of books.

But me, I'll focus on the "black" books. The African American, Multicultural and even erotic romance and erotica books because they get a lot of bum rap in reviews.

I have a degree in African Studies so that should qualify me right? I read alot? And I have sex sometimes so I know what turns me on.

So - do you read reviews? Go by word of mouth?

What They Don't Tell You

2005-05-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

This poem is a personal favorite of mine. One, because I wrote it and two, because I write poems to help me vent and cope and just to express myself, thoughts and feelings.

I hope you enjoy it as much as you do.

What they don't tell you by Phoenix Ford

What they don't tell you is that
life is scary
marriage is hard
love is dangerous

money never flows the way you want it to,
when you want it too.

love never comes easy,
but hard, forceful and strong.

problems are plentiful and
solutions sometimes few.

What they don't tell you is that
friends should be held close
and friendships treasured because
you never know where you may end up
or when you will need a friend.
A true friend.

What they don't tell you is that
fear is false
love is pure
and God is real.

What they don't tell you is that
truth is power
but lies are even more powerful
and hate is strong
but love is stronger.

What they don't tell you is that
you should find joy where you can
live life to the fullest
love as much as you can, as big as you can
say thank you and please and your welcome

When someone sneezes, say bless you.
Hold the door open for a stranger.
leave a big tip when you get bad service
cause you may make that persons day.

speak your mind without fear or censure
speak your soul openly and fully
speak your heart justly and truthfully

speak the language that we have long forgotten.

compassion.
hope.
tenderness.
mercy.
faith.

life is hard.

be kind.

what they don't tell you is all you need to know.

pay close attention, there will be a test later.

It is up to you,
whether you pass or fail.

Are

You

Ready?

(C)August 2002. Phoenix Ford

A Good Comback

2005-05-27T18:53:00.000-04:00

When asked why it takes me so long to work on and complete a manuscript?

My response - I'm sorry but I only have 26 letters to work with.

It amazes me how easy people think it is to write a book. Let me correct that a good book and then to get it requested, agented or published.

Also I'm reminded of the fact that if it were that easy to do then everyone would be doing it. Kinda like breathing.

Now most people can write, if they are literate, and that's not a slam. But a lot of people can't write.

Understand?

Let me further clarify, it's not as easy as it looks. It's more than just throwing words on a paper or typing them into a word processing program.

So thinking about this, writers are a rare breed of people. Personally sometimes I think you have to be alittle bit loco to want to write a book. Do you understand the criticism and rejection that you are opening yourself up to?

To write a book, to want to write a good book and get it published for hopeffully millions of people to read - you have to be or have:

strength
independent
thinker - quick, advanced, free
persistent
manipulative
perserverance
thick skin
imaginative
desire
go-getter
open-minded
heart

Getting Along

2005-05-27T16:21:00.000-04:00

Being a romance writer, I'd have to admit that I'm a complete romantic and a bit of a dreamer.

Not saying that I have my head in the clouds, my feet are firmly planted on the ground, but I've noticed something.

I get along better with my ex now then when we were married. We're better friends now and we even have real conversations, talk to each other better.

Now I know there may be an entire list of reasons why, and they're really not that important or relevant but it's interesting to me.

Relationships are hard. Marriage isn't all roses and doves but it's something you have to want and work at, at least in my experience. So it got me wondering, is it that we just weren't compatible? Or did we not want it enough? Maybe he just wasn't the right person for me.

Or perhaps he was the right person then and just isn't the right person to help me move on, move along, go to the next level/plateau in my life. I'm a firm believer that people come into our lives for a reason. That everyone serves a purpose and we are here for each other, to help guide and push and spur on and antagonize so we'll work harder.

And I'm not bitter about the divorce or the marriage. I'm happier now then I have been. And I guess I have my ex to thank for that.

Ignorance is Bliss

2005-05-27T00:46:00.000-04:00

why oh why must there be idiots in this world?

I'm a writer. And if I hear the words, "Not black enough." or "Need to inject more realism" into my manuscript or into a friends manuscript or even an established author's book ---- I will scream.

One of my completed multi-cultural manuscripts, which I let my critique partner read. And really, it's no problem (she does what she does. helps me out. debates certain issues of the story).

I like that. but then we got on the topic of job choice for characters.

Because a third member of the group, a non-writer - strictly a proofreader and continuity checker says --- "aren't you afraid of making them too Huxtable-ly".

Now I know what she means and I pointed out that Huxtable-ly is not a word but I also pointed out that there are black doctors, lawyers, rocket sciencist, engineers, etc. Then she wanted to add more "flavor, ethnicity" to the story - perk it up some. well i thought the story was/is perky.

and I don't write "perky".

--- Sidebar: Can someone define perky for me? In reference to writing? Cause truthfully I don't get it. -Okay back to the rant/ramble: ---

Of course, I'm curious, have a way too overactive imagination and I've been told I think too much, so of course, me being me, wondered if she meant making them gangstas, drug dealers, unwed teenage mothers, drug addicted, poor, living in the ghetto, etc. So I asked if she was hinting or trying to infer that it wasn't "black" enough. Which I totally hate and really really pisses me off. Why do my characters have to smoke marijuanna, roll their eyes and necks with their hands on their hips wearing 4 inch blood red nails and 5 inch heels?

Answer - they don't. but it just really frustrate me that someone would say/imply/think that.

Welcome

2005-05-26T20:53:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog.

Who am I?

The real question is do you care and would I be telling the truth. The world wide web also known as the internet is a hube place of pseudonyms, alter egos and facades.

How do we know who anyone really is? All we know is what they tell us or what we can possibly discern from their words and actions.

So i'm going to forgoe the introduction because those who know me, know me and those who don't will never know.