Category: Books

Letting my Baby Go – Tougher than I Thought

Published on by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments

Have you ever had a plan to do something you knew all along you had to do, but when the time came, you hesitated and were filled with doubt?

196_24125258568_4360_nDo you remember the day you had to let go and trust your baby to take her first wobbly steps? Or watch him toddle off without you, to catch the bus to kindergarten for the first time? Or do you recall filling with anxiety when you gave her the keys to the family car, and she drove off by herself with her brand-new drivers licence? When these events came up in my life, I visualized a miles-long, psychological umbilical cord stretching out between us, connecting us. I wanted to hold on to my baby, nervous she might stumble, afraid he wasn’t ready, terrified she would crash and burn.

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I know, I know. I’m being dramatic. These things occur every day in people’s lives, and everything almost always turns out fine. My babies have grown up, and they both turned out great.

So I was surprised two days ago, when these emotions came back full force as I relinquished my newest baby, my completed novel, into a reader’s hands for its first critique. (You didn’t think I was referring to a real baby, did you? 😉 )

Conceived sixteen months earlier, then outlined, written, revised, and edited, my novel rested, finished at last. I knew a critique was the next necessary step. But was it truly ready? Was I letting go too soon? Had I edited, and re-edited, enough?

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I can’t let you go!

I paced. I fidgeted. I waited to hear the first damning word of criticism, or a longed-for word of praise. Tough stuff to wait for when it’s about something that consumed your thoughts and attention for so many months. And my own objectivity flew out the window weeks ago.

Happily, it was praise. My reader is now a third of the way through, and suggestions of tweaks have been miniscule. I realize he has a way to go yet, but I’m encouraged already for three reasons:

    1.  In the first sitting, he planned to read the first three chapters, but read the fourth because he said it was hard to put down. (!)

   2.  By the second chapter, he said vehemently about one of the antagonists: “I hate her!”

   3.  Even though it isn’t his usual genre (my book is geared more toward a female readership), he admitted that his interest had been captured, and I should go ahead and start the sequel I’d been considering. Yay!

So far, so good. Maybe now I can stop worrying and relax a little.

Have you ever felt on edge when you allowed someone to evaluate a creative project of yours? Please share your experiences with me!

Completing My First Draft: Three Things I’ve Learned

Published on by J. Kelland Perry51 Comments

 

Two weeks ago today, I had a fabulous evening.

Late on that Friday afternoon, I typed the last word of the last sentence of the last chapter of my Work In Progress. It felt wonderful! What a sense of satisfaction filled me as I raised my glass of Cabernet and toasted to my awesomeness. What an accomplishment! I spent the rest of the evening, and well into the night, celebrating, mentally patting myself on the back and grinning like an idiot.

My euphoria lasted about as long as the hangover. Over the next couple of days as planned, I reviewed a few of the writing tips and tricks I had bookmarked for my upcoming revision and editing process, and I crashed back to sober reality. I realized there was still plenty of work ahead, and instinctively I know certain areas have to be improved, rearranged, and completely rewritten, and then there’s my iPad with an app full of collected notes, jockeying to make it into the finished product as well.

But that’s okay. Every writer knows the first rough draft is exactly that: a first run, a rough copy, and yes, some of it is just plain shit. But in among the steaming heaps that stank, I knew there were jewels just waiting to be polished, the little jewels that make it all worthwhile.

Here are three chief concepts I believe every writer, who truly wants to be a writer, needs to remember.

1. No one wants to read about a Goody Two Shoes. If I expect readers to keep turning the pages, my characters have to be flawed. Whether that makes you like them, or love to hate them, depends on the types of flaws they embody – and maybe it depends on the sort of person you are, and what types of characters you are drawn to and like to read about. As important as plot may be, really, it’s all about the characters.

2. If you aren’t having any fun while you write, I don’t know how you will ever make it as a writer. A writer writes because she wants to, she has to, regardless of recognition or book sales. The fulfilment is in the process. And it’s a hard process. The best piece of advice I read about writer’s block was to put the manuscript aside and try penning a poem, or exploring another creative endeavor.

3. You have to want to write another book as soon as you’re finished the one you are now writing, The sweet possibility of a sequel keeps whispering in my ear, and that excites me. If I do write a sequel, however, it doesn’t mean the first one will depend on it. The novel I’m writing now will be able to stand alone in its own right. Then there are the flashes of inspiration for other book ideas that come during my writing, to which I can refer and develop when needed.

I’m waiting another couple of weeks to give myself more objectivity, before I start revisions. In the meantime there are plenty of good books and other reading material that beg for my attention.

Then on to the Second Draft!

Please share your thoughts with me about your Work in Progress. 🙂

 

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The Creation of a Novel: a Progress Report

Life Stories

Published on by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

“There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy.”  ~  Mark Twain

Mark Twain
Mark Twain (Wikipedia)

As a writer, I believe in these words from the great Mark Twain with all my heart. Each of us has an interesting and unique story to tell, with a new angle, and a fresh take on our individual life experiences.

As a fitting example, my mother-in-law shared the following with me this afternoon when we visited her.

“My father first set his eyes on my mother, Amelia, or Millie as she was called, when he was twenty and she was only twelve. Even at that tender age, she must have stolen his heart, because he told her, “Millie, I have to go away to work at sea, but when I come back, I will marry you.” Upon his return eight years later, he was true to his word. He took her as his wife, and nine months after the wedding, I was born. My father loved the name Mona, so he was the one that named me.”

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The way she shared the story of how she came into the world resonated with me.

As life often goes, however, what started out as a romantic tale eventually encompassed great personal tragedy, hardship, and sacrifice.

My mother-in-law’s story of her family could easily fill the pages of an epic novel. It is a story I would consider worthy of recording and retelling one day.

Have you been moved by someone’s words in a conversation recently? As a writer or blogger, are you listening for new story opportunities in every-day life?

How about your own experiences? Have you ever considered writing a memoir?

“…Then You Must Write It”

Published on by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments

 

“If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ~ Toni Morrison

I have recently begun a new adventure, dear readers and fellow bloggers.

No longer can I ignore the voice inside me that is clamouring to be heard, so I have started to write a novel.  I am a little nervous, but mostly I am excited to be on this new journey I have destined for myself.

When I told a friend a little while ago about my plan to write a book, she said, “Gee, I’m the one with the English degree.  I should write a book!”  Well, I don’t have a degree, but I’ve always had a passion for stories, fictional or otherwise, and a desire to tell some stories of my own.

Heck, I wrote a teen novel when I was still in school, at the grand old age of fifteen.  So diplomas and degrees or lack thereof won’t hinder me now either.

It has been a rewarding experience keeping this blog that I started back in December.  The original purpose of Jennifer’s Journal had been to get into the habit of creating and writing something on a regular basis, in order to better prepare me for the demands of writing a novel.  But now that I have taken on this ambitious new project, I will have less of that precious commodity of time to devote to blogging.

But abandoning my blog seems unthinkable to me..  Have you ever nurtured a child?  Cared for a pet?  Or even tended a garden?  And then, stopped?  No, I will keep my blog, adding thoughts, inspirations, and a photograph or two, as often and as regularly as I can.  I would also like to keep you updated on my novel’s progress.

Life is going to get busier, that’s all.

I leave you with another favourite quote of mine:

“Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else.”  ~ Gloria Steinem

How about you?  Have you ever written a book, or do you see yourself writing one someday?  Do you have advice for someone taking on a creative project?

I Love Book Club!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry5 Comments

I have to say that I am so enjoying the local book club a couple of friends and I started this past January. Just two nights ago, our group gathered for another meeting to review our latest selection. And such a lively, thought-provoking discussion it was.  We were happy as well to welcome a new member to our fold.  Delighted to have you aboard, Kathy!

To become a member of our little group, the only real requirements are a pure love of reading and a willingness to share your opinions. But that is where most of our similarities end. What a diverse group of individuals we are! From a teacher, to a couple of retired nurses; from a minister’s wife, to a self-proclaimed atheist; a homemaker/blogger (yours truly), a designer, and even some artists, we are a varied lot. Some are originally from the area, but most of us aren’t.
Naturally, people being what they are, we often begin with the book in question, but soon veer off on tangents, taking the discussion to unexpected areas where voicing your two cents worth is welcome on any number of topics. When we have come together, we have shared thoughts and positions on racism, the medical profession, capital punishment, mental illness, greed, and crime, just to name a few.

Our provincial library has been a god-send in facilitating our passion:  it has made available a long list of “book club kits” that we borrow from each month. All titles are either award-winning, well-reviewed, or both, and provide much variety of topics and tastes. Seldom does everyone love the book currently being discussed, but that often generates the most dynamic debates!

Here is what we have read and reviewed so far:

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam
The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham

Coming up on our foreseeable agenda is:
Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant (a fellow Newfoundlander)
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Of course, a happy by-product of Book Club is making new and interesting friends, and in my opinion, friends so interesting that  they are usually reading other books, sometimes more than one at a time, in between our club picks.

Book worms, unite!  Happy reading, everyone!

 

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One Lovely Blog Award :-)

Published on by J. Kelland Perry7 Comments

I was quite pleased and flattered this week when one of my fellow bloggers nominated me for the “One Lovely Blog Award”.  She is carlarenee45, one of the bloggers that I subscribe to, and I am honoured to be on her list as well.  Unfortunately, I’m having trouble with our internet connection these past two weeks so I had to write this from our local library.  With any luck, I should be back up and running by next week.  At that time I will respond to the nomination in more detail, and suggest some favourite blogs of mine.  But in keeping with the rules of being nominated, here are seven random things about me that I’d like to share.

1.  I have the curliest hair you probably ever saw.  It drives me nuts.

2.  I became a mom at the tender age of eighteen.

3.  I love interior decorating magazines.

4.  I have arthritis, but if I don’t exercise regularly, I feel worse.

5.  I love a clean tidy house, but I hate housework.  Wish I had a maid…

6.  I’m one of those oddballs that loves liver and onions.

7.  When I was 14, I read “Everything you Wanted to Know About Sex (but Were Afraid to Ask)”, when I was babysitting at my teacher’s house.  Quite an education (and probably explains number 2)!

My honey and I are off to Varadero, Cuba in the morning, so for the next week I won’t be on the internet very often.  Ta ta for now, and we’ll catch up real soon.

Cold and Dreary February? Nahh… Part Two (Indoors)

Published on by J. Kelland Perry1 Comment

As my last blog entry noted, I wanted to share with you the joys of my indoor life this past month (see related article below).  There were four activities that have made February a pleasure for me this winter, and they all took place in the coziness of our home.

1.  Cooking and baking Comfort Food.  And, of course, eating it!
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Aahhh…the domestic bliss I feel when I bake a batch of homemade bread on a cold winter day… the delicious aroma, the shiny plump loaves all lined up as they cool.  Without a doubt it is my favourite comfort food.  Using whole wheat flour makes it nutritious as well.

A perennial favourite among many foodies is good old macaroni and cheese.  Nothing says Comfort like my mom’s recipe.  The cheesy, bubbly goodness, with buttered crumb topping, that heavenly smell…are we hungry yet?

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Just last night I made a hearty pot of beef stew, sure to warm you right down to your toes.  The wholesome ingredients, the rich gravy;  and what goes great with a big steaming bowl?  That’s right, more HOMEMADE BREAD.  Forget it, low carb diet, you will have to wait til spring.

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2.  Watching Movies

Paul and I usually take part in what we call a Movie Blitz this time of year.  In a race before Oscar night, we have watched seven of the nine movies nominated for Best Picture.  And what a delightful cross-section this year!  There were plenty of handsome actors to choose from:  George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Jean Dujardin, to name a few.  Be still, my romantic heart.

There was even a movie to satisfy my girlhood love of thoroughbreds:  War Horse.  If you haven’t seen it, you should. It’s an old-fashioned sweeping epic style of picture, done in a way Spielberg is famous for.

 

3.  Book Club

Reading has been a passion of mine all my life.  I’m talking about having to read every word on a cereal box if nothing else is handy.  Our little book discussion group had a slow start, but we now have more members.  The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill was our first selection (an excellent read), and now we are in the process of selecting the next one.  For those who don’t know, the local library has actual book club kits that include many choices of wonderful books, both old classics and the latest bestsellers.  If there is anyone out there in a book club, I would love it if you could drop me a line and share your experience.

4.  Planning a Tropical Getaway

Anticipating a trip south is one of the best ways I know to cure the winter blahs.  Make it two trips and you’re guaranteed that cure.  The first one will be in three weeks for just the two of us, then another toward the end of April, where we get to spend time with friends and family.  Always fun to have a reason to take out your summer duds in February!

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As for the rest of you living in the northern hemisphere, what has kept you warm this month?

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