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Army Wives, the t.v. series

When Army Wives first hit the airwaves back in 2008, I really wanted to watch it but we were on a “no cable” fly zone. This month, however, I was lucky enough to watch seasons 1 through 4 on Netflix instant stream and all I can say is, “ADDICTING”.

There are so many aspects of the show that I like. It’s got drama, it’s got action, it’s got comedy, and there’s even a little mystery from time to time. But what it has the most of is heart. From the very first episode you feel as though you’ve made friends with the characters and you’re drawn into their lives.

The best part, however, is that while it has a realistic view of what military life is like, it doesn’t try to cram politics down your throat. Instead, it teaches viewers to respect those who choose to live the military lifestyle—regardless of what branch one might serve.

That being said, my husband has been sure to point out that while the overall premise of the show is a realistic view of military life in general, the wives and families of enlisted men and officers do not mingle together.

And yet, the mingling of the different ranks works.

By building a circle of friends with military wives whose spouses serve in various levels of the military, we, the viewers, get to see a more well-rounded view of military life.

The more I watch the series, the more I am convinced that this series should be required viewing material for anyone interested in enlisting, or marrying into the military.

So who are the main characters?

First, there is the General’s wife, Claudia Joy. She is the matriarch of the group. She is the head of the FRG (Family Readiness Program) and works with her husband to make sure that military personnel and their wives are treated fairly. She is smart, knows how to play the political game to get things done, and is very empathetic towards the plight of others; regardless of their rank.

Next in line is the wife to a Major, Denise. Denise was born and raised in the military life and gave up her career as a nurse to raise her son and be the always on-call wife. But when her son reaches the age of maturity, she hits a mid-life crisis that nearly costs her, her marriage and her family.

Then there’s the wife of a Pfc, Roxy. Roxy basically raised herself as a child due to her mother’s alcoholism. She married her military spouse only days after meeting him and together they’re raising her two boys. Not content with being a military housewife, she takes a job as a waitress/bartender at a local bar.

Next is the wife of a member of the Delta Force, Pamela. Pamela gave up her career as a police officer to raise her children, but when her marriage hits rocky grounds, she returns to the force and must decide between being a military wife and raising her children as a single parent.

Finally, there’s the spouse of a Lt. Colonel, Roland. Roland is a license psychologist struggling with his wife’s desire to put military career above his desire to have and raise a family.

The four meet when Pamela goes into early labor and delivers twins on a bar pool table. In that moment, the four realize that while they’ve been perfectly content going about their lives as military spouses who only socialized within the proper ranks, there was something missing and so a new circle of friends was formed and together they fight to make it work.

You can watch Army Wives on Netflix instant stream, rent it, or buy the series on Amazon.com You can watch the trailer on YouTube.

Herb and Dorothy, the film

I just watched a documentary on Herb and Dorothy Vogel, the American art collectors, and I have to say that I finished the film feeling very enlightened and encouraged.

Here was this ordinary NY couple living on an average American budget who managed to collect enough art, over a 45 year span, to fill a large moving van with over 4,000 pieces. Can you imagine amassing a collection of art that size in your lifetime? It simply boggled my mind.

But what inspired me the most about this couple was that they acquired all this art with cash—and sometimes a barter system. There were no credit cards being used, there was no debt being built up. They simply chose to live a modest lifestyle so that they could spend their money on something that gave them joy and united them as a couple.

Today, 1,000 pieces of art, from their personal collection, are now available for viewing at the National Gallery of Art, with 50 pieces of art donated to 50 states throughout the United States.

As I contemplated the idea of giving up everyday luxuries to support a hobby, as I contemplated their genuine love for art, and as I contemplated their need to collect art based upon how it moved them—and not based upon whether it would be valuable in the future or whether it would fit into their décor or an already existing collection, I realized that while their need to collect art borderlined on addiction, their love of art inspired a nation. And sometimes it even fed, clothed, or kept a roof over the heads of struggling artists.

Now, I know everyone can’t go around amassing a large collection of art just to help out the up-and-coming artists of the world, but could you imagine what could happen if America stopped relying on mass-produced pieces to adorn their homes and started supporting the arts again?

You can watch Herb & Dorothy, the documentary, on Netflix instant stream or you can purchase it from Amazon.com for $13. You can also watch the trailer on YouTube.

Disclosure: The reviewer rented a copy of this film to review.



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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles geared towards creating art, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.

Interview with Jennifer Maggio

Jennifer Maggio began her writing career just four short years ago. She had expected her road to publication to be a long one, but as a marketing person, she understood the importance of reaching people where they are, and that helped land her a publishing contract for her latest book, Overwhelmed: The Life of a Single Mom. In our interview, she shares a little about her journey as a published author and what she wants all single moms to know.

What was your path towards publication like?
Having many friends who are authors, I had heard horror stories of laboring over a book for months or years, then waiting and waiting and waiting for "the" call. As a first-time author, I had consciously prepared myself for such an event. Surprisingly, I submitted my book proposal and query and within thirty days, I have 4 publishing offers.


What was the first market you queried and why did you choose that market?
My first and only market query was to the non-fiction, Christian market. Single parenting is a global epidemic that has continued to grow. Even today, there is little on the market that speaks to the needs of single parents and offers specific education on how to handle such parenting woes. As a Christian, there is even less. My passion was, and still is, to get material on the market that deals with single parenting issues and teaches from a Christian perspective.



What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
I spent many years in marketing and was successful at marketing ideas. Part of marketing ideas is marketing yourself. The biggest obstacle in transitioning into full-time author and speaker from a traditional corporate job is simple. While I fully believe that the material that I have already written can bring great substance to a single mom's life, married mom's life, or offer encouragement to all, I have worked to maintain the focus that reaching the moms, ministering to them, encouraging them through speeches and behavior is far more important than the book sale.


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
Overwhelmed: The Life of a Single Mom has been heralded as "....the real, raw version of the single parenting journey," as it takes readers on a journey through my own struggles with years of sexual abuse, domestic violence, poverty, homelessness, and multiple teen pregnancies. The book is written with great candor as it unfolds how a single mom can find herself at the lowest of lows with no hope or future. However, the book does not leave the reader in the tragedy. It transitions into how I found great hope and encouragement, how I learned to not only survive but thrive, and how embrace your season. It includes a 12-part study that is ideal for single parent support groups and is currently being used in churches and non-profits across the globe.


If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
My absolute greatest goal and passion with Overwhelmed: The Life of a Single Mom is that every single mom, far and wide, will read this book and feel "there is someone else who understands".

Oftentimes, single moms feel that no one else understands the parenting woes, the loneliness, the financial struggles, and the hurt that comes with the journey…I want Overwhelmed to offer them hope.


What is the one thing you want others to know about single parents, single moms, and teen moms?
Either you are a single mom or you definitely know one, and every single mom that you know needs help—no matter how long she has been doing it. She needs encouragement. She needs a listening ear. She needs a babysitter. If you are someone you know is interested in helping single moms via starting a local support group, email us at info@thelifeofasinglemom.com


How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
My first priority is my family. Having suffered through the death of both parents very young and not the ideal home life (to say the least), I want to see my children flourish, as happy, healthy adults. Having said that, each of us that passion that I believe is God-breathed, and that we MUST do. It is a fundamental part of my life to work on both my passion and my family daily.


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
Praying always worked for me!


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
"No one can do what it is God has called you to do." In the writing world, there is competition, just as is true with any other profession. Even with having years of marketing experience, there has come a time when I felt that my book wasn't selling fast enough or I felt a twinge of jealousy regarding another's success. However, I always come back to this advice. God has called me to do exactly what I am doing and there is great comfort in that.


What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
A writer can easily destroy his/her career by failing to develop and nourish key relationships within the industry.


What’s ahead for your writing?
We will launch our second issue of Overwhelmed: The Single Moms Magazine in June 2011. In addition, I just completed my second book and am pursuing a contract on it, as we speak.


Visit Jennifer at http://www.thelifeofasinglemom.com/ or check out her blog at: http://www.jennifermaggio.blogspot.com/

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more great articles geared towards authors and writers, check out the Writing Center.

Tangled, the film

Guess what?! Disney's Tangled hits stores today and I have a $5 off coupon! Just click on the coupon image below.

Now that the coupon is out of the way, I have to tell you that I wasn't sure what to expect when I received the DVD to review. I vaguely remembered the original story of Rapunzel and had to do a little digging to get the lowdown. Then I remembered why I had forgotten about the story, it was grim, dark, and boring.

But I am happy to say that "Tangled" is none of those things!

It's a lighthearted take on a dark subject that was designed to be purely fun. It's sort of reminded me of a tame version of Shrek. There was no vulgarity, nothing that I can recall that would make a parent cringe, and it was funny.

You can read my full review of the film on The Dabbling Mum. Just click here.

As for the bonus features, you get...

• Extended versions of “When Will My Life Begin” and “Mother Knows Best”,
• Deleted Scenes,
• Untangled – The Making of a Fairytale, and
• Original Storybook Openings

Hair Trouble

Speed Painting with Conceptual Artist, Claire Keane

Interview with Zoe FitzGerald Carter

Zoe FitzGerald Carter began her writing career as an internet on a newspaper covering selectmen meetings. Upon graduation from the Columbia Journalism School, she began a career as a fact-checker and eventually started writing for national publications such as Vogue, Redbook, and Mademoiselle. Today, Zoe is the author of the memoir, Imperfect Endings: A Daughter's Story of Love, Loss, and Letting Go, which was excerpted in O Magazine, chosen as a finalist for the National MS Society's Books for a Better Life Awards, and is a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers' Pick.

What was your path towards publication like?
Although I had a lot of early success as a magazine writer, I was a late bloomer in terms of actually getting a book into print.

I wrote a mystery novel set in the Brooklyn neighborhood where I was living when I had my first child. The book, which centered around a local park where all the nannies and stay-at-home moms congregated, was an effort to make sense of all the ways my life had changed since becoming a mother—and my surprise at how difficult it was. Just as I was finishing the book, we moved across the country to California and I had another baby.

I found an agent for the mystery at that point but she had difficulty selling it to the top five or six publishers in New York. It then went to a smaller, but very prestigious, press where it lingered "under consideration" for a year and a half before ultimately being rejected!

All of this was very disappointing. But by that time, the events I write about in Imperfect Endings had taken place and I decided to write about them. This book took me several years to write but I found an agent and sold the book to Simon & Schuster almost immediately. Given my earlier experience with the mystery novel, this was an entirely unexpected and joyful outcome!


What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
It's taken me a long time to learn the ropes of how to promote myself as a writer. Just getting a website up and running was daunting in the beginning. Then getting on Facebook and LinkedIn and understanding how this kind of social media can work to spread the word about your book or article or appearance was a lo-o-o-ng process for me.

Networking with other writers, on sites like SheWrites and RedRoom, has been quite wonderful however, and at this point self-promotion has become almost second nature. You just can't let it swallow up all your writing time!


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
My book, Imperfect Endings: A Daughter's Story of Love, Loss, and Letting Go, is a memoir about my mother's decision to end her life after living with Parkinson's disease for many years and the struggle my two older sisters and I had coming to terms with that choice.

It's also about growing up in my "imperfect" family, the complex relationships between sister and sister, as well as daughter and mother. I also touch on difficult topics such as my teenage eating disorder and my father's philandering and alcoholism. But even though the book deals with hard issues—from a person's right to end their life, to what it means to be a "good daughter"—it is written in a quick-moving, novelistic style and there is quite a bit of humor mixed in along the way.


If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
I have been honored to have heard from many readers about how much my story resonated with their experience. As part of the "sandwich generation," there are many women like me who get caught between caring for children and aging parents. Knowing that my book has helped some woman feel less alone with that experience makes it all worthwhile.


How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
My children are teens now so I find that I have to chase after them in order to spend time with them. But when they were younger, I did find it very difficult to find the time—and the psychic space—to write.
I would occasionally go away to a small cottage out in Marin County and write for a few days. I think the hardest thing as mothers is to believe that we SHOULD be able to take the time and space for our creative pursuits. I think once you get over that hurdle, you figure out the details.


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
Give yourself permission to write badly. Whenever I get hung up thinking that what I am writing "isn't good enough," the whole forward momentum comes to a halt. I have to remind myself that I am writing a first draft—and that no one will see it but me.


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
Drop your reader into scenes that are already underway and take them out at the height of the drama. This is known as the "come late, leave early" rule and it was told to me by a very wise and generous writer friend. It keeps the narrative moving briskly.


What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
Waste their time writing in a genre that they don't like or respect.

Unless you are really clear that you are doing something just for the money and you do it under another name and then move on, you may find yourself trapped in your own success and watching your stock as a "literary writer" plummet. That said, if romance, mystery or even porn is your thing, and you are good at it, go for it!


What’s ahead for your writing?
I am working on a novel about middle-aged volatility.


How can readers get in touch with you?
I love it when readers write or contact me through my website.
I also love talking to book clubs and am available to do this either by phone or on Skype. I enjoy these conversations immensely!

Even though the particulars of my experience are unique, dealing with a parent at the end of their life is a universal rite of passage and I find that people are hungry to talk about what it is like to see their parents age and get sick and even to confront the difficult prospect of losing them. It is my firm belief that talking to each other, and sharing our stories, makes us feel less alone with our losses. There are also a number of interesting moral, ethical—and even legal—issues raised in my book and that makes it a rich source of discussion. I am always open for an exchange of ideas and ready to learn from hearing other people's perspectives.

Visit Zoe on her website, http://www.zoefitzgeraldcarter.com// , or at her blog: http://zoefitzgeraldcarter.com/blog

Listen to an interview with Zoe here: http://onpoint.wbur.org/2010/03/04/a-mothers-life-and-death

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more great articles geared towards authors and writers, check out the Writing Center.

School of Life, the film

In 2006, Ryan Reynolds starred in a charming film called, "School of Life"--only I didn't know it. You see, I didn't discover the film until this year. And all I can say is heart-wrenching, warm, inspirational, and downright worth the time.

You see, Dylan Warren is a high school student with an award winning, highly popular grandfather for a teacher. His grandfather is so well liked that the kids have nicknamed him, "Stormin Norman Warner". Sadly, he passes away during his most recent award ceremony, leaving the school without a teacher and Dylan without his grandfather.

As everyone grieves the loss of Norman, Dylan's father, Matt Warner, (also a teacher at the high school) starts thinking about how he can become the next "popular" teacher. And it becomes very clearl that while he loves his father, he was also very jealous of him.

That jealousy takes an ugly turn when Mr. D. (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene and immediately fills Norman's spot with the kids and the faculty. Determined to prove that he's not worthy of all the admiration, Matt Warner does some outrageous things to get the dirt--only he never does find the dirt. Instead, he discovers that Mr. D. is dying.

This is where it gets heart-wrenching.

We soon discover that Mr. D. had a great admiration for Norman, and that Norman was the inspiration behind Mr. D.'s teaching methods.

Can I just say that I really loved the heart behind this film? Now, I think it was over-the-top in some areas, concerning Matt Warner. But everything about Mr. D.'s role was fantastic! I just wish EVERY college student studying to be a teacher had the opportunity to watch this film so they can get a better understanding of the importance of reaching down and relating to their students at their levels, while making education fun and exciting.

You can watch "School of Life" on Netflix instant stream or buy it on Amazon.com for just $11. You can watch the trailer on YouTube.com



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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles geared towards busy parents, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.

Interview with Larry Peterson

Larry Peterson, author of the children's book, “Slippery Willie’s Stupid, Ugly Shoes”, is a part-time writer who spends a good deal of his time caring for his wife and working in the high school cafeteria. Though his schedule is full as a part-time employee and caregiver, he's found a way to keep his passion alive…reminding us all that there is no excuse too big that we cannot follow our dreams as writers.

How did you get started writing professionally?
I wrote a few unsolicited columns for a local newspaper (about 20 years ago) and dropped them off at the paper. The owner/publisher, a man by the name of Judson Bailey, gave me a call and asked me to stop by.

He was an old-timer from the old-school of journalism (pre-computer, pound the pavement guy). He had a great mane of silver hair that flowed backward to his shoulders and the bushiest silver eyebrows. He also smoked a huge pipe and—well, he was quite the guy.

Had worked in NYC for years as a reporter and editor. Anyway, he says to me, "Petie, you have this unique way of saying things. So, give me a column a week about whatever you want to write about. I’ll give you $25.00 a pop."

Imagine that…I never did anything professionally and he tells me to write what I want. Never edited anything either. Amazing! That’s how I started. That went on for about five years and then Mr. Bailey passed away from cancer. I did continue to write for the paper and a few others, but they all went belly-up. So, from maybe 95’ until about three years ago I was traveling in writer’s limbo.


What was your path towards publication like?
A winding, curvy road with hills and valleys and pot holes and ditches that finally hit a straightaway. However, I am sure more curves and bumps are up ahead.


What was the first market you queried and why did you choose that market?
“Okay—“Reader’s Digest”. Why? It was there and asked for submissions. I was far from being a serious writer and, naturally, the piece was rejected.


What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
I am very uncomfortable talking about myself. Doing this is actually a bit of therapy in helping me get by that. I know that being a writer requires exposure so I am really appreciating this opportunity.


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
Sure...“Slippery Willie’s Stupid, Ugly Shoes” is about a boy who has slippery feet and slips, slides and spins all over the place. His shoes and socks even slip off all by themselves. Willie hates his slippery feet. Special shoes are made for him to help him overcome his handicap and he hates them because he thinks they are the “stupidest, ugliest shoes anywhere and he is sure everyone will laugh at him. Anyway, you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens. LOL

Ultimately, the book addresses differences kids may have and shows them that it is OK to be different. The book received the Catholic Writer’s Guild Seal of Approval ( it is not a religious book).

If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
If there is one child somewhere on this planet who gets the message from this story that it is okay to be different well, for me, that would be a HOME RUN.


How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
At this point in my life I actually have the luxury of being able to write every day.

My first wife, Loretta, was ill for a long time even when are kids were young. She died 8 years ago from melanoma. I had come down with MS and had to get “walking” which I did (yeah, I can see and stand and everything—docs, God bless 'em—they don’t know everything. Hey, I even had prostate cancer—4 years out and doing good.

I remarried four years ago to a great lady, named Marty, who was a widow and a member of SVDP, too. Right after we married I had the prostate surgery. She was great. Now, she has come down with cancer and it is a high-grade lymphoma and has spread rapidly. Tomorrow she goes for chemo treatment #2 in a 4 cycle regimen.

She is now my priority. However, unlike years back, I still have time to write. As a man—my duties are to my family first. When I have time for me I just say .”Thank you Lord”. Simple as that.

The point is, for me, you play the cards you are dealt—no matter how lousy. Give it to God and keep on smiling. I MEAN that.


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
For me it is to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Even gibberish. I have even just doodled letters before I actually made gibberish. It works for me. Sooner or later some of the gibberish triggers a coherent thought and then BOOM !!! You suddenly have a sentence.


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
Mr. Bailey told me, over 20 years ago, that when writing, I should be careful not to try to be someone I am not. To develop my own style and voice. We are all unique, even writers.

So, I do remember that. I am careful not to copy a style but rather, use the advice I learn in Writer's Digest and apply it in what I do.

It is the same as a baseball player. They all have their own unique batting stance but, when they go to swing the bat, the hips have to turn, and the bat must go level through the strike zone, head tucked into shoulder. Same thing—a writer’s swing will either strike out or get a hit. But he/she does not want to change their stance to look like someone else.


What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
I believe if you start thinking that you are the reincarnation of Hemingway or that you are really a “GREAT” writer you are doomed. Better hold on to some humility. No one can succeed in this or any business without others helping, from publishers, editors, etc. Even rejections should be looked upon as positives.


What’s ahead for your writing?
I have a novel completed “The Priest & The Peaches”. It has to do with five kids who, over a period of several years, lose their parents and wind up on their own. I hope it appeals to the YA level but I think it can appeal to adults also. It is sad and funny; not bleak.

This might be the first in a series following these kids as they grow but I’m not going there yet. This one is still an unproven commodity. I also have another children’s book that needs a re-write and some other stuff. The fact is, I am a novice at social-networking and having an online presence. Nicole Langan, from Tribute, has been a wonderful help in getting me started in this area and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. So I must spend time doing that too.

Visit him at http://www.slipperywillie.com// and http://slipperywillie.blogspot.com/

Check out his book trailer on YouTube.

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more great articles geared towards authors and writers, check out the Writing Center.

Interview with John Lasseter

Check it out... I was able to score a quick Q&A with John Lasseter, courtesy of Disney®. John is the Chief Creative Officer, at the Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and he's sharing his insights on the making of Tangled.

What makes the newest Disney animation, Tangled, so special?
This movie is special because it’s the 50th animated motion picture from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. It’s a very fresh-looking movie, it’s very funny and the characters are great. The story is emotional and the songs are fantastic. I’m incredibly proud of it.

How do you add the ‘heart’ to your movies?
We always strive to create movies that are funny and entertaining. We want characters that are so engaging and appealing that you want to be with them – but it’s that heart of the movie that stands out for me. It’s the heart of the movie that makes audiences remember how a film made them feel. We can all sit around and talk forever about our favorite movies and why they are our favorites – but the thing that always drives me is that emotion is a key part of storytelling. The heart is not something you can add at the end of the movie.


How do you ensure that all your movies have heart and emotion?
I insist that we have internal screenings of every story reel every three to four months. No matter whether the filmmakers want to show their work or not, they have to show it internally; it’s not their choice. We all watch the work as a group and we get together afterwards to talk about it. We talk honestly and what’s nice is that it’s a peer-to-peer discussion. That’s how we see how movies are progressing. We can make sure it has heart and emotion at this early stage before we progress any further.

What is the secret to great storytelling?
We’ve always lived by three rules. Firstly, you have to tell a compelling story that keeps people on the edge of their seat. Secondly, you populate that story with memorable and appealing characters. Thirdly, you put those stories and characters in a believable world. It doesn’t have to be a realistic world – that’s for the live action folks – but it has to be a believable world.


What’s your favorite scene in Tangled?
One of my favorite sequences in the movie is the one we developed with the floating lanterns. Personally, these sequences are very special to me. Why? Well, let me tell you a little story… My wife and I headed to Bora Bora, Tahiti, for our 20th wedding anniversary. The Head Of Food Service at the resort we were staying at was an Italian guy, but he married an Indonesian woman and he had lived in Indonesia for years. He said to us, “I have something special for you.” And on our 20th anniversary, he brought out a lantern. He had us sign a little note to each other, which we taped to the top of the lantern, and then he lit it. It was dusk, we were on the beach and it was very romantic. The guy then said, “Kiss and let it go.” So we let it go and that beautiful lantern floated up into the Tahitian sky and drifted off into the distance.

Keep your eyes open for my review of Tangled, coming up this week!

Interview with Linda Osmundson

Linda Osmundson received her Bachelor's degree in teaching only to set her career aside to raise her family. As her children were growing up, she used the skills she learned to teach in all areas of their lives, including volunteering as a classroom assistant and Sunday school teacher. Today, she's dedicated the second half of her life to teaching children about art--as evidenced by her very first book, How The West Was Drawn: Cowboy Charlie's Art.

What was your path towards publication like?
It was slow but accomplished through study and rejections. Once I found a couple of niches such as parenting publications and travel, acceptances became more frequent.


What was the first market you queried and why did you choose that market?
I mostly queried children’s markets until I discovered it is easier to be published in the adult markets. My first acceptance was a puzzle for Boy’s Quest and I received $10. Fifteen years later I received another $10 for the reprint they did. I continued to write children’s books without success until 2010.


What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
I have watched people pitch themselves and then read their work to find the two didn’t match. I hesitate to pitch myself for fear of appearing in the same category. I network poorly from a lack confidence. That said, I’m told I come across well.

The first and probably only step I take is to be well prepared so my confidence level goes up. I read and study the process and my genre all the time, attend conferences and workshops where I have to pitch.

Practice makes perfect! I force myself to speak to agents and editors.


Aside from magazine articles and book contracts, how can someone earn money writing?
Author visits, teaching and speaking can earn extra income.


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
My book, How The West Was Drawn: Cowboy Charlie's Art, is an interactive tour of 12 Charles Russell paintings and one sculpture. Readers take away tools to look at art works in the future. A couple of short paragraphs follow with tidbits like one piece was drawn on cardboard Russell found between layers of crackers. Questions encourage looking and seeing things the average viewer misses such as a snake in the foreground of one painting.


If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
To interest children and adults in art, appreciation and interaction with art works.


How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
My husband plans many travels and I usually try to find something about which to write. We always include museums when possible. He enjoys them as well as I.


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
Three pages back and four pages forward. If you review what you are writing each time you sit down at the computer, there won’t be any block. If I can’t come up with ideas, I brainstorm or start reading. I really don’t believe in writer’s block.


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
I'd been writing my children's book on Charles Russell for about a year and a half when I discovered a new children’s release last February. My critique group said to send my manuscript to the same publisher and offer it as a companion book to the new release. My book was published as the companion to that new release.

Now I have a contract for a second book from the same publisher. This isn’t exactly the normal writing-related advice one receives but it worked for me.

Another says rejections are not rejection of you as a person or even your work but are an indication of a poor fit for that market. Don’t take them personally.


What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
To not do their homework on a market or refuse to follow guidelines to the letter.


What’s ahead for your writing?
I am working on the second book. I write for two small publications on a regular basis. I continually search for markets for the children’s books which haven’t yet been published. I also tweak them all the time with things I learn at workshops/conferences which may have caused their rejections in the past. I plan to submit to more markets, continue writing a blog, keep up on social media and promote my books.


Visit her at http://www.lindaosmundson.com or stop by her blog at http://www.writing-roads.blogspot.com

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more great articles geared towards authors and writers, check out the Writing Center.

Sweet Home Alabama, the film

As a young girl, I grew up in the city and could not wait to move to a small town in the country somewhere. I fantasized about what it would be like to live a slower paced lifestyle where everyone knew my name, and life just seemed simpler. I never understood why someone who lived such an appealing lifestyle would ever want to move to the city.

Now, having lived in both small town America, in the middle of nowhere, and in city where entertainment could be found at every corner, I get it.

Perhaps that's why I love "Sweet Home Alabama" so much these days. I can resonate with Melanie's need to move out of her small town life in order to "get a life".

In "Sweet Home Alabama" Melanie falls in love with her childhood sweetheart, marries him, then leaves without so much as a good-bye. Unable to calm her restless spirit, she moves to NYC to become a fashion designer.

During her time in NYC, she gives herself a new identity, builds a prestigious career, and gets engaged to the son of a mayor. There's just one problem, she never got divorced.

Upon her return to Alabama, she finds herself confused with the fact that while she loves her life in NYC, she also misses her old life. Then when she finally gets her coveted divorce papers signed, she discovers that she doesn't want to be divorced after all. What she wants is to be with her childhood sweetheart while remaining a coveted fashion designer.

There are so many things I love about this film. But if I had to pick just one thing it would have to be the way Jake loves Melanie. From the time he first kissed her as a child, to the day he wins her heart back, his love appears pure of heart, gentle, and well, precious.

Then, of course, there's the chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas. And I'm sorry ladies but there is absolutely no comparing Mathew McConaughey to Josh Lucas. Josh Lucas, in my opinion, is far more dreamy and a much better actor.

You can watch "Sweet Home Alabama" on instant stream via Netflix or purchase it on Amazon.com for just $15. The trailer is also available on YouTube.

Interview with Kathryn Lay

Kathryn Lay has been writing most of her life. Her writing includes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. She has had eleven books published for children and writers, with 8 more scheduled for publication. She enjoys speaking to schools, writer’s groups, and giving workshops. Her children’s novel, CROWN ME! has won writing awards and been on many writing lists.

What was your path towards publication like?
Once I decided to begin marketing my writing, I believed I would sell quickly. Like many writers, I assumed it would be easy to get published because I had passion and promise. But I learned after sending a Bambi-type story to Good Housekeeping that I had to start targeting my writing with the right markets. I joined a local writer’s group and began reading my work, making it better, and learning about marketing. I read lots of writer’s magazines and books.


What was the first market you queried and why did you choose that market?
After my mistaken marketing with the short story, my first market was a Sunday School take-home paper for the denomination we were a part of. Every Sunday we picked up a copy at church. I saw that most of the stories in them were personal experience pieces from or about people in the denomination. My husband and I were helping a Hmong congregation that met in our church building. We’d become a big part of the children and had recently taken them on a trip to the local zoo. I wrote up an article that I thought was similar to what they did and sent it with photos of the kids at the zoo. The story was personal to me and was about our work through our church, so I felt it was perfect for this magazine. Apparently I was right since several weeks later I received a call at work that they would be publishing it. With my first check, I bought an old washer and dryer and believed I had arrived as a published writer.


What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
My biggest obstacle is insecurity in myself. I’ve always been shy and had problems believing I was ‘good enough’ to make it. But I have learned that I have a gift and a talent for putting words to paper. I have made myself see the marketing end as a business and that rejections are not personal and to succeed, I need to study and work hard.

When I’ve been in situations to speak to people about my writing, especially editors or teachers or librarians, I force myself to push aside the insecurities and become a little bold in mentioning my successes, my ideas, and my plans. It’s difficult for me to separate me from my writing, but when the fear and the butterflies in the stomach come, I try not to think and just forge ahead with what I’m saying as if it’s someone else talking about me.


Aside from magazine articles and book contracts, how can someone earn money writing?
I’ve written for educational markets including testing companies and UIL. I keep abreast of these possibilities in the children’s market by being a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, joining online lists for children’s writers, and being active in my local chapter of SCBWI. There is no fame or royalties in the educational market, but it’s still good money, practice, publication, and sometimes even a byline. If you have an interest in writing for children, check out the curriculum for a particular age group, both in your state and nationally. Join SCBWI and look over their educational market guide. Ask children’s librarians what is most checked out in the nonfiction area. Nowadays, educational writing isn’t dry or dull. You can still use your creativity and enjoy it while making money.


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
My latest trade book is JOSH’S HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN, a picture book that I like to bill as a non-scary Halloween book or a non-Halloween fall book. It is the story of a boy who rescues his lost little sister with the help of a giant pumpkin he found on his grandfather’s pumpkin farm. The illustrations are gorgeous. My latest educational book is a 6 book series, WENDY’S WEATHER WARRIORS about a group of school kids who form a club from their love of weather and save the school, the town, etc. while educating people on weather safety. The book is fiction but includes back pages of nonfiction info on that weather topic and experiments teachers can use.


If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
For JOSH, it would be for families to read together about families. For WENDY it would be to show kids that something they learn about at school can be fun and interesting as well. With all my children’s books, I want them to encourage young readers to read both for fun and learning.


How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
When my daughter was a baby, I had to pick my writing times by when she didn’t need me. Most often nap times or early in the morning. As she got older, I used times such as when she went to library story times or was in preschool or gymnastic classes at the community center. I’ve always worked hard to put my husband and daughter first with my time and energy over my writing. Thankfully, they are both very supportive. But when others went to conferences and I needed to be home to deal with my daughter’s school stuff because my husband is a teacher and couldn’t, I didn’t mind. Since so many of my writing sales have been personal experience pieces, I feel as if I’ve taken and been given much from them to my career. When I have deadlines, I explained that I needed time to write and they either chipped in or didn’t complain about quickie dinners or a sloppy house. With Crown Me!, I did a lot of school visits and even went to New York. Many times I’ve included my family such as going to speak and sell at the Texas Book Festival and at writing conferences and some school visits. They are as much a part of my career as they are a part of the rest of my life.


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
I’ve never really had writer’s block, I have way too many ideas for the time. But one thing I tell my students of my writing classes to do is to spend a day coming up with ideas for their idea file/box/journal, etc. I suggest they think about their fears, their dreams, their past experiences, things they are expert at, things they’d like to learn about, things they have learned the hard way, etc. Reading often gets me out of a writing slump, it gets my brain thinking. Also, just walking with a recorder in hand and thinking about a project I’m working on.


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
The best writing advice I ever got was at a workshop from a picture book writer. He told us to "know our ending."

I realized that many times I had great ideas for short stories, books or picture books, but because I didn’t know where I was heading, I floundered partway through. Now, I write myself a letter from the character when I begin to try and discover how his or her story will end. It might not be that way when I’m done, but I have a destination to shoot for. It’s helped me focus and to not be afraid to begin.


What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
Giving up too soon. I’ve had many situations, especially when writing magazine articles, where I’ve sent something in ten or twelve times before it found a home. Many writers fear rejection so much that once they get that letter, they despair of that project and put it away and try again. After awhile, they have nothing but a drawer full of rejected pieces that might have had a decent chance if they continued marketing it.


What’s ahead for your writing?
I hope to sell more children’s books, especially in the retail market. I still enjoy writing short pieces and, though I’ve written less lately, probably wouldn’t entirely give them up. Whenever opportunity comes that I think I have a chance at, I’ll do my best to try it. Many times it’s been successful, sometimes it hasn’t. But writing is as much a part of me as breathing, so I just have to keep marching forward. I do hope I can spend more time doing school visits and speaking at writers groups now that my daughter is in college and my husband 2 years from retirement.

You can learn more about Kathryn's writing and speaking athttp://www.kathrynlay.com/

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more great articles geared towards authors and writers, check out the Writing Center.

Maid in Manhattan, the film

Did you ever watch "Maid in Manhattan" starring Jennifer Lopez? I remember when it first came out. I liked Jennifer Lopez as an actress, but I wasn't sure she'd be able to hold my attention as the lead of a chick flick.

I've watched this show several times since it first hit the theatres, and I can tell you that while Lopez's acting falls a little flat, she carried the part well. And I really liked the working class take on this Cinderella story.

You see, Marisa is a maid in a fancy hotel and her Prince Charming is a Senator named Chris. Marisa is a single mom raising her son, with dreams of moving up in the hotel industry. One day, she breaks all the rules by trying on a guest's clothing and gets caught by the Senator.

In an attempt to hide her little white lie, she agrees to go on a date with the Senator. The two hit it off so well that they start dating. But eventually Marisa's little white lie catches up with her an causes a little bit of a scandal. The couple breaks up, but their love cannot be denied.

Overall it's a cutesy love story with a simple and predictable plot. And just like in Cinderella, everyone comes to Marisa's aide, bending over backwards to help her keep her secret and to help her catch the man of her dreams.

"Maid in Manhattan" can be viewed on instant stream at Neflix or purchased on Amazon.com for just $8.

You can watch the trailer on YouTube.

Interview with Max Elliot Anderson

Max Elliot Anderson grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader. Using his extensive experience in the production of motion pictures, videos, and television commercials, he brings the same visual excitement and heart-pounding action to his adventure and mystery stories, written especially for boys. Both boys and girls have reported that reading one of his books is like being in an exciting movie.

What was your path towards publication like?
I met my first publisher in an online writers group. Before that I had queried several others. I still have a fat folder of rejections to prove it. After five years, and eight books, that first publisher went bankrupt, sending me back to square one. I could see that they were struggling after the first couple of years, so I began searching for an agent. That’s when Terry Burns of Hartline Literary agreed to represent me. As a result, we’ve signed contracts for many of my manuscripts including the republishing of the first eight books that had been previously published.


What was the first market you queried and why did you choose that market?
The first query was sent to Guideposts for a true story about when my seventy-two year-old father and I were lost in the Arizona wilderness. It was accepted and published in Angels on Earth.


What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
When I began writing nearly ten years ago, there wasn’t much interest in adventure and mystery books for boys 8 to 13. That has been changing over time to where the market is improving now.


Aside from magazine articles and book contracts, how can someone earn money writing?
The only activity I have, outside of writing, is speaking in schools and libraries. This can include a speaking fee and the opportunity to sell additional books.


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
Barney and the Runaway was released on March 1. Summer had no appeal to Mike Ellis. But neither did homework, or class assignments, or self-discipline. He especially disliked his parents always telling him what to do and punishing him when he didn’t. Wanting to teach his parents a lesson, he decides to pretend to run away from home for a day with his dog Barney. His plans go terribly wrong when a day later he finds himself halfway across the country and very lost. Meeting an old clown who also ran away as a child teaches Mike the importance of home, family, and doing what’s right. But can Mike and Barney save the circus in time?


If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
I grew up hating to read. If this book can inspire others to enjoy reading, I will have accomplished my goal.

How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
Our two children are out on their own now. I have profound respect for writers who still have small children at home. My wife and I have been married over forty years. Since writing has become my primary work, we treat it that way and balance in our relationship is easy to maintain. And I’m careful to make time for my wife, as well as my children who live nearby.


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
So far I’ve been blessed never to have experienced writer’s block. But I have a few tricks that help me.

Before I start writing the next manuscript, I tell myself the story into a recorder, just as if I were telling it to my children when they were young. After doing this, I know the beginning, the middle, and the end. I don’t know about many of the other characters and details that will appear, but at least I know where the story is going.

The notes are transcribed and usually run about 10, single-spaced pages. They get put into a file and I don’t look at them again until the first draft is finished. I write as I go when it comes to the manuscript. It’s only after that first draft is finished that I ever look at it or the original notes.

To get myself into the mood to write, I make sure to do a few things. Around my computer I place photographs and props that will help me think about the story and characters. Props have even included a live chipmunk for one manuscript set around a logging operation.

Next I burn a candle beside the computer. I only do this while writing; never during brainstorming, editing, research, or reading a draft. The candle helps to take me to a different place and to focus on the story.

Then I play mood appropriate music for each scene I’m writing. If it’s a funny scene I play comedy. A sad scene requires a single piano or violin or guitar. The music brings specific images into my mind as I write. Again, this comes from my experiences in film production where the music track is very important in setting the mood of the finished film.

All of these elements, working together, help me to avoid writer’s block which is probably why I haven’t experienced it yet.


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
Never give up, no matter what.

What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
Becoming discouraged or expecting success too early.


What’s ahead for your writing?
One of my books, Lost Island Smugglers, will be released as an audio book. Most of the other titles are going to be offered as e-books in addition to print. And I began writing a book on 9/11 of last year, and sold it a month later. The title is When the Lights go Out. This one is also an action-adventure and mystery for young readers. It will be released in time for the 10th anniversary of 9/11 this September.

Beyond that, I’ll be spending my time in promotion, marketing, speaking, and book signings, but not writing very much. That’s because, with so many books coming out over the next several months, there’s a lot of work to be done to get each one ready. This includes final editing, working with the cover artists, and more promotion for each of book as it’s released.

You can learn more about Max and his books at: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com and http://booksandboys.blogspot.com

And don't forget to check out Max's book trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uswTZ-pJLYA

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more great articles geared towards authors and writers, check out the Writing Center.

Healing Yoga For Common Conditions

I discovered "Healing Yoga For Common Conditions" via Netflix's instant streaming a few months ago and have been doing the yoga movements on and off ever since. And I have to tell you that it is probably my favorite Yoga DVD for beginners of all time--and I've tried quite a few.

The reason I like it is because it's calming without being annoying. The moves are simple and uncomplicated, and free flowing and gentle. And each move is held long enough to allow you to actually feel the results of that move.

The instructions are clear and do not contain annoyingly long words or complicated names just to prove that the instructors have the right to call themselves Yogi. There are no inside jokes to become annoying after a few viewings. And though they do take some time to explain what each move does for the body, it's done in such a way that you aren't annoyed by that bit of information...even though you've heard it a few dozen times.

There are three sections to the actual routine with Charles and Lisa Matkin taking turns performing the poses and the speaking. If, for instance, Lisa is doing the yoga routine, then Charles is talking. If Charles is doing the routine, Lisa is talking. Both have very soothing voices which really compliments the music selection used throughout the DVD.

If you've wanted to try yoga but found the other DVDs for beginners too complicated, or too fast, I want to encourage you to give "Healing Yoga For Common Conditions" a try.

If you don't subscribe to Netflix, Amazon.com has a $2.99 rental for instant streaming, and you can purchase a download of the DVD for your computer, for just $9.99.


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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles geared towards busy parents, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.


You can view a preview of the video on Youtube.