I don’t read books…?

I’ve only read 126 books. Or at least, that’s what I’m told.

So, I took a quiz. It was a fun quiz, really. It’s a list of the top thousand books according to reviews on Goodreads. Apparently I am not in-step with society.

Poo.

Honestly, it doesn’t overly surprise me that I didn’t get a majority of the books. Really, I’m surprised I got as many as I did! All the kids’ books helped.

But I think I’m a bit of an odd reader. I’ve found that, in general, if a book is lauded as a “best seller,” I rarely have interest in it. Now, it’s not that I’m “anti-popularity.” Heck, I read Twilight and found the review of a friend to be accurate: Literary crack. You know it’s bad for you, but you just keep on reading.

But for the most part, the opinions of the masses don’t sway my reading habits. And now that I’ve been doing more and more writing and networking with other authors, well, I want to read their stuff. For instance, this week I finished reading Under Her Black Wings, a horror anthology written by women, featuring female monsters. Why did I read it? Well, I bought it because I have a friend who was published in it. (I found most of the stories to be very engaging and worth the time!)

What does that mean for my reading list? Continue reading “I don’t read books…?”

This is what I am now.

I’m beat. I’ve been beat all day.

The day previous to my writing this, I was in the hospital. Lung infection. It was grand, let me tell you.

Today I knew I wouldn’t get much done. And it’s true; I haven’t. In my “day job” I’m a minister. It’s still where I spend most of my time, and gratefully. I’ve been very blessed to serve where I am. However, that work requires a lot of time and energy. Writing a sermon is not a simple matter. Visiting hurting people can’t be done when you’re distracted. However, given that I’m in recovery, I wasn’t expecting to do a whole lot. And it’s true; I didn’t do a whole lot today.

Writing isn’t a simple matter, either. Creating worlds out of thoughts takes effort and energy and can leave a person exhausted. Which means I didn’t expect to do much writing today, either.

And yet, here I am. This post marks more than 2000 words written. Now, that’s not a great day of writing for me, but it’s a far cry from nothing!

And it reveals something to me: Continue reading “This is what I am now.”

Well, now what?

I have no idea what to write.

To be clear, I don’t have writer’s block. There’s many options. I’ve got a four-novel series I’d like to start outlining. I got a really good idea for a short story in a unique world. I’ve got a few short stories that could use some cleaning up before I submit (or resubmit) them. Lots of ideas sprouting around here.

And for the moment, I’ve carved out enough time most evenings to get something written.

No, the problem is not in my ideas nor my time. The problem this time around is everyone else.

Well, not everyone else, but a few specific people. Continue reading “Well, now what?”

Still Seeking a New Earth

Do you want a new earth?

Look around you. Do you like the brokenness you see? Do you like the shattered relationships? The poisonous addictions? The faltering environment? This earth isn’t good enough, and you long for something more.

That’s why we tell stories.

We want a world where the wonders that we glimpse here can be seen in full. Because there are wonders here, you know. There is love here, so we imagine what love would be like if it were something even more, something bigger, something truer. We see magnificent art here, so we ponder what art would be developed in a world less shattered than our own. We see majestic animals here, and we postulate what they would be like somewhere else.

We want a new earth, where the goodness we see through shadowed glass here might be unleashed. Continue reading “Still Seeking a New Earth”

GOOOOOOOOOOAL!

So I want to write. But I also want to get published. That means I have to do more than write. I need to pump out words and edit them and polish them and find places where they might be good fits and send them in and research independent publishing and network with other authors and improve my craft and –

Well, in all that, it’s helpful to have goals. Goals give you a focus. Where are you trying to get, and what’s the best way to get there?

And last week, I decided on a 2020 goal: I want to publish 12 pieces this year. Or, more properly phrased, I want to get 12 pieces published. Continue reading “GOOOOOOOOOOAL!”