Fallow Times or Full Out Writer's Block?

Recently, fellow writer friend and author of actual published books, Liz Adair, posted a blog here where she talked about "fallow" times when it comes to her writing. She prefers that term to the feared and dreaded (my adjectives, not hers) "writer's block." I really related to what she said, plus I liked the sweet, restful image that "fallow" created. I told myself I'm just in a fallow time with my writing. I've written to chapter 20 of my novel and now I just need to rest and rejuvenate. ;)

Ha! I think that's manure (which Liz also mentions in her blog post). Liz was talking about when you've finished a work and ideas for the next are percolating. That's the fallow time, not when you are in the midst of a story that's itching to get out, but you won't spend the time necessary with your behind in front of the keyboard. I know I can't blame fallow times OR writer's block for my own rationalization and procrastination.

Liz mentions the law of the harvest and seeds planted (that's where the manure comes in) and I ackowledge that my own lack of seed-sowing at the computer will seriously delay the harvest.

Well, BIAM comes to the rescue. It stands for Book in a Month, and while I won't write an entire book in a month, I have set a daily word count goal that by July's end may bring me very close to the words I long for: THE END.

Winner Update

I've been out vacationing, but here's the list of the latest Treasure Hunt winners:

Day 17 - Dena Walton of Washington
Day 18 - Julia Groves of ?
Day 19 - John Ferguson of Kansas
Day 20 - Carrie Lundell of California
Day 21 - Karen Haas of North Carolina
Day 22 - Auriette Lindsey of Florida
Day 23 - Shirley Bahlmann of Utah
Day 24 - Patricia Cochran of Texas
Day 25 - Torren Wilhelmsen of Arizona

You still have some time to get in on this fun blog contest by clicking on the treasure chest on the side bar!

The winning continues...

WIN THIS:

AND WIN THIS:


by clicking the pretty pink and blue button on the sidebar.

You read the book, the kids play with the fun summer toys...everyone's happy!

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Actually, we have had lots of winners in the Dig for Treasure blog contest--in fact, 12 winners so far! I hope you are keeping track. I update the winners's list each and every day. Check to see if your name is there!

Krista Darrach, today's winner, gets her very own blog post because Day 12 is my day, the day my prize is offered. Krista is the lucky recipient of $15 worth of vinyl lettering! Yes, I'm still selling vinyl lettering and you can check out that blog for ideas at vinylsignsanddesigns.blogspot.com.

Congratulations, Krista!

Truman Madsen's passing

Truman Madsen passed away at the end of May. No one called me. I had to read about it in the Church News today.

I just want to say for the record that I made Truman Madsen laugh. It's true. When we lived in Israel my husband and I gave talks one Mother's Day. As we were sitting at the front before our turn to speak I looked out at the crowd gathered for that Jerusalem Branch Sacrament Meeting, and there sat Truman Madsen. THE Truman Madsen. LDS scholar and philosopher extraordinaire. I thought, Seriously, I'm giving a talk with Truman Madsen present? Well, that's what I did, and while I was regaling the audience with all the uproarious humor associated with motherhood (or mumbling something incoherent into the microphone), I glanced over at Brother Madsen, and he was laughing. I've never been so satisfied when giving a talk.

Here's just a few amazing quotes from this great man...

"'To be or not to be?' That is not the question... The question is not one of being, but one of becoming. 'To become more or not to become more.' This is the question faced by each intelligence in our universe." (Eternal Man, p.31-32)

"Come to him. He turns no penitant one away. Would you, if you had paid so much in suffering? Would you ever give up?" (The Highest in Us, p.6)

"The privilige of attending the house of God is in effect to have our physical beings brought into harmony with our spirit personalities." (The Temple: Where Heaven Meets Earth, p.9)

"In refusing to forgive another, we, in effect, attempt to deny the blessings of the Atonement to that person." (Quoted in The Forgiving Heart by Roderick J. Linton, Ensign, April 1991)

"If 'pray always' means vocally, none of us can. But if 'pray always' includes the kind of prayer that is wordless and from the heart, we are getting closer. And if it means even more that we are to be in the spirit of prayer regardless of what we may be doing [in effect]--living prayerfully--then all of us can." The Highest in Us, p.82)

Are you an insane mother?

Summer's here. The kids are home.

All. Day. Long.

Believe me, I know you need this book. You can win it today by clicking on the treasure chest on the side bar.

Win the book. Read it. Then share it with me.

NOTE: WooHoo to Sherrada! It's fun that someone I know won the cute puppets mentioned in my blog last week. Sweet!

Perfect Snuggle, Giggle Book

Cindy Williams' delightful rhyming picture book is today's prize in our Summer Treasure Hunt!

I won a kissing contest!

Check out Rachel Rager's website here to find out it's true, I really did win a kissing contest! My prize? A copy of Rachel's recently published book. I guess you could say letting that boy kiss me finally paid off!



Also, I hope you all are entering the Summer Treasure hunt. We've had two winners so far--they are listed under June 1 and June 2 after the game instructions. Check that post out here. You'll see that yesterday's winner also won a copy of Rachel's book. Fun!

The Roundup of Memories contest has concluded with three winners and one Grand prize winner chosen. Go to inglestonepublishing.com and click on the Blog tab to see the winners and the Contest tab to read all the entries.

This just made my day

Who doesn't love to play with puppets?

Carolyn Frank has been crafting puppets for over thirty years. Enter to win a prize pack of her darling Petite Performer puppets in Danyelle's Summer Giveaway by clicking here or the beautiful blue button on the sidebar. Also, check out Carolyn's website here.