Catching Idle Butterflies

Thank you!

Thank you everyone for your birthday wishes, cNotes and Merit Badges! I treasure them all!

I didn't do anything exciting. Dave and I took my folks out to lunch, and then we had steak supper over at their house, strawberry and chocolate cheese cake for dessert (my favorite).

The most fun I had was when Mom showed me her artwork and her process for printing them out for sale. She paints everything by hand, be it oil, acrylic, charcoal or watercolors. She then sets the finished product on an easel outside in direct sunlight and takes a digital photo. Doing it this way both makes the painting glow and eliminates any glare or shadows.

She then loads it into her computer and using photoshop software plays with the colors, hues and saturation to make the elements pop out at you. She then prints them out on proofs until they're just right for sale. All that, though interesting and informative, didn't hold my attention, but watching her describe it all. I love when people talk about their passion, because I can see and feel their joy come out of them in waves.

The only glitch in my day was getting a headache at the end. I usually get them like this when I have too much sleep. Weird, huh? Even weirder, the only thing that relieves them is more sleep! I got enough (and not too much this time) last night, so I'm peachy today!

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Have you ever started a book, read a portion, and find yourself going back to it again and again?

I'm doing this while reading Jerry Jenkins "Writing for the Soul." Here's the section on page 36:

AM I A WRITER?

You may be new to the writing game that your unsure even what to call yourself. Are you a novice? A beginner? It doesn't matter. You are what you say you are. If you have decided to be a writer, you're a writer, published or not. We all have to start somewhere. Beginners will often lament that the door is closed except to the big names. But think about it: Who were the big names before they were published? Nobodies.

Get serious about your career by declaring yourself a writer. Do it now, and don't look back. If doing so makes you waver or doubt yourself, maybe you're not cut out for writing. If you're looking for reasons to quit, there are plenty. If you are determined to write no matter what, you're what the publishing world is looking for.

Your results will mirror your commitment. Put in the necessary time and do the rewrites to make your own success inevitable. Make your own breaks. That's what separates the hobbyists from real authors. Study, do the research, develop a thick skin, work hard, learn to take editing, and learn to edit yourself. Have you arrived yet? Neither have I.

In the forward, author Francine Rivers wrote this: You will enjoy reading this book. From the first page, you will be tempted to put your feet up and drink it in with one pleasurable swallow. Don't. Instead, savor it. Keep pen and paper by your side. There are treasures here; sparks to light the fire, and to keep it burning.

How right she is! Though I sit down to read, after only a few pages, I find myself staring at a wall and thinking about what I had just read.

So far, in case you couldn't tell, I'm loving this book. The best part is anyone, Christian or not will find this book useful and inspirational. Yes, Jerry talks about God, but he's not preachy. Mostly he gives advice on how to remain motivated to write and to seek publication if that indeed is the reader's calling. He also warns the reader not to let writing become the highest priority; that family is equally if not more so.

All that and I'm only on page 39!