4 letter words in Writing

In real life I try to watch the language I use in speech. I avoid cuss words. I avoid negativity. I avoid offending others. No matter what I do, I have found others will always interpret things differently than how I mean. So, people are offended, hurt and disgusted by my words.

In my writing, I find I do the same thing. My characters don't say shit, or damn, or the f-word. But, that isn't realistic. In revisions, I cringe when I nudge myself. Knowledge hits me that that kind of word belongs in that spot. I want to fight and argue with myself. Why do they have to say that? There are a million other ways a character can express themselves. Why do I have to give in?

It's not giving in. I'm not doing it. The character in my book is doing it. It makes them realistic. The readers expect it. I don't write Disney. I write adult fiction.

Sure, a reader, somewhere along the line may think what my Mom always said. "Why do they have to do all that cussing on TV?" I agree, I don't like it either. But when I walk down the street, or go into the store, or anywhere there are people, there is cussing. It's what people do.

Am I the only one that struggles with this?

My Sister Says I'm Crazy

My sister says I'm crazy. I think it is funny that she thinks that. I believe many things and most of these things, I keep to myself. On occasion, I tell my sister. After I speak to her, she tells me I am crazy.

What kinds of things do I tell her? I talk to God. He talks back. She doesn't believe me, but that is her loss. Why? Because everyone can talk to God. This world would be a much nicer place if everyone chose to talk, and listen to God.

I admit, I usually talk to God when I am frustrated or unsure of myself. Which reminds me of a grown child that only comes to see Mom and Dad when they need money. That communication is open all the time. Just like the door to see family is always open.

I have also learned that God is funny. He has a wonderful sense of humor. I asked God one time if he ever made anything that made him laugh. God never answers right then. I have to wait until he, or she, is ready to answer. I did receive an answer, and I promptly told many people. Most, look at me like...I'm crazy. The next day, I walked outside of work, and I saw a lime green spider and on his back, he had an orange smile.

There are times when I don't want to wait for an answer. Today I asked a question and I was given an answer by a cloud. Have you ever talked to clouds? I have. They are awesome to talk to. Talking to a cloud takes a bit of work. You need to use your imagination. It also helps if it is during the day and for it to be cloudy, and a bit windy. What kind of question can you ask a cloud? Believe it or not, anything. I can honestly say every question I have ever asked a cloud, I have been given a logical answer.

You also have to have an open mind and have trust in yourself. I'll use my question today as an example. A little about me. I am a writer. I practice and I study writing. I am working to revise the first book I wrote. Lately, I've been digging into a lot of craft books and trying different techniques to improve.

I didn't go outside to talk to a cloud. I went outside and glanced up and saw the fluffy fast moving clouds. I though, oh how nice. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to have a conversation with the cloud. So, as I sit there trying to think of a question, I think of my writing. I know I'm trying hard, studying, spending hours, reaching out to others. I don't think there is anything else I can do to learn the craft. But, the question is there in my head, so I have to ask. Is there anything else I can do to improve my writing?

How do you get an answer? 
You can stare at the clouds, until you see a figure that you recognize, or you can close your eyes and open them at random. At that point, you will see something in the cloud. It can be an animal, it can remind you of an object you know, it can be anything. When you see that thing in the cloud, think about it. What does it represent to you? This is the tricky part. No one can do this for you. The clouds are talking to you, and you have to translate the meaning. If you see a rabbit, and you think hop. Then perhaps you should hop to something else. If you see a rabbit, and you think of ears. It can be telling you that you heard the answer already. 

This is where the trust comes in. Trust that your first thought is the right answer.

So, what did I see when I asked the cloud? Is there anything else I can do to improve my writing? I saw the cloud smiling down at me. It was a face. A face with fat cheeks and huge smile. The eyes were shaded, like they were partly closed because the smile was so big. That told me that I have to enjoy the process of writing. I have to stop slaving so hard like it is work. To remember that I am writing because it is what I love to do.

I then thought, I want to blog about this. That would be fun. Yeah, maybe no one will read this? Yeah, maybe everyone will read this and think I'm crazy? Yeah, but I really don't care. I love this life, and I'm going to have fun. I hope you do to.

Keep the Faith

The easiest Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

I fondly remember my Dad talking about his favorite meal. Chicken and Dumplings. It was always a Sunday meal, because it took my mom all day to make it. She made her own dumplings from scratch. I did it a few times after I married and moved out. It got to be one of those dishes I thought of fondly, but didn't care to make.

That is, until I learned of this recipe from my second husband. If you've read any of my other blogs, I don't measure. I'll tell you exactly the way I made it, and you are free to adjust to your desire.

I use leg quarters. Today, I used two. Boil them with a bit of salt. Don't worry about over boiling. It is better if you get them to fall apart. I then take them out of the water and let them cool. After they have cooled, I remove the skin, fat and bones. I then transfer the water I used to boil the chicken into another pot. I usually strain it just to make sure small bones haven't fallen in the water.

Today I added onions. Hubby doesn't add it, but I decided to try it today. I added the onions to the water and put the water, now chicken broth on to boil. Then I take the tortillas and tear them up into bite sized pieces and add it to the water. I used 4 tortillas but hubby often uses 7 or 8. When it boils, it puffs up making the best and easiest dumplings ever. After it cooks a few minutes, I add back the chicken.

After about 10 minutes, it is ready to eat. But, this is one of those dishes that the more you let simmer or set, the better it is. I'll let it simmer as long as it still has a decent amount of water.

The Woman That Inspires Me

We can always find time for the things we want most.
Selma Dunn-Williams

I have fond memories of sitting for hours with my Great Aunt Selma. She told us wonderful stories of what it was like when she was a child. Decades later, I can only look back and wish I had used a tape recorder and took notes of all the tales she shared with us.

Yesterday, my sister shared with me a newspaper article that was written in the Atlanta Journal on January 31, 1937. It was titled Georgia Woman Builds Her Own Home.

Women can do remarkable things. I've met women builders. They are great. They are also rare. I have worked construction jobs for decades, and have only met one woman builder.

What does it take for a woman to be a builder these days? Study for a few years and get licensed as a general contractor. Not so hard.

I look at the newspaper article. It has no mention of studying and licensing that someone has to do these days to build a home. But, I am truly in awe by the time I finished the article. To explain why, let me just show you the quote from under the picture. 

Mrs. Selma Dunn Hughes, who drew the plans, sawed the lumber, drove the nails, laid the bricks and did everything else about her six-room house.

Okay. The women that are builders these days don't do that. Not, even the men that are builders do that. They hire and oversee the different trades as they come to work on the house. They don't actually do the physical labor involved in the process.

That's wonderful that a woman, in her spare time, built her own house. Wouldn't you love to have the time to do that? According to the article, it took her 8 months to build the home.

So, my Aunt Selma wanted a house. She drew the plans, saved the money, and physically built the house. That alone would inspire me to look at my life and  evaluate if I am doing what I truly want to do.

But, the article doesn't stop there. At the time, my aunt was widowed. She had one income. Hers. She worked full time at the mill. She had two young daughters at the time. She lived with her Dad and brothers at the time. So she also had the responsibility to fix their meals and take care of the house. (Because, at the time, that is what women did, men didn't)

So, when did she have time to build a house? The article covered that also. Her day started at 4:30. She did her chores, and cooked breakfast for the family. By the time the sun rose, she usually had her chores done. That's when she worked on the house while caring for her daughters. She worked until 12:30. She made lunch for everyone and then got ready for work. She worked 2 -10.

I have learned so much about my Aunt with reading this article. I am honored to be related to her. She has inspired me to look at my schedule and find time to do what I really want to do. 

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

Food. I'm always thinking about it. Not that I'm hungry all the time. But with a family, a woman always has to have a plan for that nights dinner. Oh, to be single again and be able to plop a frozen dinner in the microwave and save that hour of kitchen work. But alas, I wouldn't give up married life for that free time in the evening.

Today, I was chatting with my most awesome friend Samantha.  What is the top topic of women? Well, yes it is men, but the second top topic is food. What are you cooking tonight?

I'm cooking meatloaf. Then I read my friends response. I've never had meatloaf before. ???? This has always been a popular meal here in the US. If you ask my husband, he wants it at least once a week. I like it, but not that often. Once a month would be fine for me.

So, for all my overseas friends, here is how you make a meatloaf. Oh, and I guesstimate amounts. I own measuring cups, but I don't actually measure anything.

1 pound hamburger meat. (I think those in UK call it minced beef)
1/2 chopped onion (hubby uses a whole onion and I call it onion loaf when he makes it)
1 egg
2 slices bread, cut in small pieces
steak sauce, or worstershire sauce, or ketchup
salt and pepper

Throw everything in a bowl. Well, except the egg. Crack it open and put the egg in and throw away the shell. It will be crunchy if you use the whole egg. I use about two tablespoons worstershire sauce in mixing it. Now, stick your hands in and get real messy. Yep, the best way is mix it with your hands real well. I then form it into a loaf and put it in a loaf pan and bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes. You can use a 9x9 pan. It bakes faster that way and is not as thick. When it is done cooking, drain the fat, otherwise it will be real greasy.

I don't mix ketchup in my loaf. I put a thin layer on top before I bake it. Hubby mixes it in and puts it on top.

The great thing about meatloaf is there are thousands of ways of making meatloaf. My mom used to cut up bell pepper in it. The bread is really a filler. It is a way to make the meat stretch farther. When you eat it, it seems like you are eating all meat. The egg just helps keep it together and not fall apart. I've had friends that use barbeque sauce instead of ketchup or steak sauce.

I usually make mashed potatoes and gravy to go with it. Hubby likes acre peas with it.

Enjoy
Keep the Faith

Author Interview. S R Cole

I'm happy to have with us today S R Cole. She is here to tell us of her magical world of gorgeous hero's like Wild Bill Williams.  Be sure to check out the exclusive, first time seen her, of S R Cole's next book at the end of this interview.

So Stace, firstly how are you feeling about your new release? (Congratulations by the way!) Pretty exciting time for you huh?
Thanks Sam! I’m very excited to be here with you today.
It is pretty exciting yes, but also terribly nerve-wracking! Of course writers improve the longer they write and the more they write, but as this is my first published book, I want to make a good impression. I’m completely in love with my hero, Bill and I want others to fall for him too.

Take us back, what initially got you into writing and your passion for books?
My brother passed away when I was ten and I wrote a poem about him in school. It was then that I realized how good it felt to get what I was thinking and feeling on paper. I have been a book worm all my adult life, so writing what I love to read as been a natural progression.

What inspired you to write The Bodyguard’s Secret Baby?
I love bodyguards. I love protective men and I love cowboys. I’m also a huge lover of secret baby stories and medical romance, so I wanted to write something that combined everything I love in one book.

Are any of your characters based on real people, or are they completely from imagination?
They are all from my imagination, although all of my heroes have a little of my friend Maurice in them. He is my own personal hero and so I can’t help but think of him when I write. Later this year, I’ll be writing two fire-fighter stories, there will be a lot of him in them.

What genre of story do you enjoy writing? Romance obviously, any others tucked up your sleeve…?
I do have something else up my sleeve right now that I am hoping to start work on in the next few weeks, but I’m keeping it under my hat for now.
 

Who is your favorite writer? 

Oh gosh, there are just too any to choose from. I love Shirley Jump, Melissa McClone, Donna Alward, Maya Angelou and of course, E. L. James. I’m totally hooked on the fifty Shades series right now.

What is your writing schedule like? Do you have a method? Are you a pantser or a plotter?
I’m a pantser, all the way. Plotting really doesn’t work for me as I am too fickle. I never know which direction I’m going to take so I try not to plan too much.

Where do you find/take inspiration from? 
Honestly? I really don’t know. An idea just pops in my head and if I like it, I go with it. So I guess you could say I’m inspired by my gut!


What do you like to do other than writing?
I love to read, but that’s pretty much a given. I also love to bake, scrapbook, listen to music. I also love to shop and of course, eat chocolate.

Some quick fun questions...

Starter or desert?
Both – I’m greedy!

Summer or Winter?
Winter. I hate the heat.

Favorite colour?
Oooh, that’s a tough one! I love purple, but I’m also a huge lover of red, gold and brown too. I really can’t choose my fave out of those. - Purple's my favourite too!

Place you were born?
London

Star sign?
Gemini

Favorite food?
Indian and of course Ben & Jerry’s!

Name one thing you are scared of.
Spiders! Urgh!

If you were stranded on a desert island (don’t worry help is on its way!) Who would you like to be stranded with for a day or two?
Ha, this question made me laugh!
I really should say my boyfriend, but I’m going to say George Clooney. Or maybe Jensen Ackles or David Boreanaz. Hmm, can I choose all of them? - I knew you were going to say Clooney!! And Yes, ok I shall allow you have them all!

Where in the world would you most like to visit right at this moment in time?
The US! I want to visit every state before I die. So far I’ve only managed California, so I have a lot of work to do and a lot of books to sell to achieve my goal!

What is next for S. R. Cole…
At this moment in time? Popping to the shop to buy some Coke! I’m a caffeine addict and I’m all out! Beyond that, my plans are not quite so well thought out. I live for the moment so I don’t really think ahead. I do know that there’s lots more writing to come, including a collaboration that will be completely different to my usual writing style. And of course, I’m working on my second cowboy-bodyguard story, featuring Bill’s brother, Danny. Both books will be being launched together in paperback later this year.

What advice would you give to any aspiring authors (like myself) out there?
Just follow your heart. There are so many tips and courses on the practical side of writing out there, but they are all completely useless if you don’t believe in yourself first. Find your voice and stay true to it. And don't be ashamed or afraid to live or dream.

If you knew you were going to die, what would be the one book you would choose to reread before your end?

Fifty Shades

I can't get enough of it

In the book The Bodyguard's Secret Baby, You wrote Carrie Carlton as a strong woman who thinks quickly under pressure. Is there any strong woman in your life that you thought of when you wrote her?

My mum and my sisters. They are so strong and are a real inspiration to me. It's why I write strong heroines and why the book is dedicated to them.

Did anyone you know inspire your for the character of Bill?

Bill, like all my heroes has a bit of my own real life hero friend, Maurice in him. He has been a life guard, a soldier and is now a fire-fighter and was my own personal hero at a stage in my life when i needed him. So every hero I write has a little Maurice in him.

Who is your favorite secondary character in The Bodyguard's Secret Baby?

Danny Williams and...

his story, Fire at White Hill Ranch will be released in August. 

Oh, excellent. I am definitely looking forward to it. Thank you Stace in being here and allowing us to share with your excitement.

Contact details for S. R. Cole:
You can reach me via Facebook
www.facebook.com/writerstace
On Twitter
@writerstace
And via my blog
www.stacemcsweeney.blogspot.co.uk


Before I go, I’d just like to say a huge thank you to you for having me here today and for helping me celebrate my book launch. x - You are absoloutly welcome! Would love for you to stop by often! All the best with The Bodyguard's Secret Baby, I'm sure it will do ridiculously well.

S. R. Cole

Take time to research

A few days ago I bought a printer. Another one. At this point, I have no idea how many I've gone through in the last ten years. I spent three hours on the internet researching printers. This is a first for me, and if I had bothered to do that years ago, I would have bought the right one for me in the beginning.

I had always had people steer me in the direction of Inkjet printers. They say they are 'better'. The last few years, I've been writing. Now, I stop and ask, what do you mean by better? Better how? faster? clearer? prints more? color?

Since I also have a history of having inkjet printers, I know what I like and don't like about them. I love printing professional pictures at home. I'm not a picture person. I don't want to take 24 pictures and pay to  have them all printed up. Am I showing my age here? I'm sick of buying ink cartridges. Also, when I ran out of color ink, I wouldn't let me print anything. Not even a black and white page. Now, that's not right.

So, when I start my research, the first thing I looked at is what cartridge the printer used and what the yield is. Yield is the average number of pages a cartridge will print. I also priced the cartridges. Most web sites don't give you all this information. That's why it took me three hours. I would have to go to one web site to look at the printer, another to find out what cartridge it used, and even another to find out the yield.

I never did this until last week, but I figured I am paying 20 cents for every page I am printing, plus the cost of paper. Now that I know that, I started thinking twice before printing.

During my research I looked at laser printers also. They do have laser printers that print color. Most of them are black and white. 95% of what I print is black and white.

To make a long story short, I found a printer. I had to buy it online and I got it two days ago. It's a xerox 3210. The printer was $230 which comes with a cartridge with a yield of 2,000. I can buy a high yield cartridge that will print 5,000 for less than $50. Quick math, that is 1 penny a copy, plus paper. Yes, it is only black and white. But, who cares? I can print tons.

Yes, I do recycle paper. Save a tree.

So far I love my printer. I'm keeping the old one for when I want to print pictures.

Moral of the story. Research and know what you are buying.