Hypochondriac Writer.

I have to admit that I'm kind of having one of those lame weeks with my blog. 


Sorry, I just am. I hope you'll still come visit me...this really should pass. 


Anyway, let's get down to my life long illness. Or rather, non-illness. One of those things you think is an illness when you think everything is an illness. Confused? 


Have you ever met a hypochondriac? I'm a mild hypochondriac. Yes, I worry that I have every little thing wrong with my body. All. The. Time. 


I'm getting better. MUCH better. But you should've been in my biology class in Junior High when we learned about all those cancer's. Yeah, I pretty much thought I had every single cancer. Including the ones that girls can't even technically get. 


Oh and then I saw a movie with an old lady who goes blind. You guessed it! I thought I was going blind.


I live an exciting life. 


And how does all this have to do with writing? It has so much to do with it. How many of us worry about every little thing while writing our first draft?


I try not to edit as I write but I just do. I can't help it. And if I'm not worried about grammar it's my character's or my plot line. I'm totally a hypochondriac writer!


How about you? Do you ever get worried that you'll suffer from writer's block forever? How about self doubt? What about just worried about the future and what may or may not come? 

Come meet Aspiring Author Regina Linton!

 This is Regina Linton (picture taken from her lovely blog). She is a fellow crusader and an awesome writing friend! When I asked Regina a little about herself she told me this.

I work full time in social services, I love to write in my spare time when I have some at home. I have five children. 17, 16, 15, 14, 7. Yep, they keep me on my toes and very busy. I married a Murphy. I have completed one manuscript and have yet to query it because I stink at query letters. *cough noise* I suck! But believe in myself enough to get better. I know I can do this. I also adore reading. I will go through books like water if they are really good. I have read 41 books so far this year - what does that say about me? :P


You definitely love to read! What a great way to spend your time. It's my favorite kind of research :)


So, Regina, how long have you been writing? 


I have been journaling for over 15 years but really trying to professionally write for 3 1/2 years.

What made you want to write?  

My mind has constant chatter that never goes away. I guess you would call her my muse. I call her Chaos. She does come up with interesting ideas though.

(I love that you named your muse.)

Do you have any pet peeves while writing? 

My biggest pet peeve is when my muse (Chaos) jumps train of thought in the middle of a WIP and wants to start another project. She does that a lot!

(Ooh, mine does that too! Which is why I get stuck writing books and never revising. But not anymore. Revisions are underway.)

If I could reread any book, what would it be? 

I would have to say The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I just adored the series and could read it over and over again and am looking forward to seeing if they can do the books justice with the movie. I have my doubts but I am a Peeta fan so I will watch it anyway. lol

If you could meet any author dead or alive who would it be?

Good question. Perhaps William Shakespeare. I am a big fan  of his work.

What books have your attention these days?

Right now I'm reading: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Next: Red Riding Hood by Catherine Hardwicke

Then: The Forest of Hands and Teeth Series by Carrie Ryan

(Hold it. Did you say Red Riding Hood is a book by Catherine Hardwicke? Awesome! I'll have to look into that.)

Given the choice would you choose...

Werewolves or vampires. Definitely werewolves. I get cold easily and need the extra fur to curl up and keep warm next to. Plus we can share meals. :)

Breakfast or dinner? I eat breakfast for dinner some nights, so that works best for me. 

(We do this ALL the time at my house.)

Beach or mountain? Mountain. I do most of my creative thinking when I am moving and when you give me a hill to climb or trails to explore or get lost on - that is even better!

Chic flick or action? I'm always a sucker for a good chic flick - especially The Notebook. 

Fruit candy or chocolate? That is not even an option for me. Chocolate hands down. No offense to those fruit candy lovers. Chocolate just comes first in my food chain. 

(More fruity for us. Perfectly fine :))

Thanks Regina for being on my blog today! It was fun getting to know more about you.

And thanks to those who stopped by for the party :) Be sure to visit Regina here.

Have a fantabulous weekend!

LDS Writer Blogfest: The Eternal Blessings of Marriage

Okay, so my post today is kind of long...but it's SUPER awesome and totally worth reading!


Today I'm joining other writer's of my faith to tell you a little bit about our beliefs. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every six months we have a General Conference when we gather together as church members to learn from our leader's.

I'd like to share some highlights from Elder Richard G. Scott's talk on the Eternal blessings of Marriage.

In our church we have the opportunity to be sealed in temples for time and all eternity. This ordinance makes it possible for us to be sealed together as a family unit after this life is over.

If you'd like to know more about temples, you can learn more about them here.

Now I'd like to share the highlights from Elder Scott's talk. These are the things that stuck out to me, the stories and council given that I absolutely loved :)

"Two of the vital pillars that sustain Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness are marriage and the family. Their lofty significance is underscored by Satan’s relentless efforts to splinter the family and to undermine the significance of temple ordinances, which bind the family together for eternity. The temple sealing has greater meaning as life unfolds. It will help you draw ever closer together and find greater joy and fulfillment in mortality.

"Once I learned an important lesson from my wife. I traveled extensively in my profession. I had been gone almost two weeks and returned home one Saturday morning. I had four hours before I needed to attend another meeting. I noticed that our little washing machine had broken down and my wife was washing the clothes by hand. I began to fix the machine.

Jeanene came by and said, “Rich, what are you doing?”

I said, “I’m repairing the washing machine so you don’t have to do this by hand.”

She said, “No. Go play with the children.”

I said, “I can play with the children anytime. I want to help you.”

Then she said, “Richard, please go play with the children.”

When she spoke to me that authoritatively, I obeyed.

I had a marvelous time with our children. We chased each other around and rolled in the fall leaves. Later I went to my meeting. I probably would have forgotten that experience were it not for the lesson that she wanted me to learn.

The next morning about 4:00 a.m., I was awakened as I felt two little arms around my neck, a kiss on the cheek, and these words whispered in my ear, which I will never forget: “Dad, I love you. You are my best friend.”

If you are having that kind of experience in your family, you are having one of the supernal joys of life."

Isn't that a great story? I love that the wife didn't think twice about doing the laundry by hand. It was more important for her to have her husband spend time with the kids. Yes, the washer would need to be fixed sometime, but there is a time and place for everything.

Next, I'd like to share with you some awesome marriage strengthening questions that Elder Scott asked.

"If you are married, are you faithful to your spouse mentally as well as physically? Are you loyal to your marriage covenants by never engaging in conversation with another person that you wouldn’t want your spouse to overhear? Are you kind and supportive of your spouse and children?"

And then he gives some great advice...mostly for husbands but I think it's good for everyone.

"Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I’ve heard men tell me when I say that, “Oh, she knows.” You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her."

I know that this council can strengthen my marriage and my family. I'm grateful to have the fullness of the gospel in my life. I love that I have the opportunity to be with my awesome hubby and cute kidlets forever. Although having a family is hard, there is no greater joy or love than the happiness that can come from working together, laughing together, supporting each other, and growing closer to each other as we grow closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Satan wants to tear down families because he knows that's where we can find the greatest blessings. It's important to be strong and build a good foundation to keep Satan and his influences from our families. I hope we can all turn to our Savior, build our family relationships and find joy in the journey that will lead us all to eternal happiness in our marriages and families.

If you'd like to read the complete talk by Elder Scott, you can find it here.

To read more talks from the most recent General Conference from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can find them here.

To learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you can go here .

Here's a complete list of bloggers in this blogfest!


Annette Lyon: “Desire”

Annie Cechini: “The Spirit of Revelation”
Ben Spendlove: “The Atonement Covers All Pain”
Chantele Sedgwick: “LDS Women Are Incredible!”
Charity Bradford: “LDS Women Are Incredible!”
Jackee Alston: “The Eternal Blessings of Marriage”
Jenilyn Tolley: “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?”
Jennifer McFadden: “Establishing a Christ-Centered Home”
Jessie Oliveros: “Establishing a Christ-Centered Home”
Jolene Perry: “It’s Conference Once Again”
Jordan McCollum: “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?”
Kasey Tross: “Guided by the Holy Spirit”
Kayeleen Hamblin: “Become as a Little Child”
Kelly Bryson: “The Atonement Covers All Pain”
Krista Van Dolzer: “Opportunities to Do Good”
Melanie Stanford: “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?”
Michelle Merrill: “The Eternal Blessings of Marriage”
Myrna Foster: “Opportunities to Do Good”
Nisa Swineford: “Desire”
Sallee Mathews: “The Eternal Blessings of Marriage”
Sierra Gardner: “The Atonement Covers All Pain”
Tamara Hart Heiner: “Waiting on the Road to Damascus”
The Writing Lair: “Waiting on the Road to Damascus”

And in case you missed my interview with Susan Fields, you can read it here. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this :) Have a great day!

Happy Monday!

I have two things to tell you today. First, do you see that button on the side of my screen? The yellow circle with an envelope? It's awesome, right? I think so! If you want to contact me all you have to do is press that sweet button. 


Would you like one too? Cool. Just go to Abby Annis's blog. If you want the direct link to the contact button page, go here. There are all sorts of choices. I love the simplicity and the splash of color! 


Another side note of awesomeness. Susan Fields will be posting an interview of yours truly on her blog later today! To find out a little more about me, head on over (sometime in the afternoon) :) 


Thank you Abby for the button and Susan for the interview! I have awesome friends.


*Sorry for posting about the interview early. I blog in the mornings and Susan blogs in the evenings...and I'm doing a blogfest tomorrow so I wanted to make sure I got this post in today :) 

Aspiring Author Interview with Christine Bryant

 On Christine Bryant's blog, she is a Day Dreamer. I love the phrase she uses. "Dream it. Believe it. Do it." With that mind set, anything can happen!

Here's the 'about Christine' blurb from her blog profile.

I'm a loving wife and mother of two wonderful boys, living in Magic Valley, Idaho. Our home sits in the middle of sage brush and lava rock with the view of the Snake River Canyon, a truly amazing place to be. I love music, books, friends, family and, of course, writing. At first, I may seem shy, but once you get to know me you'll see I'm a bit sassy and a rebel.

Ooh, a sassy rebel. Awesome! And who wouldn't want to live in a city called Magic Valley? I totally would. And as I've driven the roads in Idaho many times, I have to agree that it is truly an amazing place to be...even with all the sage brush :) To learn even more about Christine, visit her 'about me' page. 

Let's get to the interview.

Christine, how long have you been writing? 

Honestly, it feels like I came out of the womb with a tablet and pencil in my hand. My mother has a picture of me hiding under an end table with a legal pad, writing away. I was only two. I remember sneaking into my dad’s office and using his old Royal typewriter, even before I knew how to form words and sentences. I just liked the way all those pretty little letters looked on the stark white page.

(I love the sound of a typewriter. And I wish my mom had pictures of me writing. Most of my moment's were me covered in something gross. Peanut butter...soot...mud...you get the picture :))

And what made you want to write? 

It was more a matter of not fighting it. Writing is in my blood and not listening to the voices in my head just wasn’t an option. Once I committed to letting them have their way, the stories began to flow freely and I’ve never looked back. I love writing. It’s a part of who I am.

So, do you have any pet peeves while writing?  

Hmmm . . . good question. I suppose it would be anything that keeps me from entering that “ZONE” where I have complete focus on my story. It’s so frustrating to finally have your muse working perfectly, your fingers flying across the keyboard at lightning speed, and have someone need you to find their socks.

(Oh, I love getting into the "zone" and I totally understand the interruptions. Usually my muse can recover but sometimes she crashes so hard, the zone feeling is ruined!)  

What are your favorite genres to write? 

Anything romance. I grew up reading romance and the first book I began to write was romance, but at some point I gravitated to paranormal. Not the werewolves and vampires kind of paranormal. Not even the angels and demons, but things that dealt with psychic powers, ghosts and those things that go bump in the night. Because I write clean novels, I then gravitated toward young adult, although the age of my characters would probably put my novels more in the crossover genre of New Adult.

(I love how you described your paranormal as things that bump in the night.) 

If you could sit down and reread any book, which would it be?

I’m not sure how to answer that. There have been so many books I’ve loved reading, but honestly, I don’t know if I want to reread them. There’s something about not knowing how it ends that brings excitement to the reader. Once you’re finished and you know the ending, why read it again. Besides, I have a list of books I haven’t read yet that are calling out to me. They get precedent.

Let's say you only had a few minutes to visit just one or two writing blogs, which ones would you choose?  

Besides yours, ya mean? ;-)  I think it depends on the mood I’m in. I love Elana Johnson’s blog—always funny and informative. Ali Cross has Ninja’s on her blog—total coolness.  But I think my favorite blog has to be Abby Annis’s blog. Always a fun place to hang out.

(Great choices! Thanks for the links.) 

And last, but not least, do you prefer fruity candy or chocolate?  

Chocolate, of course. And, thanks for letting me hang on your blog today. This was fun.

No problem, I love hanging out with other writer's! Thank you Christine for answering my questions. 

You can find Christine at her writing blog, and I suggest that you do. It's awesome!

Have a fabulous weekend!

A Useful Contradiction.

Every Sunday I sit down with my husband and we pick two nights for me to write during the week. How often do I stick to those two assigned nights? Not very. Which brings me to my contradiction.


Set a plan and be flexible. 


Kind of like two opposites, but it's an important fact of life. Just think about what you do when a new idea pops into your mind. Do you focus on the main character's or do you jump right into the plot?


No matter what you're thinking of, in all reality, you are making a plan!


But how many of us write a perfect draft the first time through? (If your hand's up, put it back down and get a critique partner. No offense.) NOT ME! That's where the flexibility comes in. Sometimes you have to cut a character or change one of the subplots or even the main plot. It happens. Most of the time it's the best thing for our story.


Is it hard to do? You bet! Sometimes I hate changing my writing night either because I wanted to have that night right away or I needed more time in between to let the muse sit. 


It all works out though and it's always for the best. I mean, I wouldn't change my writing night unless there was a need. Just like we wouldn't change our first draft unless there was a need. And more often than not. It's needed.


So make a plan but be flexible!


On a very different, totally exciting side note...I FINISHED another WIP! 26 chapters and 63,335 words!





Can I hear a WOOT WOOT? Oh yeah, all sorts of squeeing going on at my house :) And yes, I did just use the word squeeing even though the spell check gave me these other options. Squeezing, squeegeeing, squeezer, spreeing, and squeakiness. Although, there might be a lot of that going on too.


Do you use this useful contradiction? How's your current WIP coming along?

Writing Poison

Yes, writing poison. 

What does poison do? Well, typically it kills...or slows...or gets in the way of things running smoothly.

Often times I get stuck doing something that kills or slows or gets in the way of my writing.

Writing Poison (dun dun dun.)

Is it really something bad? No, usually not. It just keeps me from writing as often as I'd like. I'm not referring to family or other things that top the priority list. 

Here's some ideas. Television, movies, reading, gaming...you get the idea right?

Since my mixed up Monday's were awesome but kind of confusing, I'm now changing it to "What's Your Poison?"

My poison this weekend was reading. Something that I can't live without. And if you love to read fantasy, you should try this poison.

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry.

Here's the goodread's blurb.

In a secluded village, magic sparkles on the edges of the forest. There, a young girl named Evie possesses unusually strong powers as a healer. A gypsy's charms—no more than trinkets when worn by others—are remarkably potent when Evie ties them around her neck. Her talents, and charms, have not escaped the notice of the shy stonemason's apprentice. But Evie wants more than a quiet village and the boy next-door. When the young king's carriage arrives one day, and his footman has fallen ill, Evie might just get her chance after all . . .

And since I'm not the best at review's, I'm going to give this one a SHOUT-OUT! 

Julie Berry is becoming one of my favorite author's. I get lost in her writing and sink into the world and life of the MC.

And if you want more to sink your fantasy teeth into, you should also read this.

The Amaranth Enchantment.

So, what's your poison today? Are you sucked into replay's of your favorite show? Do you get carried away with blogging?