Every time we remember to say thank you, we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.

--Sarah Ban Breathnach

Image Credit: "Abundance," a stained glass window at Sonnenberg Mansion

I'm distracted this week by all the Thanksgiving dinner preparations.

Ha! Who am I kidding? My culinary contributions include bread-baking (kneading it myself, thankyouverymuch) and ordering a pumpkin pie. Then it's over the freeway and through the palms, to a good friend's house we go.

But in the meantime, I'm carving out some time to work on my revisions. I'm grateful for the many blessings I've received during my lifetime; but this week, I am making a special effort to be mindful of all the gifts that come of writing my story down. And also? I'm not ashamed to admit that I am actively seeking more.

Author Laraine Herring suggests that these deeper blessings come from the wellspring of self-awareness:

Self-awareness is the primary foundational principle of deep writing. Self-awareness is important because when you see yourself and your world from a place of nonjudgment and honesty, you can clearly see the areas you need to work on in your writing. If you don't have a realistic picture (or refuse to look at one) of your strengths and weakneses, you'll likely flounder longer than you need to. Every writer has strengths and weaknesses. No writer is perfect at all the components of writing. Acknowledge and honor the strengths and weaknesses of your own writing self and you'll be well on the way to deepening your craft.

WRITING BEGINS WITH THE BREATH: Embodying Your Authentic Voice*

And so it is that I find myself greeting another new day...mindful of all that is, and grateful for all that's yet to be.

The teakettle's on, and I'm hoping we can spend some writing time together, fully present in each other's presence. But if you don't have time to stop by...HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I pray that you'll be blessed with life's abundance.

*Read my writing buddy's online book review.

...but in solidarity with the students of Danvers High school:

I sound my barbaric MEEP over the rooftops of the world.

Even if you’re not a fan of his (for whatever reason), I recommend you see This Is It, the posthumous tribute to Michael Jackson. Aside from the visual and auditory feast, which I expected, this movie pulls back the curtain on MJ's artistic genius. Simply put, it fed my creative soul. 

In this montage of rehearsal footage, it's clear that the King of Pop was intimately involved with every aspect of pre-concert preparations, down to the tiniest of details. Every fiber of his being, every filament of his soul—he gave it his all. And no surprise, Michael Jackson exacted the same level of commitment from his fellow artists. Still, I wasn't expecting (but was delighted by) the feather-light touch he used to accomplish that delicate task. He treated everyone equally, showering everyone with grace. 

Time and again, Michael Jackson stepped out of the spotlight, allowing others to take center stage. And in all humbleness, he encouraged them to expand, extend, and illuminate their own creative talents. It was dark in the theater, and the only writing implement I could find was my trusty blue highlighter. But I managed to scribble down a few (of many) examples. Here they are, with apologies to MJ for those times I didn’t get the words exactly right:  

Nourish it.
You want to take them places they've never been before...
Show them things they've never seen.
Let it simmer…
Let it bask in the moonlight...
It’s your time to shine!
Do it with patience, with belief, with understanding, with love…
It’s all for love, l-o-v-e. 
Give your all... 
and we’ll be right there with you.
God bless.

See also: Time magazine's movie review.

Creative journaling is a brand-new experience for me, so I was overwhelmed (in a wonderful way) by your encouraging comments. Since it's Thankful Thursday, I thought I'd express my gratitude by sharing this charming little video. More encouragement to start/revive your own journal? Perhaps....

My good friendcartazon introduced me to creative journaling a few weeks ago. She explained its usefulness for writers, which is all well and good. But lo, when I laid eyes on her splashy entries, I coveted them wanted to try it for myself.  

And still, I resisted, mainly because 
a) I'm not an artist (have I mentioned the 'C' grades I earned in elementary school?)
b) my perfectionist tendencies might make it more work than play

But when I kept coming back to the idea, I figured I'd might as well give it a try. I bought a spiral-bound sketchbook--small, so I won't get intimidated by the broad expanse of blankness. And over the weekend, I emptied my bank account filled a shopping cart with art supplies. (Disclaimer: You don't really need more than a few colored pens and pencils. See also: b, above.)

Long story made short: I'm in love. It's another avenue for self expression, one that connects the right side of my brain with the left.  Plus, the very act of creation invites more inspiration, which has a spill-over effect on my writing. My enthusiasm far exceeds my skill level, I know that. But really and truly, I don't think that matters. Whether or not the pages are beautiful, the process itself brings me joy.

Since it's Teaser Tuesday, I've mustered up the courage to post my debut pages. The images you see here are representative of "His Eye is on the Sparrow,"  my chapter about Nana. They're not perfect by any means, so I'm certainly open to suggestions. And if you haven't already, I invite you to create an artistic journal of your very own.

To clarify: The writer-reader events we're planning are for SoCal authors in all genres, and for readers of all ages. If you live in SoCal, please oh please, say you'll come!

(Feel free to pass along this call for participation.)

I'm so excited to announce this!!

I'm doing some volunteer work that really appeals to me, professionally and personally. Namely, I'm helping the co-owners of my neighborhood coffee shop bring authors and readers together for book events. Not for commercial reasons--although the authors can sign and sell books, and everyone knows that writers and caffeine are a match made in heaven. Our goals are simple: We want to share beautiful art, words and ideas in community. Plus, we wanna have fun! 

Who:      SoCal published authors in all genres, and readers of all ages

What:     Book-related activities (readings, writing workshops, art projects, etc.); Q & A's with the author(s); and signing sessions

Where:   It's A Grind on Alicia Parkway (Laguna Hills, CA)

When:    The first Saturday morning of every month

Why:     Because we like you! 

Our 2010 themes are rather like those of the Pasadena Rose Parade--tagged to the month in which they fall, but broad enough that you can be creative in matching your book(s) to them.

January:   Beginnings
February: Love
March:     Green
April - December: TBA

Do any of these months and/or themes appeal to you? If so, let me know! (If you'd like, you can collaborate with other authors on a joint event.)  We've planning ahead for the first few months of next year, and are ready to match dates and themes to interested authors.

Let's get a sign-up sheet going quickly, so that we can start promoting. Fun times, and we’re hoping you want to do this!! Also, feel free to copy/paste this message into emails to other authors in the area. For more information--or to be referred to the co-owner for consideration--just send me an email. I'll pass it along. If you don't get a quick response, please assume I haven't received it. (Melodye.Shore AT gmail DOT com)

Oh, and watch this space for announcements about our Halloween and Holiday Season authors. PLUS, a special guest will conduct workshops on artistic journaling.

You're our lucky winner, Stephanie! Send me your address and I'll mail my ARC of ONCE WAS LOST to you right away. And thanks to everyone who entered the contest--Sara will answer your Lightning Round questions next week.

In a real way, we're all winners, because Sara Zarr's going to join us in The Authors' Tent just two days before her newest novel hits the bookstores. Mark your calendars so you'll remember to pick up your all-access pass here next Tuesday, 9/29.

Exciting news, everybody: Sara Zarr’s going to be making a guest appearance in The Authors’ Tent! We've been having fun with backstage preparations, and I can't wait to spotlight this multi-talented author. 

Would you like to be among the first to read Sara's upcoming novel, ONCE WAS LOST? If so, I've got just the contest for you.

Rules: Propose a question for the Lightning Round* of our interview, and I’ll enter your name in my drawing. While I can't guarantee that your submission will be used in the actual interview, everyone who proposes a Lightning Round question in the comments thread (below) is eligible to win.

Contest Deadline: All entries must be submitted by 8:00 a.m. (PDT) on Tuesday, September 22^nd. 

Grand Prize: I’ll mail my Advance Review Copy (ARC) to the winner. 
 

*Check out previous Authors' Tent interviews (including the every-popular but oh-so-unpredictable Lightning Round questions) here and here.