Self-Editing and... a book blurb!

Self-Editing.

That's what I've been learning in the last few weeks while trying to polish my novel and get it publish-worthy.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think editing is fun. There are two books that have been of great help. The first is Stephen King's (yes, the Stephen King) book On Writing. I have always been scared of Stephen King, thinking he must be scary to write the stories he does. Now, I would love it if he moved in next door. I want to be his new best friend. His advice for writers is generous and honest and validating.

The second book is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. I read it in one sitting and gained valuable knowledge about writing authentic dialogue, how to include fresh beats, and how to show instead of tell. If you are a fiction writer, buy it!

Okay... I'll pipe down now about the writing process. 

In the spirit of  Thanksgiving, I want to thank you. Thank you for your support of this blog and of my writing dream. You have no idea how much your email and comments lift me up. Thank you for asking about my book and wanting to know more. I am excited to share more about it with you.

The story came out of real experience I had on vacation in Hawaii when I took a moment for myself and then realized my children were gone. I won't give the details, but I was almost certain I had lost them. Those moments of perceived loss caused me to face my greatest fear through writing this story. Every day, mothers make mistakes- leave their baby in a hot car, walk away from a bathtub, leave a super ball or quarter within a toddler's reach. Then they have to move on. How do they do it? That's what I wanted to know and my character Anna, taught me.

Imagine you are Anna Broxton, a mother whose careless, yet very human, moment results in the death of her children. In my novel Into The Soil,  Anna learns that sometimes running away is the only way to continue.  She joins the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (a real organization) and arrives at Kran Farm in Sweden, broken and blaming herself for the death of her sons.  

Working with soil, seeds, water and sunshine allows her to breathe, but the deep connections in her relationships with Torbjorn and Lena, the owners, and other quirky and outspoken characters on the farm are the true genesis of her healing. She then faces all that is home, including her once healthy marriage, to see if anything can be restored from the shards remaining of her family.

Ultimately, it is a story of grace. A story of beauty from ashes. A story of stepping from tragedy into life. 

Thoughts? I value them.


And I feel like I am talking a little too much about myself in these last few posts. Let's talk about something else now.