THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENTMENT...

 

After two weeks of being buried under snow and ice...and having to deal with school closings spilling over into wall to wall kids at MY school, I'm happy to report the kiddies are back in class. That means I can catch my breath and enjoy the peaceful quiet of working in silence once again. But please don't think me content.

Because I'm not.

Maybe you think I should be thankful my debut picture book, THE STORY CATCHER, has finally been released. Or maybe I should be grateful I have eleven completed picture books and chapter books just waiting to find a new home. Or I should be happy over the fact I'm beginning to line up some author visits and interviews for the upcoming months.

Because I'm not.

You see, this is the winter of my discontentment. The winter I won't settle for simply resting on my laurels and waiting for the accolades to roll in. While I'm thankful Anaiah Press has given life to one of my stories, I hunger to give birth to the next one within the pages of another book with my name on the outside. I am not content to have almost a dozen completed, polished manuscripts under my belt, but wish to continue until I have no less than one hundred such treasures waiting to be read. And I will not rest until every child who could benefit from reading my book has a chance to do just that.

Mother Nature is a tricky one. She beguiles us with pretty snowflakes and sparkling ice, turning our thoughts to dreams of hibernating our days away until the Springtime. Winter is too frosty a time to be working so hard on our goals of becoming published authors. Colder temperatures chill our brains into thinking of nothing but cuddling under blankets and sipping hot cocoa until the birdies start singing again about the new flowers in our gardens.

But I won't be fooled. I won't be tricked into believing I have nothing else sneaking around in this imaginative mind of mine. I won't be hoodwinked into thinking the best of my writing isn't yet to come. I plan on turning my back on this winter of my discontentment and break through the icy cage in which I find myself. To burst through the barriers holding me back from creating a little magic in the dead of winter.

And when I'm done...when all the stories welling up within me spills out onto every piece of paper I own and I lay my pen down to catch my breath, I will take a moment to give thanks. To give thanks for the winter of my discontentment challenging me to do more. To strive for more. To BE more.

And like the beautiful rose, to never give in to the winter...

The Changing Seasons

Here it is...my favorite time of the year. Autumn. Being allergic to the sun and higher temperatures does not make me a huge fan of Summer but I know I have to get through those months before I can sail into cooler weather and welcome the fall with open arms.

Some people look at the dazzling reds, oranges, and yellow on the trees with dread. In their minds Autumn signals the slow death of a summer time dream, leading to the harsh reality of a colder winter. I'm not one of those people and hopefully there are more like me.  I embrace the chilly temperatures these days for they sharpen my senses to the ebb and flow of life going on around me.

Even my writing seems to be changing with the falling leaves these days. My stories are bursting with color and a hint of what lies ahead on these brisk fall mornings. Revisions become like the trees losing their foliage as dying words fall from my tales...leaving only the strong roots and foundation of the story itself as a reminder of what it once was. 

I know when the last leaf has left Autumn behind and I am cozy by a fire, toasting Old Man Winter, I will dream a winter's dream of the coming Spring. I will wait for Mother Nature to breathe life into the trees...just as I will breathe life into those stories lying dormant in my mind as I count down the days until it's Summer once again...

Flowers For The Writer's Spirit

When I was growing up, there were two things I could always depend on...a vegetable garden wherever we lived and my mother's flowers.  One was used for our bodies and the other for our spirits.

Every year my mother would search through the seed catalogs and before too long the mailman would bring that year's bounty of beauties to adorn her flower beds.  Tulips were her favorites and I could always bet there would be a variety of them to greet me when I stepped out of the house each morning.  It was later, however, when I discovered flowers had their own special meaning and bouquets could be formed to send a special message to the receiver.

With that in mind, and in celebration of Spring, here is a list of flowers making up my own Writer's Bouquet with a special message for all my writer friends. Take a moment to smell their rich scent and hold them close when you are struggling with a particular manuscript...

 

Angelica or Angel's Flower...this white flower stands for inspiration and what writer doesn't need a little bit of that every now and then?

 

Aster...this small flower stand for patience and that is certainly needed by writers as we nervously wait for that acceptance letter.

Clover...who doesn't know this flower stands for good luck? Despite a writer's talent, it still take a certain amount of luck to make it in this industry.

Edelweiss...this delicate flower means courage and that is certainly something all writers need these days.  It takes courage to keep writing after the rejection letters arrive.

 

King Protea...this exotic looking flower actually means daring and what writer doesn't need to be daring when they jump into the writing fire?

Mountain Laurel...this starburst flower stands for perseverance. Writers have to overcome many obstacles on the path to publication and giving up is not an option.

Red Camellia...this beautiful, almost rose-like flower means excellence.  Excellence in our stories, excellence in our dealings with others, excellence in our commitment to being the best writers we can be.

There you have it.  A writer's bouquet to enrich our lives and lift our spirits to the next level.  There are many more flowers with meanings to touch a writer's heart, but if we take only these and keep them close, surely our writer's gardens will bloom with the most fragrant manuscripts?

A to Z: Janizaries

Ode To Janizaries

by: Donna L Martin

Oh where but in the blogosphere

could I find many far and near,

to hang on words or simple deed;

to come and fill my every need?

Where once stood none

now thick like berries,

what would I do

without janizaries?

But should the day come to pass

when janizaries no longer last,

I'll still say thanks and with a tear

hold to me a vision most dear

where once stood many

now gone are berries

which made life sweet;

my janizaries...

Jacob's Tree

Written by: Holly Keller

Illustrated by: Holly Keller

Age: 3-8

ISBN: 0688159966

Teaser: Jacob is impatient to do all the things his older siblings can do.  But the last straw is when even his new pair of overalls are too big!  Will Jacob stay little forever or will Spring bring something more surprising than just flowers?

Time For Another Giveaway!

Okay everybody, are you ready for Spring? I am and you know why?  Because it's time for another giveaway on my blog!  That's right...I had so much fun with the last giveaway during the Winter that I just might make this a seasonal event!  I'm rolling up my sleeves and getting ready to have some more fun.  Are you with me?

Let's get down to business about the giveway...what it is, what you have to do to enter, what you are going to get when you win...and YOU WILL WIN!!  A lot of you know by now that my city is hosting a Children's Festival of Reading on Saturday, May 19th.  And you also may know that I was invited to have a booth there, so I came up with a creative way to help out all my lovely new friends in this writing community.  Traditional, Indie, and E-book authors are sending me their autographed books and autographed swag items so that I may showcase them at my booth for my giveaway items.  So far 12 lovely authors have agreed to send me 30 of their books but I'm greedy...I want to help even MORE authors get the word out about their wonderful stories!

That is where YOU come in!  From now until April 15th, anyone who would like to show their support for all the wonderful authors out there by helping me get the word out about my booth will get the chance to win one of four prizes.  Here is what you do:

Give a shout-out about this event and encourage authors or illustrators to get in contact with me so I can help promote their book(s).  Tie this link http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/03/calling-all-authors.html to a blog post, Twitter tweet, Facebook status update...however you would like to do it...and then leave a comment here or send me an email to tkd2lady (at) yahoo (dot) com letting me know you did so I can put your name in the hat for the drawings.

Anyone willing to help me get the word out will get to pick from the following prizes:

1.  Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul.  If more than one person would like this book, then I will put all names in a hat and draw the winner.

2.  You Can Write Children's Books by Tracey E. Dils.  If more than one person would like this book, then I will put all names in a hat and draw the winner.

3.  A creative blog post or interview by me.  I know I'm not famous but maybe you need a filler for your blog and I could help you out.

4.  A critique on a manuscript up to 1000 words.  Again, I must confess it would not be a "professional" critique but I have been writing for over 40 years and have been reading for longer than that and the one thing I DO know...I have an opinion of what is good writing...;0)

There you have it.  My Springtime giveaway and just maybe a way to draw more authors works to a fabulous event.  I am willing to do all the hard work promoting because it's the only way I can think of to express my gratitude for the friendship and loving support I have received from this wonderful writing community.  So, all I need to know is...who will help me shine the spotlight on some terrific children's book authors out there?