* Titles Being Tossed Around....Still *

I don't know why I'm driving myself nuts about choosing the title for my memoir. It's not as if I have to make a decision right now. It's not as if I can't write another word until I've absolutely, positively selected the name, signed with my blood on the dotted line, and done the "my handshake is my word" thing. BUT, ever since my publisher and I talked a few months ago about doing a sample book cover, it's been hanging over, in, and around my head.

I want that feeling of looking up from my laptop and seeing the mock-up pinned to my bulletin board. I want to feel that "skip a heartbeat, tingling in my stomach" kind of feeling whenever I see it. I just know that when my decision has been made, I'll be at peace with myself. I'll be able to zoom happily along and finish my book right on time, or even a little bit sooner.

My indecision reared its ugly head yesterday, right after our Saturday Writers meeting. (which was another fantastic meeting with a great turn out.) As soon as two of the board members heard me talking about  changing the title and looking at different possible cover ideas, they both proclaimed their love of my old, original title. The one I've been carrying around in this crazy head of mine for quite a few years. And I DO still love it and I DO believe it will grab people.

So, more anxiety about The Title. I think this calls for a late afternoon nap, especially since I haven't slept much in the past 24 hours...and...and.......Zzzzzzz

Will Someone Please Rescue Charlie Sheen?

I don't watch the gossip shows on TV. I don't read any of that junk in magazines, newspapers or online. But just from what I've heard on the TV news the past few weeks, days, and hours....I honestly only feed sadness about Charlie Sheen.

I don't understand that kind of addiction because, thank goodness, I've never had to deal with anything that horrible relating to myself or anyone I know. But, I'm pretty sure that throwing millions of dollars toward an addict will only push him farther into his dependency and despair.

Robert Downey, Jr. somehow lived through something similar, got the help he needed, and look at him now. His career has been revitalized and I can only hope that he is happy and at peace with himself. Robert, are you out there? Can you please help Charlie? Somebody? Anybody?

Charlie Sheen is a gifted actor. He is a human being. He deserves to live....healthfully and peacefully.

"The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken." -- Unknown

* If I Think It's Thursday, It Must Be Tuesday *

I know I've used this title before, or something very similar, but it's exactly how I feel today! Deja Vu .... All Over Again!

My blog posts and comments are going to get fewer and far between. I'm getting down to the last stretch of the race.....completing my memoir......and I've got to concentrate on it now more than ever.

I will tell you this, too.....I'm 99% sure I've chosen the title.....and possibly the cover! I just have to get with my publisher and go over it with her.

It's hard to stay in my chair and keep writing and editing, when I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement! ☺

Oh, also Hello and Welcome to my two newest followers: Donna Fentanes & Catherine Lavoie! Thank you and I hope you continue to stop by whenever you have the time!

"Right now is the best time to lead and charge and check off one more action step toward the realization of your vision." -- Pat Croce

Benjamin Franklin a President - Who Knew?

Have you seen the recent Lowe's commercials on TV? They advertise their President's Day Sale, with animated currency floating down the screen....while a voice says something about saving lots of Benjamins and Washingtons.......hmmm.....I had to back it up the first time to make sure I heard it correctly. Yep. They think that Benjamin Franklin was a US President!! (old Ben is on the Hundred Dollar Bill) And why did they refer to him by his first name...and George Washington by his last?? And who wants to save a bunch of ONE DOLLAR BILLS anyway??!!

"Your ignorance cramps my conversation." ~ Anthony Hope

A Very Writerly Day

Today was one of my favorite kind of days. Talking about writing with other writers who love to talk about writing! Gimme that, a pen and paper, coffee, a snack....that's about all I need. Then after I'm home and have had time for everything to sink in, I open up my laptop and WRITE ABOUT MY WRITERLY DAY.

Got up early. Finally got my flash fiction contest story completed and mailed. (500 words or less...and I worked on it for hours/days....editing...writing....editing....and after the 10th or 15th edited version....It was ready to mail.)

Attended a brand new writers group. Met some new people. Also discussed and learned some things about the audio-visual business and how it works for promoting books.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've been asked a few times about Christian writers markets. I learned about one today that I didn't know of. It's a children's magazine, designed for 8 to 12 year olds: Pockets. I briefly looked it over. They pay for the accepted submissions, too, so if that's the genre you're looking for, click on the link and check it out. They accept stories/articles, poetry and what they referred to as "activities & games".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm very happy to share portions of the e-mail I received today from author/designer extraordinaire, (Ms.) Michael Lee West:
I wanted to share exciting news about my new novel. The pub date for Gone With a Handsomer Man has been moved up to April 12. Barnes and Noble has selected the book as a Mother's Day pick, which was a delightful surprise and an honor.

When my first novel, Crazy Ladies, was published, the sticker price was under $10. Twenty one years later, the cost has gone up, up, up. So I thought I would pass along a pre-order discount for my new book, Gone With a Handsomer Man. You can save $10.94 by pre-ordering (hardcover). The price will increase to $24.99 on April 12. It should also be available at your local library (or via library loan) after the pub date.


You can read the first chapter at www.michaelleewest.com.


Also, if you'd like a free bookplate and bookmark, they should be ready soon. The bookplates have a darling peach logo, in honor of Teeny's peachy background. Just email me at (designsbygollum@gmail.com) if you are interested. Let me know how you would like the bookplate--autographed and/or personally inscribed. Also, let me know how many you'd like.
I already responded and asked for my bookplate because I'm definitely going to buy this book....AND definitely going to take advantage of the very generous pre-order price.

That's it for tonight, folks. I hope everyone had a beautiful, blissful day today. I know I did.

"To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." -- Emily Dickinson

Borders is Closing - Big Sales

The Borders in St. Peters is closing. Not a surprise to many of us, since it's practically across the street from Barnes & Noble.....and also the fact that their inventory began to dwindle over a year ago. When I was in there a couple of weeks ago, it was really stripped down.

The good news for customers is the SALE PRICES. I just received an e-mail with the EVERYTHING MUST GO words in it. The sale starts today. I imagine it will be like the Christmas rush. I'm sure I'll have to stop by and at least LOOK!

Welcome and Hello to my newest follower, Patti! Thanks so much, Patti, and I hope you always enjoy stopping by.
"So many books, so little time." -- Unknown

Borders, Books, Dogs & Cats

* Yesterday I made an impromptu stop at a neaby animal rescue, knowing full well I'm not ready to get another dog. So, what did I do? I looked at the cats. I saw one in particular that reminded me of some  friends' gorgeous cats. He/she kept rubbing right up against the cage and letting me pet/scratch him/her. "It" was the only one in the entire room of cats I was interested in, so I went to the desk to ask about being able to hold it. There was paper work to be filled out. Then an attendant walked with me to the cat area. Inside the little "getting to know each other" room, the cat had no interest in me whatsoever. The little rascal only wanted attention while IN THE CAGE. Not to worry, says the attendant. I've got just the right cat for you. She brings back a boney, scrawny cat that doesn't seem any more interested than the previous one. This one, though, has a special effect on me. I STARTED TO BREAK OUT IN A RASH THAT ITCHED. (yes, I have been "kind of" allergic to some cats before, but that thought never occurred to me. Duh!)

Tiger-Girl   1/1/1997 - 12/13/2010  (I miss her so.)

Okay, so I allowed myself to be escorted back to the dog cages. There were about 20 dogs, and none of them did a thing for me. Just proves I am NOT ready for another dog in my life. And maybe I never will......And it also proved to me that I really do NOT want a cat, either...and that's good to know.

* This evening I got an e-mail from Mike Edwards, President & CEO of Borders. Betcha didn't know I was such good friends with him, did ya? Ahhh, I can't lie. It was a mass e-mail to everyone on their mass e-mail list. The good news is that Borders IS NOT going out of business. Whether Borders is your favorite book store or not isn't really important. As a book lover and published writer, I don't want to see any book store or publisher or agent go out of business, but that's exactly what is happening in the industry. Partly due to the economy and partly because of ebooks and self publishing. (That's a whole other subject which I'm not going to go into.) I'm just happy to know that Borders, as of today, filed for Chapter 11 and is reorganizing. Anyone interested in reading more about it, here's the link: www.bordersreorganization.com.

(The book stores and online store are all supposed to be Open For Business, as usual.)

A special Welcome and Thank You to my newest Follower: Beth Fred. Thanks, Beth! I hope you enjoy stopping here from time to time!

And, speaking of stopping by blogs....I want to apologize... I just can't seem to keep up with all the blogs I want to check on! I do peek at some, from time to time and just don't leave comments, and some I don't even get around to very often. I hope no one takes it personally. All my blog friends mean so much to me. Please understand that I'm desperately trying to get my memoir completed. That is at the top of my list, and other things are suffering because of it. But, Wow....is it ever gonna be worth it when I'm finished!

"Give me a home with stacks and stacks of books, warmth in the cold of winter, and coolness during a heat wave. Give me plenty of my favorite drink(s): coffee, tea and diet soda. Give me my loving husband and entire family and friends.....and still with all of this.....I weep because Tiger-Girl is not here to share it with me." -- Becky Povich

Love, Friendships & Inspirations

I'm not ignoring the fact that today was/is Valentine's Day, but since the 11th is our wedding anniversary, The Ronald and I always celebrate the two Love Events at the same time. We don't give each other gifts anymore, either, because after all.....we ARE each other's gifts!

A big Welcome and Thank You to my newest follower: Zev! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you continue to like what you read and see here.

I've been trying to remember which blog friend's book I was planning on buying next....Does anyone remember if I even mentioned it? I may have to change my plans and buy one every other month or so. I still have such a huge stack of books in my To Be Read pile, I feel as if I should tackle a few of them. I've got two in mind, in particular, that I really want to start, and they're both on my night stand. Hmmm, which one will win out?

Wonderful friend, Tammy, presented this awesome "You Inspire Me" award last month and I kept forgetting to post it...until just now. Thank you so much, Tammy. You inspire Me constantly. Below is what Tammy said about me on her blog:

"And finally, to Becky, great friend and writer, who inspires me as both...even though my stupid computer won't even show me most of her blog page. SIGH...."

Thanks again, Tam. And I hope sometime soon you'll get rid of the gremlins in your computer!

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with friendship." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Book Review - "The Somebody Who"

Last night I finished reading a fabulous novel, The Somebody Who, by my blog friend, Katie Gates.

I think it was last month I declared that I wanted to buy one book a month, from one of my published blog friends. I don't recall if there was any particular reason I chose Katie's....but somebody had to be first, right?!

I am not good at giving book reviews, in the proper "being-paid-to-write-book-reviews" sense. In fact, sometimes I don't even read book reviews, or the inside flaps of books, because I've been disappointed so many times by being given "TMI"....too much information! I don't want to know the beginning, the middle, and the end of a book before I even read it! Duh!

So, here's my thoughts on: The Somebody Who. I am an impatient reader. If a book doesn't grab me in the first couple of paragraphs, or pages, or at least the first chapter, I'm putting it back on the shelf. This book grabbed me from the very beginning.

Katie's descriptions are wonderful. I could visualize everything. I became friends with Evelyn and her housekeeper, Claudia. I felt the sadness and sense of loss, knowing that Evelyn's husband, Davy, had once been not only a brilliant man, but a loving husband and father to their four now grown children. Davy has Alzheimer's. Most of the book takes place around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Evelyn's love for Davy, her children and grandchildren is shown so well. There's also a touch of mystery, in the sense of questions that haven't been satisfactorily answered.

If I were giving out ratings for books, I'd give this one the highest rating -- ☺☺☺☺☺ Five Happy Faces!

I e-mailed Katie shortly after I began reading The Somebody Who, and told her it was one of those books I couldn't wait to get back to at night. I read and read until the words were so blurry, I had to stop, even when I wanted to keep on reading. I highly recommend it!

An Anniversary: Through the Years

28 years ago today, The Ronald and I were married.

We have the kind of marriage that I dreamed about when I was young. A loving, kind, appreciative husband. One who thinks I'm a talented writer. One who laughs at my jokes, and at my crazy singing and dancing. One who listens (when I tell him "I need your attention. This is really important!") One who holds me when I'm sad and need comforting. One who is darn near perfect....

(a story I wrote about our relationship, "Through the Years" is included in this Chicken Soup for the Soul anthology. Published in December 2007. Page 94)

"We don't need to win the lottery, because when he and I chose each other, that's when we hit the jackpot." -- Becky Povich

* Uptight, Twitchy & Disturbed *

First of all I'd like to thank my three newest followers: Aine Tierney, Marissar and Jan! Thank you so much. I hope you'll continue to stop by from time to time and enjoy what you see.

As I wrote in the previous post, my life has been crazy busy, and I was feeling a bit....agitated. I laughed at some of the synonyms Mircosoft Word 2010 offered for agitated: Uptight, twitchy and disturbed were my favorites! Just reading the word disturbed made my mind break into song... Gee, Officer Krupke from "West Side Story". See how I am?? My brain jumps from one subject to the next. I'm typing about life being crazy busy, and I start singing in my head!

The Wise, Witty & Wonderful Mr. Robert Brault left a comment on that previous post of mine: "Becky, You describe a thoroughly involved life that many would kill for. Enjoy it to the hilt. You can do as many do -- catch a few winks while driving." Well, then I'm sure I'm living an almost perfect life and I'm following my bliss. Thank you, Robert, for pointing that out to me.

One more thing. Yesterday morning, since I was already in the Land of Uptight, Twitchy & Disturbed, and I was talking to The Ronald while putting on my socks, I wasn't quite paying attention to what I was doing:

Oooh, my feet are so embarrassed!

"Before I speak, I have something important to say." -- Groucho Marx

Hanging On for Dear Life

I feel like this gray bear, hanging on for dear life, while my days go speeding along.

(photo courtesy: artymiss.com)

 I'm not complaining. Really, I'm not. I'm grateful for my busy life. I love what I do. Every now and then, though, I get a little overwhelmed with so many things on my "To Do List." Prioritize, you say? Sometimes that's easier said than done. Lately the worst part is that even when I'm exhausted at night, and climb into bed, my mind won't shut down. Not only does it not shut down, it zips from topic to topic, staying barely long enough for me to promise myself I'll remember in the morning, or to sit up and jot myself a note:

I really need to finish that greeting card I started making last week.

Don't forget to call so-and-so tomorrow.

Oh, remember that e-mail that needs a reply.

How many bills do I still need to pay?

I've got to get back to that one chapter I'm trying to complete.

There are about 5 contests I wanted to enter....When were those deadlines?

I think we're out of clean bath towels. Better throw a load in the washer when I get up.

And sometimes I do get up and begin any number of those projects, even if it's 3:00 am.

I think this is something many of us have in common. What are the answers? I'd love to hear suggestions!

Oh...Hello & Welcome to my two newest followers: DeanO and Amanda Holtom!

“Chance can allow you to accomplish a goal every once in a while, but consistent achievement happens only if you love what you are doing.” -- Bart Conner

Saturday Night Thoughts

Have you ever written to a famous writer? I have, and to more than just one. And guess what? More than just one actually wrote back to me!

Before the days of e-mail, I either hand wrote or typed letters, expressing my love of their newest book, or their writing style. In one case, it was to tell the author how much her autobiography meant to me. How after reading what she went through in a terrible point in her life, helped me to have the courage to do something I desperately needed to do. And I did hear back from her!

There were a couple of others that besides expressing my love of their writing and their fictional characters, I included sample writings of my own, asking for advice. (Sometimes it helps to just be plain naive' or a little self-promoting!)

In the past ten years or so, I've written to seven authors.....and I heard back from five!

*Sunday afternoon note: Just wanted to add that I would never send an entire manuscript to anyone, without a request for it. I knew not to do that, even when I was a new and naive writer....now, let's say a 400 word story, that's different! And I'm NOT suggesting anyone should do that sort of thing, either. I'm just sharing something that I did when I didn't know any better....But hey, sometimes taking the road less traveled is the best road in life. 

What about you? Have YOU written to any famous writers?

"How can I believe in God when just last week I got my tongue caught in the roller of an electric typewriter?" -- Woody Allen

Writers News Shorts

Why is this post called Writers News Shorts? 'Cause this is all I got for tonight! ☺

WOOF (Women Only Over Fifty!) They're looking for stories!!

Six Questions For... On this blog, Jim Harrington asks...you guessed it.....6 questions, and gets 6 awesome answers from editors, agents and publishers. If you look at his right column and scroll to Past Posts, you'll discover small presses and publishers you've most likely never heard of. If you've had trouble finding "the right place" to submit your writing....you might just find it there.

"A single dream can launch the journey of a lifetime." -- Unknown

Paying It Forward & Winter Contests

A week ago today I wrote a post about Paying It Forward and Random Acts of Kindness.  The first five people who responded with a comment, saying they would like to participate, will be receiving something homemade from me. They are: TK Richardson, Kathy Matthews, Estrella, Sioux, and a new blog friend, Jen Daiker! I'm not super creative, so please don't expect anything fancy!  Also, please e-mail your mailing address to me, and I plan to have your items made and sent by the end of February.Ooooh, the pressure is on!

Also, Hello & Welcome to my two newest followers: Rose Cooper, and Antonio! I hope you always enjoy whatever you see here.

I have different topics I wanted to include tonight, but I recently found out about 2 contests that are nearing their deadlines. I'm sure that every one of my writer friends could come up with something to submit, because there's both fiction and non-fiction, including memoir, essays, articles & prose. Give it a look. You just may start off your year with a winning entry!

Winter Flash Fiction Contest: Short fiction, open theme (no porn or gore) 500 words or fewer. Free critique upon request. Enter online or by mail. Fee: $7 per entry or 3 for $20 (limit 3 entries). Prizes: First - $100, second - $50, and third - $25. Winning entry posted, winner profiled on website. Deadline: postmarked Feb. 10. Info at: www.thewritehelper.com.

Dead of Winter Nonfiction Contest: Memoir, essays, articles, prose. Must be nonfiction of 2,500 words or fewer. Free critique upon request. Enter online or by mail. Fee: $10 per entry, limit 3 entries. Prizes: First - $150, second - $75, and third - $50. Winning entry posted, winner profiled on website. Deadline: postmarked Feb. 10. Info at: www.thewritehelper.com.

"If you want to write, write. This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don’t wait. Make the time now, even if it is ten minutes once a week." — Natalie Goldberg

* Groundhog Day *

(This is a repeat from last year. I love this movie and it just seems appropriate to repeat it.....ba-dum-dum!)

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!

And now, a few words and photos from one of my favorite movies: "Groundhog Day", starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.

"Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there today."

"Hey now, don't you tell me you don't remember me 'cause I sure as heckfire remember you."



"NEEDLE-NOSE NED?...NED RYERSON?" ..... "BING!"

"IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! ..... LET'S LIVE HERE!"

(photos courtesy imdb.com and archive.dailypicture.net)

"Love is the answer. Shine on us all. Set us free. Love is the answer." -- EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
(P.S. I know this song is not used in the movie, but I love the music and lyrics, and it's perfect for the ending. Bill Murray's character is finally set free....when he realized love was the answer.)