Miracles

I sure do believe in miracles. For me, a miracle is seeing the world with light in your eyes.  It's knowing there's always hope and possibility where none seems to exist. Many people are so closed to miracles that even when one is boldy staring them in the face, they label it coincidence or serendipity.  I call it like I see it ~ Oprah Winfrey

Do you believe in miracles? I sure do! At the same time, I also believe that I can make miracles happen.

I've thought about being a writer for as long as I can remember.  And then I grew up and other goals became more important and other interest became a priority.  When a co-worker mentioned writing a novel as a bucket list goal, it reopened a bloom inside my soul waiting to get out.

It took two years and a supportive partner for me to be able to sit down and start writing my first novel.  That was five years ago. Now I am in the editing process so that my publisher can release A Place to Call Their Own on July 5th. It's a miracle!

What miracles have you made happen?

The Right Frame of Mind

Lucky people create, notice, and act upon the chance opportunities in their lives. Being in the right place at the right time is actually all about being in the right state of mind ~ Richard Wiseman

Are you in the right state of mind?  Even I can admit, there have been times on my dream journey when I have not been in the right state of mind to find opportunity or receive feedback.

Since Saturday, I have been completing retyping my manuscript, Disappear With Me.  Yes, I am a writer and typing is what I do, but before this I had always just massaged the manuscript in its original form.  But I recently read this advice in a book, but I was resistant to try to this method.

All I could think about was the expense in ink and paper so I'd have the manuscript printed out to work from.  All I could think about was how much longer it would take to get the manuscript ready for submission.  I used every excuse I could think of to not try this method.

Yet, when I look back on many of the methods I used to be productive, most of them I reluctantly tried at first. So, armed with just my iPad and laptop, I started this retyping my manuscript on Saturday.  I figured out an acceptable word count goal to rewrite each day to get this manuscript ready for submission within a month. And with the right state of mind, I am much more excited about my second novel than I have ever been, as Leander's story gets refined little by little each day.

Tell me about a time when you were resistant change and were pleasantly surprised when you tried something new, I'd love to hear.

What to Make of Fate

I don't know what to make of fate.  I certainly don't think you can predetermine things.  It feels like if you go out of your way to try to make something happen, it rarely does.  But if you allow for good things to happen, they seem to.  I think a lot of that is more perception, you know? A lot of people would take getting rear-ended in their car as an example of why their life continues to be one road block after another, and I think a different person can seem the same fender bender and be grateful it wasn't worse.  That allows them an opportunity to learn something from it--sort of take some sort of positive elements from that.  I think if you try to angle your life in those ways, then fate, destiny, karma opens itself up to you and allows for more growth ~ Neil Patrick Harris

What positive elements are you learning from this weekend so that your destiny opens up and allows for more growth? 

How Good is Your View?

If you never play, you will never lose, but you won't win either.  If you never climb a mountain you will never know for sure how good the view is ~ Ed and Deb Shapiro

How good is the view from where you're at right now?  I have to say, my view is incredible!  I just completed the first round of edits on my first novel, A Place to Call Their Own.  It will be released on July 5th by Musa Publishing. 

I am also workshopping my second novel, Disappear With Me.  What I mean by workshopping is that I've been involved with a critique group who gives me feedback each week.  Slowly but surely, my writing is getting better with each week's round of feedback.

What about you?  Are you enjoying your view or are you yearning for more?  Kudos to you if you have started your dream journey and are on your way.  If you haven't started your dream journey, it's not too late to accomplish something this year.  You still have six months to achieve some goals in 2013.

What do you see from your view right now?

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Today is International Day Against Hopbobia and Transphobia, a topic near and dear to my heart. 

I've written before that I never set out to be a political writer.  But I do think it is difficult to be an LGBT writer today without an undercurrent of social or political justice, if not only in the subtext. 

In all of the stories I've worked on so far, there is an element of normalcy that I like to evoke with my characters, their settings, and their worlds.  It's my goal to illustrate that LGBT people hope, dream, and long for the same things that the rest of the world does.  It's just harder sometimes for us to achieve our goals because of the attitudes and laws that prevent us from doing so.

My hope is that someone opposed to LGBT right who reads my novel will understand that we really don't want anything different than them.  It just that we have to ask for the rights that most people grow up with expecting.

I'm not the only one speaking out about this topic today.  Click this link for other LGBT authors blogging about this topic today:



http://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.com/

Leave me a comment,including your email address, and I'll enter you into a drawing for a complimentary copy of my first novel, A Place To Call Their Own. (if you're not comfortable leaving your emial address on this public forum, email me directly at deanfrech@aol.com.) My novel won't be out until July 5th, so I won't be able to send the book until then, but I will announce the winner by May 28.

Hopefully Midnight Doesn't Come

I dreamed about these moments, and I think I hoped I would have them, but you don't know.  So when the lucky break hits, it's like being Cinderella and hopefully midnight doesn't come ~Katherine Heigl

What a week this has been!  I just finished the first round of edits for my novel, A Place to Call Their Own.  I've experienced a whirlwind of emotions looking at the manuscript again.  At first I was overwhelmed looking at all the notes.  After letting it rest overnight, I reviewed the notes and they didn't seem that scary at all.

And it's been a busy week!  My critique group met changed it's meeting day, so I had one less day to prepare for that.  I've been working a few extra hours at work. 

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the challenges the last couple of weeks have presented.  I do feel like Cinderella and I hope midnight doesn't come.  And finally, I submitted my edits today.  Round one, two more to go!

Tell me about a busy time on your dream journey and what you learned from it, I'd love to hear.

The Sensible Thing

I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small.  For the life-changing things, you must risk it ~ Jeanette Winterson

What life-changing decisions have you made this week?  I'd love to hear.