Something New?

No, no one's getting married. We're just in a transition period. Blogging, writing, creating. These are the things that get left behind when life steps in. The life of work, raising young adults, caring for family members, running a house, and all of the other responsibilities that accompany the title of parent. 

So, Holly and I have barely worked on our book in the last eight months. After completing the requested R&R for an awesome agent in the fall, we put the book aside and tended to ALLTHEOTHERTHINGS. Unfortunately, after the new year, we learned that the agent who held our baby in her hands, while praising the edits and the story-telling, did not feel the timing was right for her to take us on as a client. 

Enter the disappointment. Then also enter a job change with the potential for a relocation, drama with children, family activities, college tours, graduations, over-demanding work, etc., and it was easier to put our book on hold so we could manage ALLTHEOTHERTHINGS. It makes me sad to say it: The Vale just wasn't a priority. Couldn't be.

Now here we are. Dare I say things have settled down a wee bit? Yes, our lives seem to have a little more room to spare. But the question lingers: What do we really want to do with that time? Do we want to take the torch and run with our WIP again? Are we ready for the work? Can we commit to each other and to our band of characters who wait in the wings? Is now the time to put The Vale back into the world?

Or perhaps there's something new awaiting discovery...time will tell.

It you're at a crossroads, whatever it may be, consider us sending you strength and clarity and support. Twisty-turny as the path may be, you're not alone. Carry on boldly, friends. We're cheering you on.

Love,

Jenn and Holly

#roadsaremeantfortraveling #TheVale #awritersheartneedstowrite #keepingthedreamalive

Photo by Justin Luebke on Unsplash

Writing With Writer's Block

There are no truer words, right writers?

Anyone feeling particularly tortured right now? We hear you. We see you. We are SO with you.

That is all.

Keep creating. The world needs your stories.

{Jenn & Holly}

#writingcommunity #amwriting #evenwithwritersblock #keepitmessy 

The Six Sisters

Characters. Sometimes they just show up on the scene and you have to step aside and watch them dance.

We had no idea Emily had so many half-sisters. She met them recently. We did too.

1. Jilaya is the youngest. She wishes she was a vampire. She's working on it. Don't sit too close or she may try to bite you.
2. Lilyth says she can manipulate the weather. If you doubt her, even in your thoughts, some sort of storm is sure to descend. That's her proof.
3. Casdeya. She's a poison master. Watch out if you see her mixing anything.
4. Mara is the teller of dark stories, the cause of nightmares. Beware.
5. Her twin, Nimu, is the prettiest one. If you wrong her, she will steal your lover.
6. Jezebeth. She can twist the truth like no other. She's passed every lie-detector test she's ever taken. 

Can't wait for you to meet them...

Writing and Rising From the Ashes

Writing a book is no joke. Seriously…it’s hard work. But it is SOOOOO fun too!

I know, some of you just cringed, thinking back to the days in college when you had to type a multi-page paper about some subject or other and find the words that would sound unique and intelligent and earn you that A. If you feel a little bit nauseous thinking about said days and want to check your diploma just to make sure you did graduate, writing does not fill your cup.

But, if like Holly and me, you wrote poems about unrequited love in middle school, filled multiple journals about the torture of life in high school, and LOVED to compose works of philosophical and literary glory in college, then you would LOVE this writing process!

For us, the act of writing is like planning a party. We research names and locations and trends in the craft. We analyze the stories that have stroked our emotions and we wrestle with plot lines with reckless abandon. We are giddy with each “ah-ha” moment, (and friends, we have oh-so-many of those). But the greatest joy in writing is the journey of discovery. It’s exactly like opening a book and falling into the narrative, letting the prose and the characters take you for a glorious trip, destination unknown. If you read, these are to books that you can’t put down!!

As many of you know, Forged, our first book that garnered much enthusiasm and interest (even an award) from literary agents and editors at the SDSU Writer’s Conference in January of 2017, was essentially laid to rest by industry professionals by summertime. We had written and YA fantasy with Native American history, legends and characters. And at the same time, the #ownvoices movement in publishing gained traction.

Here’s a little lesson on the campaign. #Ownvoices is meant to encourage, publish and showcase books written by authors who share the identity of their characters, such as a book with a Native American protagonist written by a Native American author. The reason this is so important is because marginalized people are the best ones to tell their own stories. It’s not just enough for an author to write authentic and sensitive stories outside their culture/experience, even when sensitivity readers are involved. The industry wants those diverse populations to tell their own stories. The #ownvoices movement and others that promote diversity in literature, aim to rightsize the publishing world where, historically, stories about marginalized and diverse communities have been told by privileged (white) people.

In a nutshell, since neither Holly nor I are Native American, as one agent put it, “No publisher will even consider publishing this book unless you remove the Native American elements. Perhaps you can use Gaelic legends, change the origin story and some of your characters?” As we researched and toiled over the fate of Forged, we realized that, unless we self-published, we would not be able to find a home for that version of Forged. So we decided to let it go. (Oh the anguish…I’m not kidding. We couldn’t even talk about it for a few months, we were so sad/sick/upset. Don't even ask the Mike's about it...they can't even!)

But please don't feel sorry for us. Like the phoenix, goodness always rises from the ashes.

Plotting out our NEXT book has been just as magical. And very soon, we get to begin the work. This is the fun part for us…the discovery and the adventure as we embark on our new story. We are holding onto our characters, changing them up a smidge, but we love them and they told us they don’t want to be tucked away in a drawer. They have a story to tell. We can hardly contain the excitement to share the twists and turns with you, our most treasured fans and cheerleaders.

So tell us, if you were going to write a book, what would the title be and what would it be about? And if you have an urge to put down some ideas, let us know. We’d love to encourage you.

Happy writing. It is the best of times.

{J}

(Photo cred: Kent Pilcher-Unsplash)

Family Christmas Poem

Family...You are the:

Happy to my holiday.

Jingle in my bells.

Nut to my cracker.

Fruit to my cake.

Present under my tree.

Ho, Ho to my Ho.

Wish to my star.

Home for my holiday.

Candy to my cane.

Kiss under the mistletoe.

Holly to my jolly.

Winter to my wonderland.

Deck to my halls.

Ginger to my bread.

Happy to my heart.

Milk to my cookie.

Joy to my world.

Star atop my tree.

Love of my life.

Merry Christmas!!

{J}

Anniversary Checklist

Twenty-one years.
Three babies that somehow turned into teenagers.
One beach rental, one condo and two houses.
Two churches. Eight sacraments.
Two Bachelor's degrees; one Master's.
Two school districts; one City.
Four SUVs. Zero minivans.
Two sedans.
Four dogs; only Magic remains.
Four cats; only Columbus remains.
Three bunnies. Thumper's still hopping.
Three snakes. Snakey's still slithering.
Two turtles, both rescued and released.
Too many departed fish to count.
Thousands of books read.
Hundreds of movies viewed.
Innumerable games played.
Seven international vacations.
Dozens of camping trips and domestic adventures.
Thousands of beach days and park visits and play dates.
Block parties, birthday parties, amusement park visits.
Concerts, recitals, Taekwondo tournaments.
School plays, school fundraisers, talent shows.
Arguments, illnesses, bedrest.
A few curse words and several tears.
More apologies and unlimited forgiveness.
Thirteen photo albums and forty-seven pictures framed.
Countless memories with cherished family and friends.
Endless potential for blessings as this well-loved life unfolds.
Happy anniversary, my love.
{J}

Moments and Milestones

Well, we're back from our whirlwind weekend at the San Diego State University Writers' Conference. It was AMAZING! Yet again, the organizers brought together an impressive collection of talent, inspiration, professionals, tips and tools.

Despite the downpour of rain and tumbling tumbleweeds, we arrived to the conference on Friday eager to meet some new writerly friends and pitch, pitch, pitch! We had our list of workshops and our advanced reading appointments all set. Friday night, we hung out with a great group of people at the mixer-game night hosted by the hilarious creators of Game Night in a Can - Jason and Barry. They lead us in a series of team activities and physical challenges, complete with prizes and killer music!! I'm happy to announce that the YA table - District 14 - won the Best-Worst Book Title and Cover prize for a children's book called There's a Dead Man in My Dreams. It was so fun!

Saturday we perfected and practiced our pitch, met with engaging agents and savvy editors, learned more about our art, networked, brainstormed and Tweeted (the writing world is all over Twitter). We had appointments with literary agents and editors seeking authors for their publishing houses. The end result was three of them asking for us to send them the whole manuscript. That's a WIN!

When Holly and I woke up this morning, we could barely talk to each other. Not for lack of words and ideas, but because of ALL THE WORDS AND IDEAS! So we played the Fault in Our Stars soundtrack while we got ready for the morning festivities. And then, AND THEN, we were honored and so, so surprised to be nominated for the Conference Choice Award. Erin Quinn, our brilliant conference director says that there's a lot of negative feedback in the world of writing and these awards are meant to let us know we're doing something right. To Holly and me, it was the cherry on top, the icing on the cake, the fuel to our fire.

If you don't know any writers or editors or literary agents or book promoters or writers' conference directors, you should know this one thing: they are generous. They share their stories, their formulas for success, their encouragement and even a few fair warnings. And I think they impart such wisdom because they've been here, in this scary place where doubt and fear make writers feel like their work isn't good enough. This weekend, the keynotes were bestsellers R.L. Stine, Jonathan Maberry, J.A. Jance and Sherrilyn Kenyon...BESTSELLERS, famous and successful and still kind. They were gracious and funny, inspiring and authentic, and genuinely hopeful for all of us. And that's why people come from all over the world to attend this conference. This is our community you guys, and it is wonderful!

So thank you to everyone who messaged, texted, encouraged and prayed. We made friends, learned more than we could have imagined and have A LOT to do! We will keep you posted on our progress.

And #SDSUwriters, thank you, truly. We will see you next year!!

{J&H}

NANOWRIMO16

National Novel Writing Month is here!! And we are taking advantage of the NaNoWriMo campaign to make our final edits to FORGED and prepare for pitching it at the SDSU Writers' Conference in January.

If you've ever considered writing anything, visit www.nanowrimo.org to get inspired. It's and AMAZING conglomeration of talent and motivation.

Our NaNoWriMo novel page begins with our short synopsis but below, we have included a more in depth teaser:

When a boy lands in a bloody heap at Emily’s feet, her first thought is to run. Instead, instinct compels her to touch him and a surge of energy pulses from her hands in a radiant stream of colors and warmth. She is shocked when his broken bones snap back into place, revealing her power to heal, and she’s pretty sure senior year isn’t going to be the fresh start her parents said she needed.

When the ghost of his father urges him to the library, John finds a beautiful girl, shaking, covered in blood, and in the evil grip of a student possessed by a demon. He rescues her and is unable to deny the powerful connection between them. For the first time since his father’s death, John has hope in embracing who he is.

That’s when their worlds collide.

The Healer and the Listener quickly learn that they are not the only students with extraordinary gifts at their east coast boarding school. In fact, there are seven Innates who, according to Native American legends, must band together to prevent Armageddon and the demon occupation of the human race. But how can a group of unlikely prep school students whose eyes were just opened to this secret world, be expected to restore the balance of good and evil?

FORGED, a young adult, paranormal adventure can be described as Breakfast Club misfits on a Lord of the Rings journey. It will appeal to readers who yearn for fantastical elements grounded in American history. Told from the points of view of Emily and John, we follow the Innates as they battle malevolent spirits in search of the source of their powers and the only thing that can save them. The expedition will challenge the group to acknowledge their diversity—of origins, of powers, of desires—and do what they have to do even when it goes against every self-centered, self-conscious, bone in their bodies.

We can't wait to share the magic of FORGED with you!!

Is this something you think you would read? We'll share more throughout the month and are happily accepting feedback.

Happy NaNoWriMo2016!

{H&J}

Fall Reading (Or Should I Say, Re-Reading?

The best way to fill up my soul and tap into my creative bank is to READ. Getting lost in the pages of a story and the lives of the characters is purely, magically restorative. My current to-read list is extensive but something about the season of Autumn, makes me long to RE-READ. (My book club friends can attest to my serial re-reading habit...I know it's a little nutty.)

So if you are in need of a good place to get lost, look no further. The list below is tried and true, I promise.

1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

"No, I don’t think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That’s what’s wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, by someone who knows what he’s doing."

2. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

“...my love isn't a weapon, it's a lifeline, reach out and take hold, and don't let go!"

3. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.”

4. Harry Potter - the whole AMAZING series by J.K. Rowling

“There are all kinds of courage,” said Dumbledore, smiling. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” –The Sorcerer’s Stone

5. The Shack by William P. Young

“Don't ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak.”

6. Beloved by Toni Morrison

“Sweet, crazy conversations full of half sentences, daydreams and misunderstandings more thrilling than understanding could ever be.

7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - I recommend the book series and the Starz miniseries

“Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master . . . and you're mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.”

8. The Chronicles of Narnia box set by C.S. Lewis

“Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia.”

9. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer (Don't judge...they're a GREAT escape!

"No measure of time with you will be long enough. But we'll start with forever."

10. Pillars of the Earth and sequel World Without End by Ken Follett

“Nevertheless, the book gave Jack a feeling he had never had before, that the past was like a story, in which one thing led to another, and the world was not a boundless mystery, but a finite thing that could be comprehended.”

Okay, so these are not in any particular order and I have several others that I've read more than once, some classics, some not-so-classic, but all of them have inspired me on my own writing journey.

I hope there's something here that you can enjoy. Have you ever read a book more than once? Do share...

Happy reading!

{J}

Guest Blog Post: Jami Gold

I am very excited to be featured on one of our favorite author's blogs. She's a master of all things writing and invited me to share a bit about our process. You can find the whole article here: http://jamigold.com/2015/11/7-tips-for-a-writing-partnership-guest-jennifer-hale/

7 Tips for a Successful Writing Partnership

Writing partners. Do you have one? Have you ever considered it? Sharing the work? Having a constant sounding board; an endless source of inspiration?

Or do you cringe at the idea of letting someone see inside the chaos of your creative brain? Well, sometimes, it’s really not up to you.

We’re Jenn and Holly. We’ve known each other since our high-schoolers were in kindergarten and we shared the job of room mom, way before we learned we were steered by a common muse.

Each of us spent many of our mommy years dreaming of the day when we could get the words on paper, writing ideas on Target receipts and scheming up character names with interesting pasts attached to them.

When One Thing Leads to Another…

I learned about Holly’s writing interests after a dinner party a few years ago. She had just quit her job to write. She belonged to a writing group. It was serious business. She wasn’t just thinking about it. She was actually doing it.

I told her that I’d always wanted to write, so she invited me to the next meeting. It was there, in Karen’s living room, surrounded by other serious writers, that I first considered my writing dream a real possibility.

The next year, Holly and I started a blog and began writing a regular newspaper column for the Orange County Register. We shared ideas and edited each other’s work for months. With all that collaboration, it seemed like the natural next step to co-author a book.

Co-Authorship Is a Serious Decision

As with any business venture—and writing a book is more business than most authors would like to admit—there are challenges. The crux of a writing partnership is the relationship, and when you mix in passionate opinions about fictional characters, it can get tricky.

Getting a traditional publishing deal (if that’s your goal), may also be tough. We’ve heard that some agents and editors don’t want to work with author pairs.

And don’t forget that a good book must have consistency of voice, pacing and style. Can two authors deliver that? YES!

7 Tips to Make a Writing Partnership Work

Holly and I have found that the benefits of collaboration far outweigh the challenges, truly. If you’ve ever considered such a match, here are seven powerful tips that have helped us along the way:

Tip #1: Have a Common Focus

I know it sounds like a given but it’s easy to get swept away in the excitement before ensuring that you have the same ideals.

These are the essentials:

genre,

major themes,

publishing goals (self, indie, traditional),

division of labor,

timelines, and

contingency plans.

If all those things align, your foundation is set. Details will work themselves out later. Sounds like pre-marital counseling, huh?

Tip #2: Don’t Be Afraid of Giving and Receiving Criticism

If you’re not practiced in either one of these, you have work to do before you’re ready to commit to an honest, reciprocal writing partnership. Communication is critical to staving off resentment. Talk about it all and have plans in place.

For example, what do you do with that scene or character or detail that one of you absolutely adores while the other can’t stand it? Maybe it stays until the draft is complete and then it’s revisited, or maybe you have your beta readers (or husbands) vote. Talk to each other.

Tip #3: Be Willing to Be a Cheerleader

If there’s one guarantee about the writing process, it’s the occasional crisis of confidence. And when it happens, you have each other to pull out the pom-poms (otherwise known as wine or chocolate, or both), and kick that doubt out the door.

This is one of the best parts of sharing the writing journey. Motivation and excitement and perspective are in ample supply.

Tip #4: Trust Your Partner and Be Trustworthy

Honesty starts with knowing your own limitations. Knowing what you can commit to and following through on those commitments. Open communication and flexible planning are critical to keeping things balanced and moving the project forward.

Trust comes with time and experience so don’t rush it. Have lots of meetings and hash-out sessions, thoughtfully considering all the logistics before you jump into a writing relationship. (This gig really is like a marriage.)

Tip #5: Push Your Envelope and Challenge Each Other

Think outside the box and be willing to explore new ideas that take you out of your comfort zone. Safe sometimes equates to boring. Take each other on otherwise risky adventures and be open.

For example, when your partner wants to introduce a time traveler to the story and you can’t wrap your head around the space-time continuum, just go with it. See what happens. At least one of you will be able to write that part.

Tip #6: Look Forward to Writing Time

Planning and writing sessions are critical. Holly and I have a standing writing date every Monday morning. We have a few favorite spots where she gets coffee, I get tea (or a Diet Coke) and we share an array of pastries—a happy mind is a creative one, after all.

If possible, schedule writing retreats, weekends away to immerse yourself, escape from the distractions of your life, and WRITE with abandon!! If you can mix in a couple webinars on the craft and writing conferences, even better.

Tip #7: Be Understanding…and Patient…and Flexible

The excitement and motivation, the frustration and writers’ block, the disappointment and the dreaminess, all these things will ebb and flow.

There will be times when life, family, the job that pays, burn-out, rejection, or any combination thereof, will attempt to steer you off course. You may need to take a break here and there. That’s OK!

Just have a plan and talk about it. Have another project or place to focus your creative energy during those times when you and your writing partner are out of sync. But no matter what, don’t give up.

Our Process

Our process includes lots of lists and research and outlines. Our book, a Young Adult Paranormal Adventure, is written with two points of view, which simplifies things. Holly writes the male protagonist’s POV and I write the female’s, alternating chapters.

When we meet, we read what we’ve written to each other, discuss needed changes and take notes. When editing, we can easily spend twenty minutes on a sentence.

We read TONS of books on writing, in our genre and out. We listen to music, we post pictures of our characters on Facebook, we write blog posts, we have a Pinterest page dedicated to inspiration and we fall in love with our story over and over again.

Because we have each other.

Kismet. That’s what we call it. Fate. That’s what we believe.

It isn’t always easy or fast or as productive as it should. But whose writing journey is? Of one thing we are absolutely, undeniably certain: our book is infinitely better because of two hearts and two minds and two writers.

Write on, friends.

{J}

Thankful for Words of Wisdom

NaNoWriMo 2015 (National Novel Writing Month) has been all about editing for Holly and me. Since March, when we decided to change our book's genre from New Adult to Young Adult, we have fully re-written FORGED, book one of Power of 7. Our efforts have been positively influenced by several people and the instrumental tools that they've created. So when you find yourself in need of writing wisdom and editing advice, you will find them here:

1. DearEditor.com and Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies by Deborah Halverson

2. One Stop for Writers and the amazing descriptive thesaurus collection by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

3. Writership and all of the insightful writing podcasts by Alyssa Archer and Leslie Watts

I guarantee there are MANY more amazing editing tools to find out in the webworld but these are our go-to's. In the spirit of thanks and deep admiration of what these talented writers have developed for the betterment of us all, we encourage you visit them today and see how they can transform your writing process.

Good luck and happy writing!

{J & H}

#NaNoWriMo-Day 1

National Novel Writing Month is here!! And we are taking advantage of the NaNoWriMo campaign to edit FORGED, with the help of our incredible editor, Deborah Halverson, and prepare for pitching it at some upcoming writers' conferences.

If you've ever considered writing anything, visit www.nanowrimo.org to get inspired. It's and AMAZING conglomeration of talent and motivation.

Our NaNoWriMo novel page begins with our short synopsis:

FORGED - POWER OF 7 (book 1) is best described as young adult paranormal adventure with elements of romance and historical fiction. Told from the points of view of Emily and John, it follows the "Healer" and the "Listener" and five other gifted Innates, as they discover that they've been brought totether for a very specific purpose. They are tasked with finding the source of their powers in order to confront a force of evil that only they can overcome. As Emily begins to accept the benefits of being different, John only sees his power as a curse, one that threatens the emerging love between them. In an atmosphere riddled with spirits, demons and centuries-old legends, these seven will find that by embracing that which makes them ordinary, they have the power to restore humanity.

Is this something you think you would read? We'll share more throughout the month and are happily accepting feedback.

Happy NaNoWriMo2015!

{H&J}

A New Library In Town: One Stop For Writers

If there's one thing all writers agree on, it's that writing is TOUGH. The road to publication twists and dips as we learn the craft, hone our abilities, create stories we're passionate about, fight discouragement, educate ourselves about the industry...and then start the process all over again as we realize there's room to improve. But you know what? Holly and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Yet, sometimes it's nice to get a helping hand.

Finding a good writing book, a helpful blog, a critique group, a SUPER talented writing partner to share the journey with...these things are gems along the writing path. And there's another resource waiting just up the road called One Stop For Writers.

One Stop For Writers
is not writing software, but rather a powerful online library that contains tools, unique description collections, helpful tutorials and much more, brought to you by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, the authors of The Emotion Thesaurus and Lee Powell, the creator of Scrivener for Windows. 
Whether your work in progress is well on its way or you've decided to finally write that book that's been on your bucket list, or you're just looking to spice up your Facebook status updates and Tweets, One Stop For Writers has what you need. Visit Writers Helping Writers this week and see, where Angela, Lee and Becca are celebrating their venture with prizes and some pay-it-forward fun.

Happy writing!

{J}  

Update and Deep Thoughts

Hello friends!

We are in the middle of Spring Break around here and I am finishing my hiatus of writing blog posts! Jenn has kept the fires burning well and it is among many other things, one reason why I love having her as a writing partner. My brain is overwhelmed lately and unfortunately as much as I love writing, it often falls to the bottom of the pile. But, one of the last things I left you faithful readers with was my move out of state.

That's not happening. (queue heavens parting and angels singing...)

We are staying in good old, super expensive So Cal. We are, of course, THRILLED. But there is still a soft little voice every once in awhile that whispers in my ear about price per square foot and large back yards and family close enough to babysit and have Sunday dinners. That little voice tugs at my heart but the Great Almighty has asked us to stay and so... we stay.

Jenn and I are anxiously waiting to hear back from our editor on the first 100 pages of our rewrite. It's incredibly hard to be patient. Especially since you all know that we have poured our hearts and souls into these pages for the last year. Deciding to change it to YA was the right move but still, it's like learning to walk all over again. We believe in what we have composed on those pages and we know that those of you that are interested in young adult fantasy reads will love it. We do!

Another fun fact while I'm sharing, is that I recently was offered a new job. As we all know, writers must have something to supplement income while they are waiting for publishers to ask for the film rights to their books. The fun part of it is that Jenn already works there! Now we get to have collaboration time during lunch and dream together about what it will be like when someone finally calls us to say "I love it, when can I have the rest?". It's awesome!

We will surely keep you updated. Thanks, as always, for the support and love!

{H}

A Spoonful of Inspiration

The thing about the writing craft is that it can easily be a misunderstood, solitary and isolating. But, when you collect aspiring and accomplished writers, agents, editors and industry professionals in a beautiful San Diego hotel for a weekend, friends, that's when the MAGIC happens.

Last weekend, Holly and I had the great privilege to attend the San Diego State University Writers' Conference. Our schedule was full of invaluable break-out sessions, key notes, agent meetings and networking functions. We floated from one activity to another, soaking up unlimited knowledge and inspiration and sunshine. Here are just a few of the take-aways:

--The publishing industry is still changing

--People are still buying physical books, especially young adult and middle grade and best sellers

--Writers have to do MORE to earn and maintain the loyalty of their audience

--Agents have to do MORE to earn a spot at the publishing table

--Publishers have to do MORE to bring a book to market

--Readers have to sift through MORE books to find the gems

--But despite all the changes, true GEMS are still being written and produced every day

--If you want to have a successful writing career, this fundamental truth remains the same: write a great book

While working on book one of our Power of 7 series, we have made these important steps: we've finished our second draft, we've partnered with an incredible editor and this past weekend, we've decided to make a pretty substantial shift with our final revision. It was a BIG decision but we're up to the challenge and believe these edits will give P7 its best shot to reach our readers one day.

Some fun bits about this change: character names. Meet Benjamin and Chloe (last name TBD). They're siblings. Benjamin can influence the physical realm with his mind and Chloe can see events before they occur.

We adore them!!

Thanks for joining us on this journey. We will keep you close by as we venture onward into the wild and magical publishing landscape.

{J & H}

Actors Michael Hudson (courtesy of rpfashionista.tumblr.com) and Amber Midthunder (courtesy of polyvore.com) pictured here.

Good-Bye November. You Were Great!

National Novel Writing Month is here!! And we are taking advantage of the NaNoWriMo campaign to finish Power of 7 and prepare for pitching it at some upcoming writers' conferences.

If you've ever considered writing anything, visit www.nanowrimo.org to get inspired. It's and AMAZING conglomeration of talent and motivation.

POWER OF 7 is now FORGED. We have decided the series will still be Power of 7 but each book in the trilogy will have its own name. FORGED, FRACTURED and F???

NaNoWriMo2014 is over and we added 11,427 words, edited 12 chapters and only have a few to go. We didn't complete an entire novel but we made MAJOR progress. If you have a dream of one day seeing your words in print, you don't have to wait until November. But it's a great place to start.

Happy NaNoWriMo2014!

{H&J}

What's In A Name?

Sooooo...we survived the first week of NaNoWriMo and logged 7458 words, roughly 30 pages. Good progress for a week that included (between us) two birthdays, end of year football and volleyball games for the freshmen, Halloween sugar detox and the general duties of mommyhood and wifedom. We're pretty pleased with ourselves.

The highlight of the week was seeing the "Graveyard" shift-change at Corky's while contemplating how bad our antagonists should be. Holly is much better at that than I am. I really don't want to dislike any of our characters so I come up with crazy justifications like, a demon made him do it or she's hormonal and brain-damaged. You'll have to read the book to see how we reconcile those little details. It's so much fun!

The best part was when our waitress witnessed our creative tool for character profiling. What can I say, we're visual writers. We had our phones propped up, facing each other, with these images to help us hash out the details of two of our male characters. I'll leave you with this visual:

It's all part of the process, friends.

And we need YOUR help. We're looking for names for these two inspiring specimens. (Ian and Colin are out.) Try not to get distracted by the eyes. MERCY!

Thank you! Writing on!

{J&H}

Livin' La Vida Loca

I don't know about you but this summer, I didn't get nearly as much done as I had planned, mostly in the writing department. I had expected to finish revising my WIP (work in progress in writer's speak, but it can really apply to anything), draft some blog posts--IN ADVANCE, conduct research, network with other writers and accomplish a hundred other items on my to-do list.

But what happened was quite the opposite. I played with my kids, I hung out with my teacher-husband, and I read a dozen books. I balanced summertime easy-living with my part-time day job, and managed only the essentials. After a few weeks, I sat down to write and nothing. The well had run dry. Completely. I panicked and cried and consumed many summertime cocktails, for a good week. Then I put my fingers to the keyboard again. This time...IT WAS WORSE! So I took a different approach: denial. I tried to ignore that uncomfortable feeling, the nagging sense of a hidden block, because it's SUMMER! You can't have have anxiety during the summer. You have to RELAX!

So I forced myself to be calm. I was completely committed to enjoying my days at the beach with the family. But come evening, when I cyber-stalked all the writers I admire and witnessed their extreme productivity, I felt guilty for my underachievement. Pretty soon, I was overtaken by a crisis of confidence and I felt like a failure.

To my always-patient husband and my stalwart writing partner, I began to say things like, "Maybe this isn't the season for me to try this writing thing. Maybe when the kids are out of the house and I don't have SO MUCH STUFF to do. Maybe that's when I can pick it up again." I tried to convince myself that the sinking sadness in my gut was just part of the writing-dream-on-hold mourning process.

Holly totally understood. EVERY writer goes through this at one time or another. EVERY ONE. My husband thought something was really wrong with me and worried for my family. He had a more holistic approach. "You NEED to write. Because you're scary when you're not writing. Writing is like your Diet Coke addiction...it would be BAD for everyone if you quit." So I decided to let go of the guilt and panic, to lower my expectations and put the stalking on hold, and essentially wait the summer out. Really, what choice did I have?

A couple of weeks before the kids started school, when they were enrolled in prep classes and working on summer assignments and getting organized, when I'd finally stopped trying to figure out what I was supposed to do with the voices, I mean, characters, in my head, something happened. I wrote a list of blog post ideas down. And I even drafted one. Then I hid it because it could be an anomaly and I didn't want to get too excited. I read it the next day and made some revisions. Huh. When I took out my WIP, I made some easy edits there too. Then I added a few paragraphs. And outlined! And HOT DAMN! It all came back! Four blog posts drafted, two chapters revised, hope renewed!

The very best part of it all: I felt like ME! (My husband even noted that the borderline-crazy look in my eyes was gone.)

Today, looking back at the summer from the vantage point of a productive weekend writing retreat, I'm a little embarrassed that my resolve could be compromised so easily. I almost didn't have the guts to share this, but then I wouldn't be able to offer this take-away: With any project, whether we're thinking about going back to school or trying to switch careers or figuring out who we want to be now that all the kids are in school, we have to be three things. Flexible, forgiving and brave. We have to take things one day at a time, as long as the movement is forward. We can't let guilt for not doing enough have a louder voice than the drive. We must keep at it until we land at that ever-changing, often-blurry, imperfect finish line.

So next summer, when there's more sand in my toes than words added to my WIP, I won't panic. I'll simply remember that there's a time for leaning into the rhythm of the process and there's a time for taking a break.

{J}

(Photo courtesy of KeepCalmAndPosters.com and enhanced by the ABM app.)

On the Move

I am feeling melancholy tonight. My tinge of sadness and unrest stems from a personal decision we've made recently as a family. We are moving. It feels so strange to type that, it makes it REAL.
Although it was announced on FaceBook a little too early (just because I wasn't quite ready to talk about it), somehow, announcing it here ON PURPOSE makes the anxiety in my chest palpable.

Our blog will continue, all from the West Coast, but once a week you'll hear from Jenn here in California and my viewpoint will be from Oregon! Quite the change of scenery. I am all at once excited, nervous, hopeful, doubtful, scared, sure-footed, and a little in denial. I love a good adventure and I think if it were just hubby and I, the sadness would still be true but without the level of anxiety.

With three kids in tow, one almost 15, I can't help but wonder what this will mean for their future. Will it be the best decision we've ever made? Will they all want to move back when they graduate? It’s definitely the hardest decision we’ve ever made. I must leave the questions that pop into my head on an hourly basis in the hands of the One I trust the most. I am told to lay my anxieties at His feet and I am purposefully doing that, although I'll admit, it’s minute by minute.

This decision has been one that we have talked about for years. I can’t say why now is the right time, only that we know it is. I haven't been sure where to start. My dream was to raise our family here and I have completely immersed myself in getting involved in the community and knowing the people that make it the kind of neighborhood we love. I am slowly saying goodbye to that and grieving what will not be.

As I walk this new path, I am given little “hugs from Jesus” as a friend of mine calls them, telling me that it’s all going to work out, our blessings will be abundant and that I will find that sense of belonging again. I’m trusting in that and moving into the planning stages. Checking out schools, making sure credits transfer, deciding where to rent something and looking for a church. I've learned a lot about the area just from looking at Zillow every day, but we know that it’s best if we actually see it with our own eyes. So Mike and I will travel up there in November to fill out paperwork and take one step closer to this new chapter in our lives (knees shaking...a little).

The hardest will be leaving some of our family and best friends. I can't really think about saying goodbye. My heart breaks when I think of taking our kids out of the only home they have ever known, but expanding their knowledge of the world outside of "The Bubble" is one of our reasons for leaving. We have discovered that everything is more affordable in Oregon and that is something we need right now. We will be back for trips and vacations and feel so blessed to have already been offered places to stay. It's good here. Some of our favorite people are here, and as I shared on FB, part of my heart will remain.

I'm excited to write and share about our adventures! I'm not sure exactly what to expect, but I know it will be full of ups and downs. I'll bring you with me to the best of my ability and with a heart full of HOPE! When I look at the BIG PICTURE, even though it’s through teary eyes, I see good things.

{H}

Keep Calm...and Carry On?

I have been mulling over how I can mention this to all of you without having you feel sorry for us or shake your heads, feeling the sting of the disappointment that Jenn and I felt when we were told “No”.

It’s actually not the kind of no that you may be thinking. I mean, it was definitely a “no, we aren’t ready to publish your book right now and make you millions”, but the sentences that surrounded the “no” were priceless and heartfelt. We are ever so grateful for them. When Jenn and I started this adventure, one of the things that we read about the most was how to handle the rejection. Because there is A LOT of it. We have sensitive writer hearts so trying to prepare ourselves to hear “no” over and over wasn’t something that we wanted to practice. We have been pretty lucky so far with the encouragement and feedback that we have gotten from people that we admire. Our journey has just begun and we have been riding our wave of excitement from our very first conference back in January! Overall, we finally received the email we had been waiting for over two months. With nervous anticipation we opened it together and read the first line…(keep calm…)

“Hi Jennifer and Holly,

Thanks very much for your patience with me on POWER OF 7. There is a lot to love here, but I am afraid I am going to pass on the chance to go further with this project.”

We both sighed heavily and our hearts sank in unison. Not the first line we were hoping to read.
Then, as Jenn read on out loud, a few thoughts came to mind. We felt rushed with our first edit and should have asked for more time. Establishing a longer timeline would have given us a more thorough edit and we could have paced ourselves. In the past few months during our time of waiting, we were able to see several areas we would have developed more clearly and even some new elements that we would have added to make the story the compelling one we envision in our dreams. (so here comes the Carry On part…)

My first reaction of course was a big let-down. Should we keep at it? And then… How could we not? I was steadfast for about 24 hours. Then my doubts crept in. Am I good enough? Can I do this? Do I even have any talent? Am I dragging Jenn down? I was in a bad place for about five days. My confidence went down the toilet. I lost my voice. I had almost decided that it would be best for me to say goodbye to this dream for now. Then, I remembered why we had started writing in the first place. It was fun. It was challenging and exhilarating. It made my heart sing. Jenn and I always encouraged each other to try our best and to get up and try again if it didn’t go so great the first time. So I turned my back on the nagging doubts that threatened to pull me down and I prayed, A LOT! I re-committed to the words and found my voice again. My faith in the words and the partner, to whom I am so indebted, brought me back to what is real. I am forever grateful.

In the end, this agent that we have grown to respect, gave us some very kind words, “I wish I had better news for you – you are clearly a talented writing team and I wanted to make a connection with this one. We would love to look at new projects if you don’t place this one.”

She also reminded us that every agent looks at a manuscript in a different way and encouraged us to keep looking. She offered to look at this story again once our revisions are what we would like them to be. So REALLY it was good news, probably the best “rejection” letter we could have received!

So please, do not tell us you‘re sorry, and don’t be sad, because this is the beginning of a really great thing. We are writers and we are committed to telling our story in the best way possible. For those of you that are waiting to be our beta-readers, it is coming! Thank you for being patient and we hope it will be worth your wait! We will continue to keep you up to date on all of our progress and whatever news we have to share. Until then, we will be hard at work getting our edits done and we will do our best at blogging and posting on FB. Thank you friends for your unending love and support! We treasure you!

Carrying On...{H & J}