Celebrate the Small Things: Setting Goals and Getting Ready for Fall

I don't know about you, but there is something about the onset of Fall that gets my creative juices going. I saw this challenge on Facebook at my publisher's author site and decided this was for me. 

You basically devote 100 days of activity to an artistic/creative endeavor between now and December 31, 2017. Mine is to finish outlining my new novel and actually begin writing chapters. You set the challenge, and ideally plan each day in advance. I plan to commit at least 25 minutes a day (by timer if necessary). I know the time will be longer if I can just put my butt in the chair, but it's how my mind works (I have to trick it into compliance). Of course, everyone does what works best for them. #SHOWUP100

Today was DAY 1. I worked on the synopsis and back stories, and boy did it ever feel good. As this is a sequel, I loved pulling in characters from the first book, deciding who would no longer play a role. It wasn't easy. I wanted to give them all top billing on the novel stage, but alas, some actors no longer fit. Anyway, wish me luck! Have any of you tried this method?

The challenge is necessary. My husband and I just spent the last two weeks painting our home. I haven't been writing at all. We managed to put on one coat, but it was good paint and should get us by till next spring, when we'll apply a second coat. Frankly, it's been too darn hot to accomplish much more, and it's smokier than ever here. VERY tired of the smoke! 

Nonetheless, the signs of Fall are already here. The leaves of our new service berry tree are already beginning to turn. The mums are starting to blossom. We have Fall planting to do as well, but not nearly as much as last year. 

I hope you are doing fine. I've been offline far too long, but had so much stuff to do this summer. I have book reviews piling up that I need to do as well. Eventually, eventually. It all comes together somehow, doesn't it?

Take care everyone. Remember to smile and take deep breaths. I look at the world and have days when all I can do is shake my head in the negative, but we saw some beautiful coming together by all in Houston. Made me proud. Still tough for those folks, but help keeps coming in. I try to remember, it could always be worse, and that celebrating the small things in life is what matters most. 

ALSO Celebrating my novel and reviews. Check it out: 
The Shells of Mersing 

"Come celebrate with us" 

To join "Celebrate the Small Things, visit Lexa Cain's blog

Co-hosts are: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Celebrate the Small Things: Summer, Book, and YA News

Hi, I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer! Smoke from the Northwest and Canadian fires has finally cleared and the temperature has dropped to the mid-eighties. ~Breathing a huge sigh of relief~

'SHELLS' Watch. Another week and I haven't written my novel's sequel yet. Ha-ha-ha. I'm still trying to figure out how to promote the first one. Thankfully, sales are up for  The Shells of Mersing. Received my first box of printed copies in the mail and fell in love all over again. Here's another teaser, page 137:


CALLIE MEETS SAM:

"Samuel gives Lucas a high-five and starts to do the same with me, but hesitates. He smiles, a cute half grin, and shakes my hand. My hand melts into his, and his touch is as warm and velvety as any first kiss could ever be. For a moment the room blurs around us.

Irene clears her throat. “Samuel’s homeschooling with us for the summer, while his parents work on assignment in Indonesia.”  

I’m too speechless to say anything relevant in reply. I’d stammer and make a fool of myself if I tried.

Samuel pours himself a lemonade. “So what’s up? Why’s everyone in such a daze?” 

Writers' Conferences: 

• Rivers of Ink 2017 Conference - Kennewick, WA  Aug 18-20 (Sunday is free - Story Structure 1&2)
• Inland Northwest SCBWI Conference - Spokane, WA Sept 16

YOUNG ADULT NEWS: 
Interesting news in the Young Adult genre with the recent publishing of The Black Witch by Laurie Forest. Apparently, this new author is being skewered for being racist. Her stated attempt was to portray a character's transformation after growing up in a close knit prejudiced culture, and apparently she sees the light as an adult. Unfortunately, a critic ranted on Twitter about the racism and what she claims is the book's final effect. The book is 600 pages long, but readers are rejecting the book based on some 500 tweets! 

Here's an example of a quote in the review from pg. 163 in the book: "The Kelts are not a pure race like us. They’re more accepting of intermarriage, and because of this, they’re hopelessly mixed.” Seriously?? This was considered inappropriate? I thought this was fiction. I do not normally read fantasy, but I might make an exception. Perhaps the most compelling point is that the main character's transformation doesn't really begin until halfway through the book. That's a lot of reading with potentially repugnant material. It's possible the author went too far, but still.....

The article states that the tweeted review was  "— a clarion call for YA Twitter, which regularly identifies and denounces books for being problematic (an all-purpose umbrella term for describing texts that engage improperly with race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and other marginalizations). Led by a group of influential authors who pull no punches when it comes to calling out their colleagues’ work, and amplified by tens of thousands of teen and young-adult followers for whom online activism is second nature, the campaigns to keep offensive books off shelves are a regular feature in a community that’s as passionate about social justice as it is about reading."

This is not about one bad review. It stirred up a hornet's nest for the publisher as you can imagine. My guess is the brew-ha-ha increased sales, but I'm bothered by the censorship, because the goal was to remove her book from readers and shelves. My question to any author or publisher is: do we really have the right? Parents do this all the time and that's their duty and prerogative. I did this with books (and media) too with my children and would do so again based on age appropriateness, but blackballing an author's hard-earned work riles me up. I may not like everything I read and have the right to express those views, but to embark on a censorship campaign feels just plain wrong. 

What do you think?

Click here for the full articles:  "The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter by Kat Rosenfield and "On Disagreement" by Vicky Smith

Last but not least, it's time to think about Painting the house and Fall Gardening. 

We tend to take on bigger than life projects!!!

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

"Come celebrate with us" 

To join "Celebrate the Small Things, visit Lexa Cain's blog

Co-hosts are: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 

Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Celebrate the Small Things: Fire on the Mountains and Summer Magic

A family visit took away from my blog these last two weeks, but it was time well spent. Some excitement with the ongoing fire hazard brought incredible views. It was quite the ringside seat.  We watched our suede mountain across the lake burn in full view.

When the fire was over, these suede mountains were black.

Mercifully, the wind did not blow choking smoke over our small community, although many of us saw ashes fall. None ignited fires on our side!

 We watched our phenomenal helicopter fire crew dump bucket after bucket of water for hours on end. These folks deserve some kind of medal. 

  
At one point, the Wanupum community (our local Indian tribe) was evacuated on the fire side, but the fire crews managed to save their homes and businesses. 

View from park and marina at dusk: "The 400 Fire"

A photo opportunity: Selfie with my daughter on left

Love this of my daughter at the water's edge

Summer magic: My daughter took this of me, and said I reminded her of a magician raising up the smoke.

When all was done, no lives were lost and to my knowledge, not one building or home was destroyed. Thankful, thankful, thankful!

"Come celebrate with us" 
To join "Celebrate the Small Things, visit Lexa Cain's blog
Co-hosts are: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge 
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Celebrate the Small Things: A Photo Opportunty

Still smokey in Eastern Washington and the fires continue to burn. Tomorrow we are on another high wind alert....not good. Vince and I are official 'weather spotters' and we've been notified to be on the lookout for damage and new fires.

Meanwhile, I shot some photos in the smokey haze (Aug 23), a photo opportunity. It was one of those 'got lemons, make lemonade' moments. The gray rocky hill in the distance (Umtanum Ridge) is normally brown with distinctive angles and shading. We were coming home from Ellensburg (up the hill), where beautiful Mount Rainier is often visible. Not so this time. Even the Cascades were buried in smoke.

View from road, Columbia River, near Vantage

View from road along Columbia River, near Mattawa

Wanapum Dam - Columbia River, near Mattawa

Columbia River, Japanese apple orchards in distance, near Mattawa

Apple orchard in distance, Umtanum Ridge, Columbia River  

 Other celebrations:

--Did some gardening. The temperature was bearable today.
--Loving SmartEdit, my new editing software
--Celebrated another birthday last week. Yummy ice cream cake with friends.

Hope your week was worth every minute

Happy Weekend!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To join this blog hop click Celebrate page on Lexa's Blog for the rules. Posts are every Friday. It can be about writing, family, school, general life or whatever. This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever. (Originated by VikLit)  Co-hosts are: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge and Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Celebrate the Small Things: Clean Air for One

[Seattle Times] I-90 shut down due to smoke Jul 20

Eastern Washington has been 'under siege' by smoke and forest fires this and last month. Yesterday we could barely see across the lake. Today, with the wind that blew through in the right direction last night, the air is clean again.

What we really need is a good old-fashion downpour--a week's worth! The entire state is as dry as a cinder, and it's affecting the way we live. Recently I-90 was shut-down near where I live and traffic was backed up for miles.

My husband and I had planned to camp in Northeastern WA this weekend at a beautiful state park. One of our small towns there is holding a popular fly-in called Wings Over Republic, and with all the activity surrounding this event, people fly in with their small planes and air camp under the wings, or pitch tents and camp in their RVs at the adjacent state park. Not this year. Today we cancelled our reservation and I just read online that authorities are calling for cancellation of the fly-in as well. Last we heard, the town was at a Level I alert, which means some residents might be evacuated.

[KHQ TV Spokane] Current fire in Ferry County, near where we had hoped to camp.

Sadly, three fire fighters lost their lives in the Twisp, WA fire on Wednesday. Prayers are needed for the remaining crews' safety and those living near the fires! Burn victims have been reported and dozens of homes have been lost too. Unfortunately, knowing where the next fire will flareup can't be predicted. Wind and lightning strikes feed these fires. Meanwhile, I'm grateful for the 'breather' today. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a different note.....
I've been swimming a lot at the community pool. Swam 18 laps two days in a row. Kind of proud of that....I could barely do 8 laps when I started two months ago. 

 Have a Relaxing Weekend!

Source: http://www.topix.com/county/ferry-wa/2015/08/kettle-complex-fire-in-ferry-county-at-42-000-acres;
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/brush-fire-closes-i-90-near-vantage/ 

Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is visit the Celebrate page on Lexa's Blog for the rules, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful for that week. It can be about writing or family or school or general life. This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)  Co-hosts are: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge and Katie @ TheCyborgMom