This week’s question: What books have bitten you?

Too many adult romance series books to name, but I can tell you that books by SARK always make it onto my self. She’s self-help, but not in that medical, preachy way. It’s more like the fun, colorful, interactive, scribble-outside-the-lines type of way. I’ve talked about this woman plenty on my blog here, but I have to say that every time I leave her presence, I’m invigorated and uplifted.

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host [Parajunkee.com] and anyone else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers – http://www.bookswithbite.net/
3. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments.
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You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #22: What would you do if writing made you rich?

Boy, have I waited for a question like this. I would do two things:

1) Travel the U.S. and stay in the more interesting places for a month at a time, soaking up the atmosphere and being inspired to write more.

2) Find me a white-washed Magic Cottage a la SARK that clings to the side of a mountain with a view of the sea. Preferably in Greece. Or Italy. Or the Caribbean islands…

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, Magic Cottage, SARK, Greece, Caribbean

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #22: What author’s career would you love to emulate?

You are so going to get sick of seeing this author’s name in my blog posts, but it’s only because the questions of late have had to do with author crushes, favorite author’s, and the book that changed your life. In my case, the answers to these questions has always been the same person every time and this time is no different.

I would love to have SARK‘s career.

Why?

~ Her books are filled with color, doodles, drawings and places to write your own thoughts. I would love to create a YA novel like that.

~ The fact that she does all of her signings, workshops and seminars in silk lounging pajamas

~ She writes in a Magic Cottage

And she does so much more. Too much to list here, so I’ll just ask you to go to her site and see what kind of career she has.

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, SARK

Make Your Creative Dreams REAL
A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, Avoiders, and People Who Would Rather Sleep All Day
by SARK
May 2004, Simon and Schuster, ISBN: 0743229215

First of all, I’d like to point out that SARK is one of my favorite authors and literary crush. I am a SARK disciple and pray at the alter of SARK. If she were a cult, I’d join and never look back. I’ve met her several times and have had the pleasure of attending a couple of her workshops. And each time, I’ve come away feeling energized. She has the most amazing presence. Her regular attire of lounge pajamas could be the reason, but I’m sure that’s only part of her charm.

This book changed everything…for my writing. Because SARK (a.k.a. Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) introduces the Micro Movement Wheel.Click image for bigger view

It’s to help you complete a huge task in increments of 5 sec-5 mins. As you can see in this example, the “dream” is in the middle and each of the 12 sections has a task. Each of these can take 5 sec-5 mins, until eventually, you get further every time and have reached your “dream”.

I applied this activity to my writing, but call it Writing Movements. When I actually have Writing Movements, they get posted here. The results of the Writing Movements, not the actual writing itself. I’m superstitious like that. But I digress…

It works! I’ve finally found something that works for me! Hallelujah, praise the Lord, pass the biscuits!

I use this when:
1) I’m not feeling very productive
2) Trying to crack through writer’s block
3) Procrastinating about writing.

This book was made for me because my other middle name is Procrastination (it’s just not on my birth certificate). I love all this woman’s books, but this one has a special pocket of my heart. The one for writing.

Technorati Tags: Sunday Scribblings, Make Your Creative Dreams REAL, A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, Avoiders, and People Who Would Rather Sleep All Day, SARK

Today was our final session with the girls. We did a self-portrait poem. We had to do it one of two ways: Fill in the blanks or answer a series of 14 questions. The fill-in-the-blank lines asked you to complete a sentence like “Who intends to….” “Who cares about…” and “Who wants to be respected for…” Some of the questions were “What do you like?” “What do you hate?” “Who is important to you?” etc.

This poem gave PA and I another chance to get to know the girls a little bit better. For some, I think answering the questions was a lot easier than filling in the blanks. It’s not easy trying to describe yourself because you really don’t think about how people see you until they come out and say it. “That girl is a great listener” or “She’s really loyal to her friends.” The questions and the fill-in-the-blank sentences asked the girls to think about their present and future (“What do you want to do when you graduate from high school?” and I think it was a little difficult for them.

As usual, the results were amazing. We only had 4 girls this time, and not all of them shared their poems. I had a great time participating in this Creative Writing series. Both me and the girls learned about different forms of poetry. We were exposed to local authors and got a chance to read poems by several talented local young adults. And the girls will receive a published booklet of all the poems they wrote during the session some time after the New Year. What a great gift!

I have a greater appreciation for poetry now. For those that write it and for those that have a great voice when reading it aloud. I’ll just stick to writing novels. Here’s my contribution:

Celise
Sense of humor, bookworm, loyal, caring
Who cares about sharing my overactive imagination with the world
Who intends to create a writing center for teens
Who wants to be known as the local writer who created a local place for future aspiring young writers
Who wants to be respected for loyalty to family and friends
Who fears of not living up to my potential
Who wants others to understand that sometimes what I want to say never gets said
Who gives 110% when I’m in Writing Mode
Who dreams of becoming a full-time writer
Who believes in the words of Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy (aka SARK) “I am enough, I have enough, I do enough”.

Technorati Tags: Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, SARK

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #9

Who’s your literary crush?

My literary crush is SARK.

It’s an acronym which stands for Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy. I. LOVE. THIS. WOMAN. She’s all about self-help/self-empowerment, but not in the typical way. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her several times, as well attending her very fun workshops, and I always come away feeling uplifted. I think it’s her energy. Or maybe it’s the fact that she conducts her book signings and workshops in purple lounging pajamas. Whenever she releases a new book, she does a book signing here at the local indie store, Changing Hands. Her books are amazingly color-full (it’s SARK’s way of spelling it) and interactive, filled with quotes and references to other great resources. They’re picture books for adults. LOL. Truly. Text written in different color ink, pictures, doodling in the margins…it’s fantabulous. I think it’s so cool that she’s able to have her books published like that. Makes me wonder about her editing process.

But that’s not all.

Not only does she write, but she’s got amazing stuff and workshops. Nearly all of her books take up space on my bookshelf and I have her words of wisdom plastered in my office and room. The Micro Movement Wheel she talks about in “Make Your Creative Dreams Real” helps me write my books. But I refer to them as Writing Movements.

I’ve flagged several pages in her “Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper” book because they could be utilized in a writing program. I wish the Writer’s Manifesto at the front of this book was a poster.

Seriously, how can you not want to pick up a book titled “Wild, Succulent Woman”

“Eat Mangoes Naked”

“The Bodacious Book of Succulence”

“Living Juicy”

or “Inspiration Sandwich?”

What other self help book do you know of that has sections where you can draw and write? None, I tell you.

I want a Magic Cottage like hers.

For some reason, not everyone likes her. For reals. I find that really hard to believe, but there it is. If you’re one of those people, what the hell is wrong with you? Is she not clinical enough for you? Is she not boring enough for you? Is she not serious enough for you? Who said self-help has to be all those things? Um, not SARK. That’s for sure.

SARK, if you’re reading this, as long as you continue to write your amazing books, I will continue to read them. Also, you really need to make that Writer’s Manifesto into a poster. I wasn’t kidding about that.

Favorite Quote:

“I am enough, I have enough, I do enough.”

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, SARK, Changing Hands, Make Your Creative Dreams Real, Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper, Wild, Succulent Woman, Eat Mangoes Naked, The Bodacious Book of Succulence, Living Juicy

Writing Movements #1 and its creative spurt of nearly 20 pages was a section I refer to as “The Offer.” Yesterday, I got 9 handwritten pages of “The Psych Eval.”

Not bad. Not bad at all.

“When I feel successful, I will use it as memory for times that I don’t.” – SARK’s Writer’s Solution Sheet

What makes Draven special?

She’s been recruited by the FBI as an informant, and she doesn’t have any special FBI agent-type skills, so really what’s so special about her?

During lunch, LK and I had a little brainstorming session and we talked about the book some more. I thought I was done with Book One, but it’s apparent that I’m not. Needless to say, when I got home, I was eager to get started on the stuff we had talked about.

A few false starts and several balled up pieces of paper later, my thoughts finally started coming together. I was up til midnight, but I produced nearly 20 new handwritten pages and have the sore fingers to prove it.

As of right now, revisions for Book Two have been put on hold until I revise–again–Book One.

I like it when writing movements flow like that.

“When you write something valuable will occur” – SARK

Technorati Tags: Writing on the Wall, Monday Mania