Alive & Knitting
writing, knitting, and other tangled webs we weave

Mar

8

TAW #6 Weekly Check-In

Filed Under Writing

Last week was the chapter on money for me in TAW, and I have to admit that JC loses her grip on me a little bit with this chapter. I do believe that one should follow one’s bliss, and I do believe that happiness and satisfaction come from making that choice. I also believe that ultimately, people find financial success in some measure in doing what they love. I have a hard time with linking the abundant flow of cash with one’s creative happiness, for all the reasons JC lists as typical objections (and maybe a few more). I’m continuing to work on that part.

But, this week is the week I call Collage Week. One of the tasks is to make a collage and I love this assignment. I do it every time I work through TAW. There’s something so satisfying about seeking out images, then arranging them in a pleasing way – to represent a goal, a vision, a lifestyle choice or even your own self. I love the colours and the mingling of images and just the exercise itself.

There are writers who use collages as part of their creative process in writing a book. I don’t know anything about this process, beyond what I’ve just typed, so it looks like I have a new item on my TAW To Do list. I’m going to find out more about creative collaging.

For my artist date, I went to a greenhouse/nursery last week. Since winter is still hanging on here, it was wonderful to smell the warm earth and see all the little plants growing for spring sales. I bought some daylily bulbs and some potting soil to pot them up this week – although they’re supposed to be dormant, they’ve already started to sprout. They can live in one of the windows until it’s time for them to move outside. Buying them got me to doodling about the garden – what to change, what to move, what to add – and making Action Plans. I can’t wait to get my hands in the soil again.

How about you? Still writing your morning pages? Still going on your artist date? Found any exercises or tasks you particularly love? Or are you – like me – finding new areas to explore?

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Mar

2

Macmillan Blog on the Agency Clause

Filed Under Publishing

For those of you interested in the digital book selling model known as the Agency Clause – the root of the kerfuffle at Amazon a few weeks back – here’s a blog post from Macmillan CEO John Sargent with some more detail.

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Mar

1

TAW #5 Weekly Check-In

Filed Under Writing

Wow. I had a great week last week with THE ARTIST’S WAY. I found the sweet spot again, that balance point between writing and living that lets me write easily each day. The morning pages are a big big part of that. I love how they clear out the cobwebs and leave room for story ideas. It was a great week for me – this week’s challenge is to keep the rhythm.

One of the reasons I keep coming back to TAW is that it acts as a creative tune-up. I have never actually had writer’s block, but there are times when I work less efficiently than others. I work weekends and evenings to meet deadlines, and it seems to be heavier going. This kind of work pattern isn’t sustainable over the long term, but TAW helps me find the balance again. The analogy isn’t a bad one – it’s like noticing that your car isn’t running quite as quietly, accelerating as easily, or that it’s burning too much fuel. Some tweaks, maybe the investment in a new fan belt (for writers, some multicoloured highlighters or sparkly new office supplies might do the trick) and everything runs like a dream all over again. I think I’m always going to be fighting the temptation of the internet – I just think it’s too much fun – but right now, my indulgence is at a reasonably low level.

So, how about you? Did you do your morning pages? Go on your artist date? Notice anything starting to come together for you.

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Feb

26

Knit Your Veggies

Filed Under Knitting

Once upon a time, I had a character in a book who was an avid knitter. That was Jen in ALL OR NOTHING (scroll down to the bottom for this one.) Jen had a bit of an obsession with knitting fruit. During the course of the story, she was working out the details of knitting an avocado, but she had an entire collection of completed knitted fruit and veg.

People thought this was odd. I heard from a number of readers who could not believe anyone would knit fruits and vegetables.

Then Norah Gaughan came up with her glorious design for a knitted beet. (Yes, I still love it. No, I haven’t knit one yet.)

And now Knitpicks has created a kit for six pieces of knitted fruit and veg, all of which apparently are purses.

The trend to knitting produce is growing! Looks like Jen was a visionary.

Have you knitted any produce yet? It would be a good way to use up knitting stash, I think.

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Feb

24

WHISPER KISS Cover!

Filed Under Dragonfire, Promoting

Here’s the cover for Niall’s book – WHISPER KISS is Dragonfire #5, and will be released August 3, 2010.

Whisper Kiss

And here’s the cover copy:

One man’s mission ignites one woman’s fire…

Niall Talbot has volunteered to hunt down and destroy all the remaining shadow dragons—who were weakened by the destruction of the Dragon’s Blood Elixir—before they can wreak more havoc. Among them is his dead twin brother, making Niall’s mission not only dangerous but personal.

Tattoo artist Rox believes the world is a canvas to be made more beautiful. An unconventional spirit who isn’t afraid of anything, she doesn’t even f linch when a shape-shifting dragon warrior suddenly appears on her doorstep. And as a woman who follows her heart in matters of passion, she makes the perfect mate for a firestorm with Niall.

ISBN 978-0-451-23092-8

(And no, it will not be available at RWA National, for the literacy signing. July titles will be the newest ones shipped for the bookfair. Just FYI. I will have bookplates to sign for you.)

Don’t you love it? I can’t believe that these Dragonfire covers just keep getting better and better.

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