March, 2010

Butterfly Award

I received this award several days ago now and I wanted to say a belated thank you to Suzette Saxton and her sister, Bethany Wiggins for giving it to me. It’s supposed to go out to cool, inventive sites and I do know more than a few now:

Rick at The Public Query Slushpile has a blog that does an enormous service to those of us struggling to write query letters. Submit your query and find out if it works for John Q.(for Query) Public.

Sandi Rog at The Book Doctor also gives awesome feedback in a variety of ways and from a variety of voices including Dave King’s. He’s the co-author of “Self-Editing For Fiction Writers” and if you haven’t read it, you need to.

The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood gives great advice on a daily basis.

Ray Rhamey at Flogging the Quill is tough, but GOOD. He’ll help you whip your opening 17 lines into memorable art.

Authoress at Miss Snark’s First Victim has provided thousands of people with insight through her contests and a few blessed readers have found agents.

Obviously, I like these sites because of how much information and assistance they give to others. If you know of similar sites, let me know! I like posting the links on my sidebar, for one thing. 🙂

Polish Your Pitches

Coming soon to a blog near you is the opportunity to pitch Jason Yarn at the Paradigm Literary Agency. Take a look at the Query Tracker Blog and get out the minwax.

Personally, I need to take my thumb drive into the shop and see why it won’t let me access anything. My computer won’t read it. I guess I’ll take the laptop in, while I’m at it!

Leigh Michael’s Writing Between the Sexes Class

I just spoke with author Leigh Michaels about a conference she spoke at a year ago where she talked about the differences between how men and women think. She gives a great talk and I’d recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to attend. She said she’s offering another Writing Between the Sexes seminar next month for the FFP chapter of RWA, and maybe later in the year for Carolina Writers online. There’s a link to the first one on the homepage of her website.

I contacted Leigh because of CNN article by Louann Brizendine where she discusses how the male brain works.

Praising God

And now for something completely different, I needed to praise God this morning. Perhaps not for anything specific, at least not writing-related. But I don’t do it enough and this week has been hard, so I will thank God for helping me get through it without complaining or crying THAT much.

I still have my family, we have our jobs, our health and our home.

If I have to be a one-hit wonder, I will still write. Please, Lord. Help me to do your will and enjoy doing it. Amen.

Book Review: Escaping the Tiger

Escaping the Tiger is the story of Vonlai Sirivong, his sister, mother and father and is based on the first hand experience of the author’s husband.

Twelve-year-old Vonlai wakes one night when his father shakes him and says, “We’re crossing tonight.” Vonlai and his family paddle, then swim for safety across the Mekong river from communist Laos into Thailand. As Laotians say, “Escaping the tiger to face the crocodile.” The refugee situation in Thailand leaves Vonlai and his family in fear for his sister’s safety from the camp guards and in constant hunger for both food and a home.

There were so many gorgeous, touching moments in this book, it’s not fair to share just one. However, I hate spoilers, so I picked the following passage. It was the first, but not the last time I cried. Early on, we learn of Vonlai’s dream to become an architect like his father was before the war. His father’s book of western architecture was a prized possession until the communists learned of it through Vonlai’s indiscretion and they burned the book:

“From then on, his father stopped telling stories about America, but Vonlai repeated the old ones to himself and drew the pictures in his mind so he wouldn’t forget. And Vonlai did dream, while vowing never to betray Pah’s trust again. He dreamed of one day seeing those architectural marvels with his own eyes. Building a life for himself as strong as skyscrapers, double-decker bridges, underground trains, and soaring highways that looped up and around one another like ribbon on a gift.”

Those desires and dreams are difficult to hold onto when a month in the camp turns into a year, then four years. Vonlai makes friends with Colonel, a kind old man with hideous war wounds earned from the Pathet Lao communist guards in Laos. Colonel teaches Vonlai how to survive hell and still cling to his dreams. Their interaction remains true throughout the book and moved me to tears. Have I mentioned how much I love books that elicit strong emotional responses?

“Escaping the Tiger” is among the most uplifting pieces of literature I’ve been privileged to read and I want to thank the author and her husband for sharing the tale.