Jill Kemerer

Monday, July 15, 2013

Writing Lessons from Frisbee Golf

My son and I needed something to do over Easter break, and we were so tired of being stuck inside that we didn't care the temperature was 49 degrees. We bought discs, headed to the nearest frisbee golf course, and had a blast!

June brought tons of rain--plus I barely left the house due to my writing schedule--so last Friday, my son and I gladly took advantage of the sunny weather to play another round. Again, we loved it. This time we tried different throwing techniques. My son excels at the overhand throw, while my underhand roll helped get the disc farther. It reminded me of my evolution with writing.

When I first started writing, I simply fired up the computer and wrote. I wasn't worried about word counts or pre-writing or grammar. It was about getting a story down on paper. The same with frisbee golf--I didn't worry about proper technique--I simply threw the disc and hoped it would eventually make it into the chains!

As my writing progressed, I tried various plotting methods, studied grammar, and paid attention to my word count. I wanted to not just write a book--I wanted to write a good book. With frisbee golf, I wanted to make it in the basket with fewer attempts. This meant using different grips, paying attention to the wind direction, and focusing before throwing.

My son is far, far better at this game than I am. But why compare? I can only work on my own game. Writing is the same way. Why worry about other authors? I can only improve my own writing.

At the end of the day, if we want to get better at something, we have to focus, be willing to accept that our first way might not be the best method, try different approaches, and put the blinders on to the other players. And we have to practice, practice, practice!

Have you tried a new activity lately? If yes, did you enjoy it? If no, why not?

Have a wonderful Monday!!

Still Haven't Hung the Curtains

Time for a quick update on my bedroom curtain situation. Back on April 29, 2013, I shared the sad saga of my latest decorating failure in "How Long Will it Take Me to Hang These Curtains?"

It is now July 12, 2013, and I DID attempt to get those curtains hung. We purchased super cheap curtain rods--I'm talking five bucks a piece!!--unfurled the curtains and installed one pair. Unfortunately, the rods didn't extend over our current mini-blinds.

The result? Yikes. Picture bunched-up curtains trying to jump over a thick bar. *shivers*

So my hubby took down the rod, and I returned all three of them to the store. Yes, in hindsight it would have made sense for me to purchase new, appropriate rods right then. But...I was lazy. And frugal. Do you know how much the good ones cost? I'm tempted to throw a broomstick on a meat hook and call it good.

That being said, I love the curtains. I look forward to seeing them frame my windows. Someday. :)

#DecorationFail.

Let's hear it. What project still lingers unfinished at your house?

Have an awesome weekend!!

Writing Goals: The Summer Push

January and September are my ideal months for setting writing goals, but July? The only goals I can wrap my head around involve ice-cream and sleep!

I recently put the final polish on another book, and the last thing I want to think about is setting an aggressive writing goal. However, a few mini-goals will rejuvenate my creativity between now and fall.

If you're considering setting a short-term, summer writing goal, try the following steps.

1. Determine your commitment level.

Many of my friends are attending ACFW's annual conference mid-September. This automatically raises the commitment level. Aim for a higher goal if you have a concrete deadline and reason to meet the goal. If you've recently wrapped an intense project and don't have deadlines looming, your commitment level should be lower.

2. Be honest about the time you can reasonably spend.

Sure, we can say we'll spend one hour every night and four hours each Saturday morning working on our book, but summer has a way of subtracting hours we thought were available. Mid-week picnics, baby showers, weddings, impromptu tickets to a ball game--there is nothing wrong with enjoying these! Just check your planner BEFORE you set the goal. And, please, don't eliminate the little things that bring so much joy, like watching the sun go down from your deck.

3. Determine what one goal would rock your world if you accomplished it this summer.

Maybe you've been writing the final ten-thousand words of your manuscript for six months. Or you just can't bring yourself to start revising the book you finished drafting last winter. It could be social media--you've been meaning to set up a blog or a Facebook page, but something holds you back. Now is a great time to move past your roadblocks and get going. Build momentum now and you'll be flying when the weather cools.

4. Creativity is like exercise. You don't have to go full throttle every minute, but you do have to keep moving.

Small kids at home forcing you to set your manuscript aside for the time being? Vacations eating into every free moment? Make goals to read, journal, explore--anything related to writing.

My summer writing goals?
- Catch up on reading (Reading great fiction improves my writing.)
- Study one new writing craft book
- Brainstorm story ideas
- Free-writing (I rarely free-write when I'm working on a book.)

If you're a writer, do you set summer goals? What project can you push for the next two months?

Have a great day!

Karen Barnett's Summer Tradition and a Giveaway!

I'm so excited to have Karen Barnett on the blog today! Karen and I met last year at ACFW's annual conference. I looked forward to meeting her because we'd connected online AND we share the same fabulous agent! She's just as warm, friendly, and fun in person as she is online. A Genesis finalist last year, Karen also sold her first book!

Her debut novel, Mistaken, is also set along the Washington shoreline. In 1926 Port Angeles, Laurie Burke needs help to put an end to her brother’s rumrunning schemes. Is his best friend, pharmacist Daniel Shepherd, also involved? When Laurie becomes interested in the visiting federal agent, Samuel Brown, she must decide which man--if any--is worthy of her trust.

Karen graciously agreed to share her favorite summer tradition with us today. Welcome, Karen!!

When I was growing up, my family didn’t take expensive vacations. But we did look forward to occasional visits to a friend’s beach house on Hartstene Island. About 1 ½ hours from our home in Tacoma, this island in the Puget Sound was the perfect retreat for beachcombing, barbecuing, bicycling, and nature walks. We swam in the little community pool and fished from the dock. We always arrived home exhausted, covered with sunburns and bug-bites, and lugging treasured collections of shells, pretty rocks, and priceless memories.

For my kids, vacations have been a little different. We pinched pennies and managed a couple big trips—cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean, and a few days at Disneyworld. They were fantastic, but I worried my children would grow up believing vacations should include gourmet meals, snorkeling, formal nights, and cruise staff waiting to serve their every need.

I longed to share my childhood retreat with them, but had they been spoiled for this sort of trip? No white-sand tropical beaches? No broadway-style shows? No costumed character breakfasts?

A couple of years ago we decided to try it. We packed the car and drove north to Washington. The island seemed frozen in time—nothing had changed. We collected sand dollars, broken shells, and smelly dead crab claws. We played on the rope swing and skipped rocks over the waves. We roasted marshmallows and feasted on hot dogs. The kids each caught their first fish. We walked the trails under the giant trees and marveled over spotted fawns nestled in the ferns.

A few years have passed now and we’re long overdue for another family outing. The other night, I chatted with my 11-year-old daughter about it. “So what do you think? Where would you like to travel?” She grinned big. “What about that Hartstene place Mom? Could we go there?”

And my heart smiled.

***

Mistaken ~

Since booze and prohibition have made criminals out of every man in her world, Laurie Burke resolves to find at least one honorable man to fill her life. Convinced that handsome newcomer Daniel Shepherd is connected with her brother’s rum-running gang, Laurie quickly scratches his name off her list.
Daniel has mixed feelings about returning to the dirty mill town of his youth, but grudgingly agrees to manage his grandfather’s drug store until a replacement can be found. The moment he meets Laurie on the windswept bluff overlooking the beach, he knows that if he can earn her love, he might have a reason to stay. But when Laurie pushes him away--for none other than Federal Agent Samuel Brown--Daniel wonders if Laurie really is the upstanding woman he thought her to be.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca, just off the beaches of Port Angeles, Washington, was treacherous water for reckless rumrunners—and the agents who tried to catch them. So when she realizes her brother is in danger, romance is the last thing on Laurie's mind. Yet the people she believes she can trust, may not be so honorable after all.

***

Karen Barnett lives in Albany, Oregon, with her husband, two kids, three cats, and an attention-starved dachshund (who believes lap-top computers were invented by someone who hated lapdogs).

***

Thank you SO much, Karen, for being my guest today!

Karen has graciously offered to give away a copy of Mistaken to one lucky blog commenter! Just leave your e-mail addy (ex: jill(at)jillkemerer(dot)com) in a comment below to be entered. **Must be 18 years or older and only open to residents of USA.** I'll toss all the entries in a hat and pull the winner out. Winner will be notified by e-mail. Contest open until midnight, Wednesday, July 10.

What family vacations or summer traditions do you remember most fondly? What childhood experiences do you wish you could share with your kids?

Have a terrific Monday!

Flashback Friday

Normally, I post a new vlog on the first Friday of the month, but it's a holiday weekend. I'm basting ribs, cutting up cantaloupe, walking my energetic wiener-dog. The vlog will have to wait. :)

Here's a flashback from last July where I discussed my late grandmother's phrases.

"Grandma-ism's with Jill Kemerer"

(Could YouTube select a more unflattering snapshot to start the video? I don't think so...)

Have a terrific weekend!!

It's Almost Independence Day!

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July! Whoop! Whoop!

What are you doing (my American friends) for the Fourth of July?

Have fun!!

A Small, Weed-Free Garden

This April, I ripped up a long strip of grass behind our house. The two-and-a-half feet wide area could have extended another foot in width, but with our clay soil, working up ground is difficult! Although we try to do things organically whenever possible, my hubby and I agreed to one round of weed-killer a full month before planting.

Three weeks later, I spent hours breaking up the clods and clumps of grass before smoothing the surface with a rake. Then I mixed potting soil, organic fertilizer, and mulch together and worked it in with the existing dirt. We were ready to plant!

Over Memorial Day weekend, I planted zucchini's, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, basil, and tomatoes. A few marigolds help repel garden-eating bugs.

We weren't sure how the vegetables would respond to the soil and the location. So far, they're thriving. The garden took up little room, allowing me to mulch the entire thing. In one month I've picked three stalks of grass and one weed. Obviously the weed killer in early April made the biggest difference, but the mulch helps tremendously. Next year we'll skip the initial weed killer. I'm sure I'll be pulling more weeds.

Here are pictures from the day I planted them. (We also arranged potted flowers.)

Zucchini and cucumber plants in the corner of our garden.

Basil and pepper plants.

Here are pictures I took over the weekend (four weeks later).

Jalapenos will be ready soon!

The "little" zucchini plants in the corner grew quickly!

Love how full the potted arrangement became. :)

We've had a LOT of rain this summer. I saw these cute little mushrooms popping up and had to take a picture. :)

Gardening can be a lot of work, but I've done very little out there in the last month. It's so fun watching all the plants and blossoms grow. We have three zucchinis almost ready to pick. The tomato plants are huge, but it will be a while before we get any of those.

Do you garden? What are your secrets? If not, consider a small garden like ours--it's been fun and easy!

Have a wonderful day!