Sunday, December 30, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Fourteen

The moment we entered the elementary school library the first grade teacher warned, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Hardly if ever as an Artist on canvas do I find comfort in locating the frame that goes around one of my expressions. Why should I feel any different about the big city lights that catch a readers wandering eye? While writing books I exercise expression. The book's cover can and will change more times than a perfectionist should be allowed. Once the edits are complete. The final step before the publisher pushes the pages forward the signature must be placed on the line that which signals an approval. Meaning there's no turning back. I hated the cover of One Man's 1,021 Thoughts. I was wrapped up more in first time publication chills and fear that I said yes to everything. That changed on Another 1,021 Thoughts, Conversation With The Devil, Halloween 78 The Blizzard White Canvas and Radio Blah Blah Blogs One and Two. I'm not a control freak. The writer in me has to find a place to agree with the Artist's view without having to sit in cold lonely rooms explaining over and over about what the book means.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Picture Of A New Book: Part Thirteen

Writers dedicated to projects find extreme difficulties in locating the itch to scratch. Runners have a high. Weightlifters push reality beyond normal abilities. Writers fixed on creating echoes end up screaming into salt stained pillows. Committing to a writing journey is masterfully disciplined by years of dusty dreams and wickedly wild answers to questions that never come up but by God you're ready for them! Can a writer heal the open wounds created by a self that refuses to stop pushing? I laugh out loud hoping it'll drown out my heart shouting, "Ouch!" People keep asking, "Where did you get such an odd subject to write about?" This picture tells the story. Lyrics to a song fell through a mountain of stress and its scent fertalized the soil with roots I could no longer ignore. Steven Furtick writes in his new book Greater about finding a true belief in your calling. It doesn't have to be a minster, preacher or church leader. Locate your love in life and lift it to a greater level of existance.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Picture Of A New Book: Part Twelve

The Martial Arts colors of the multiple belts a "Writer" wears:
White: The idea arrives and the writer accepts the journey High White: Discipline being a guide the first draft cannot turn into an editing nightmare Yellow: Weeks turn into months the handwritten draft is completed High Yellow: I call it fermenting. Setting the writing aside for up to six months to create a disconnection Green: Inviting the handwritten draft back with the goal of typing out the story without editing High Green: Edit one by the writer... fill in the blanks, redraw the pictures...make it real and understandable to the reader Blue: Setting the writing aside a second time. Fermenting for three to six months High Blue: Edit two by the writer...reacquaint yourself with the original idea. How has the story grown? Red: Begin the process of searching for a professional editor that will be honest but not injuring. Accept their truth. High Red: Make suggested changes then ferment three to six months. Black: Locate publisher or self publish 2nd: Get into the view of readers and make yourself approachable to new writers 3rd: Begin the process letting go of the connection so that other writing journeys can easily slip in Master: Never let what you do as a writer go to your head. Keep the ego in white belt status at all times.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Eleven

Had I not walked into South Park Mall in Charlotte, NC that chilly Saturday morning what might have happened these past months of letting everything but the writing go? Passing thoughts that wouldn't wash free. Energy generated but no questions of who what where and why me? Admittingly I will make known...the attempt to keep pushing a book idea away lasted about three days. Then it bit into me only to be told, "I'm not asking anymore. You are to meet with me each morning sunrise and set or wherever else I request. Take from the air a thin line of nothing only for it to reappear on paper scratched by an instrument Mont Blanc calls John Lennon. When the handwriting is done you will know...a signature followed by a message no one would ever think came from you will be told. Now place it aside my dear sad writing friend. Emptiness caused by the conclusion of something creative will be refueled by an act of ferminting. Let all thats been handwritten set away from the path. Its time to separate the writer from the one, a self that'll need to type and type and type until its finished again. Embrace the chase by allowing creative flow to grow. I'll never share with you where the chapters arrived...that would ruin the entire surprise. You, the writer did what I asked. I said write and damn if those radio fingers of 33 years didn't find its true voice."

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Ten

The biggest mistake I've made (so far) as a writer is walking into a Barnes and Noble store searching for a place to be published but bought a book instead. Every page listed companies searching for subjects and styles. Rather than me being me I chose to act out the first thing that led to the scent of published ink. Instantly "New Age Religion" became the section of the bookstore I fell into. Wait! This wasn't a bad thing! Chapters come and pages are sewn, scenes so bright a shadow shaped like the main character inspires curves to be placed where mystery grows. The current under construction new book titled Scrambled Eggs combines every personality and style I'm required to be from Blogging to writing commercial copy, dancing with poetry, long form story sharing and ordering Tacos from Jack In The Box are nothing more than tools of the trade. Challenge yourself to write in every direction. What seems like backwards reveals a newer way to redesign a love triangle, murder scene or two birds sitting in a tree barking at fish chasing dogs swimming in the nearby lake.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Nine

The act of taking a thought dropped into the corner of your imagination and breathing reality into it is accepting the gift to create. Before the first grade and far into the ancient chapters so many write or think they did...being one that creates comes with the added weight of judgment, accusations of not following along or playing well with others, the end result of another person's greedy habits and or weird, strangely incomparable and not always in tune with fad and or fashion. Therefore when someone says, "I find enjoyment in being creative..." My first reaction is to shake their hand. Creativity is having the personal strength and willingness to trust that no matter how hard another person's words or expectations hit you the center of your heart will forever invite Art to the surface so other's forced into silence have reason to believe in the act of a thought dropping into the corner of their imagination.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Eight

I've never looked at myself as being "An Author." I'm a writer! Through every medium of expression I believe a flow of writing takes place. What if words were buildings highlighted by a pink sky with white swirling clouds? These two pictures demonstrate what type of writer I am: The instructor has the perfectly blue with yellow windows and lined streets. My writing... Can you see the sentences? Being creative shouldn't come with labels. I learned several years ago that a writer can't ignore the other outlets that make up their point of energy. Being creative entails every side of your personality. Being a writer might always come first in a race but being happy is the trophy. Let "Art" move through you even when consumed by book projects that tend to gasp for more air than a fish out of water.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Seven

Putting words into play on a computer screen brilliantly highlights the importance of technology. Lost though is our connection to the bodies natural flow of inflection. The process of handwritten scenes and sentences is better felt when your writing-hand pulls from the muscles available in the forearm connected to the right or left shoulder and back. If you're like me...while penning out a really good scene it feels as if every inch of the body was either the main character or a villain chased until he or she held no more air. Another reason why I love handwriting this new book is not having Spell Check. I'm making horrible mistakes then having fun going back to figure out what words I was truly attempting to use! This picture is a snap shot of the book still being poured from the clouds without explanation. Nearly a month into the pages and rarely does a moment exist that I'm not living and reliving all things written but not rewritten. That process will come after the first draft. I don't edit anything until I know the speaker on the other side of reality is finished with me being his or her tool.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Six

While with Charlotte's 107.9...Anthony Michaels dubbed my "Radio" production studio The Womb. It was a safe zone for every shape of creativity. Why should the current studio be any different? This very room is where I penned out the book Conversation With The Devil. Nearly four years later out pops another birth! The most difficult task isn't bending the rules of proper punctuation but physically trying to get my several hats of expectation to make nice with each other. The storyteller can't stand the commercial writer. The Voice Over talent hides in a corner while the Blogger screams to be heard on Face Book and Twitter. Screw the Painter...there's no place for his mess! The singer songwriter will never be in tune. The Native American Spiritualist sits in the chair laughing at the spirits wanting to make noise through the mind body and soul of 2nd degree Black Belt in Martial Arts. I feel a need to hang up a sign outside my door: Beware...Creative Floods Can Cause Damage.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Pictures Of A New Book: Part Five

I find writing to be an amazing set of cartwheels and flips fed into a child's wish to continue exploring separate levels of land to make the next jump higher, longer and faster. A single sentence coming from out of nowhere sucks more air from my lungs than roaring down a giant wooden rollercoaster that should've been ripped down two decades ago. A body of water doesn't create rain. If it did we'd be walloping through endless puddles rather than waddling across confusing streets like an overweight woman galloping to the market chomping on gum she couldn't bear to toss out the evening before because there was too flavor left after popping bubbles. Think about it...my new book didn't start nor will it end with me. The process of writing includes the energy of all elements not just a single body of water.