Off the Road... Finally

I was starting to feel like a homeless person living in my car. I’ve been on the road giving talks and autographing every weekend for a month. My back seat has layers from travels but I had a great time.

From Guymon, to Arlington and Plano , the Carrollton Library and the Red River Museum in Sherman then Wichita Falls ---I had a ball and met the nicest people.

Last week I went to OWFI---Oklahoma Writers Fed. Inc. My first and favorite conference. Marcia Preston (check out her new book at www.marciapreston.com/women.html ) and her team put on the perfect conference. For writers thinking about entering contest, I recommend owfi.org. as a site to watch for deadlines and a conference to attend the first week in May every year.

I’m working on my class at the West Texas Writers Academy coming up on June 8, 2009. Everywhere I travel people tell me they want to learn to write or they wish they could attend my class on writing.

Well, I’ve been working hard to put together a five day, all day, workshop that will be an entire course on how to write. Now, all those people who want to write have to come.

I remember a line from Lolly Anderson’s book How My Magic Refrigerator Sent Me To Paris Free. 7 Rules To Make Dreams Come True. (check it our on www.readerhook.com )

She said, “If you could take three steps to make your dream come true---would you?” For those willing to make their writing dreams come true, take the first step, call 806-651-2037 and sign up.

I’m also working on my story set in Harmony, Texas and loving writing it. I think it’s so much fun when the characters take over. I also love it on those rare nights when I sit down to write and the characters tell me the story.

I’m going back to fiction now.

Talk with you soon,

WT Writing Academy

I've heard it said that once you're a teacher, you are always a teacher. I think I believe that. It seems like since I stopped teaching in 1990, I've been teaching writing. Writer in Residence gives me the platform to continue teaching.

The first student who came into my office at the university was angry. He'd taken all the classes, almost had his second degree and still couldn't get anything published. I took one look at his novel and saw the problem. It was in the wrong format, single spaced, and easily twice the word count of any two books on the mass market shelves.

He wanted to make money writing, he'd spent almost 6 years learning to write, but no one had ever talked to him about how to sell. I don't remember, but I think I must have smiled about that moment because I'd found a place I could be of help writers. Knowing how to write and knowing what sells are not the same thing.

It has taken me 7 years and I've had lots of help from great writers-----finally, we've put together a one week academy that will pass along the SECRET of Publishing. West Texas Continuing Education did the hard work of put together the academy from June 8-12 on the campus. I believe this week will change the lives of writers attending. Multi-published writers, who make their living publishing fiction, will be working together to make magic happen.

So, if you know someone who is thinking of writing, or working on a book in the late hours, please let them know about this one week academy. You can check out the details on my home page, or the website of my dear friend and fellow lecturer, Tim Lewis. Encourage them to take action. We can help them save years of time.

Nothing tickles me more than opening a box and finding a book from a writer who once was a student. Once a teacher, always a teacher, I guess.

Become One with the Water...

Sometimes life drifts along like a slow river. Sometimes it rages. Seems like right now my life river would have white caps. The story I’m working on is coming fast, which is great. I’m working on a story set in Harmony, Texas , an imaginary town just west of Twisted Creek. The people are coming alive and I’m loving how they all relate to one another. Every evening I step into this world and feel like I live there. I’m always surprised when I glance up at the clock and find it’s after midnight.

I went to a workshop where the instructor kept stopping the lecture to have us all meditate. I didn’t learn much from the workshop except I can’t meditate. Thinking of nothing but breathing just doesn’t work for me. About the time I was about to give up, she said some people meditate as they walk. Now that I can understand. To clear my mind I left the lecture and went to Wal-mart. For an hour I just walked and thought of nothing. A hundred dollars later I felt much better. I’d meditated and bought groceries, makeup, plant food, an extension cord and socks. Next week I think I’ll meditate at the mall.

I'm no Poet...

Last week I went to a poetry workshop, thinking I would grow as a writer.

I learned a great deal. I’m not a poet, will never be a poet, it fact, I should not be allowed to ever hold a book of poetry. I feel sure if the teacher of the workshop could have kicked me out of class she would have done so in rhyme.

I’m counting the days down until REWRITING MONDAY comes out. I like my hero in this book. He’s not perfect, in fact he doubts himself most of the time, but he cares deeply about the people around him and the town.

This story has two heroes. Very different men who work together.

Tonight I’m going to a rodeo as I do research on the new book I’m working on. The stories never stop. As soon as I finish one, another is waiting to be born.

One little surprise kept me away from my work this week. Ella moved back to town. (Her parents came with her) She’s only 6 months old, but she’ll call me Gram one day.

4 1/2 Stars, High School Rodeo, & My Intern...

Exciting news today, Romantic Times gave REWRITING MONDAY 4 ½ STARS. The book will be out April 7th but the reviews always come out about a month early. I also have an article in this month’s issue. I’m interviewing Robyn Carr. I wouldn’t have known about all this except my friend called me. I swear, some days the world could end and I’d miss it.

Right now I’m in the world of my new book and having great fun writing it. I’m doing research on high school rodeo for one character. When I was in my teens I rode in the rodeo every year when I stayed with my Uncle Leroy and my Aunt Dixie (anyone who doesn’t know me will think I made up those names) I thought I was something, riding in the parade and every night in the Grand Entry. The last day of the rodeo I was riding out to the pasture and, after living in the saddle for four day, got tossed off. To this day when my leg hurts I tell everyone it’s the old rodeo injury.

Want to have some fun check out the the Cowgirl Hall of Fame website!

Happy Trails,



P.S. This is my new intern here at West Texas A&M University, Carmen Hamilton, holding copies of the international versions of THE SECRETS OF ROSA LEE...