Don't Call it Spring

In Charleston the Spring comes when it's often still cold and sometimes snowy in many other parts of the country. Charlestonians love it because as they walk down the street and turn a corner, they are startled by the sweet smells of Confederate Jasmine as they mingle with the scents of freshly mowed lawns. And the sight of the first magnolias as they begin to bloom in the tippy tops of the highest trees is an actual thrill. And all of this can usually be enjoyed with low humidity which is so rare when we get into the summer months.

Even though our winter isn't a long one or a particulary cold one, we're always ready for that first warm sunny day that heralds Spring. Come see us and let me know what you think.

So Anyway...

In case you've missed my last two months musings, don't worry, you haven't. I've been remiss and am back on the wagon. I hope to stay on schedule with my blogging and with my search for the perfect literary agent (I know you're out there!).

And I'm also getting back to my manuscript - again. I continually re-work it and wonder if that's how it goes up until the moment it goes to the printer? Stay tuned.

When to Stop Tweaking your Manuscript

No one said it would be particularly easy to stop revising my manuscript. It seems that each time I pick it up I see something that could be said differently or better or more concisely.

A friend just sent me a great article on character development and a second one on "what a novel is." This may seem pretty basic and you may be thinking, "shouldn't you know that by now if you've just written one?" But these types of resources serve to reinforce and reassure me that I've taken my writing in the right direction and in some cases make me re-think my position in some areas.

I find them invaluable when sent from the right people. Thanks and maybe I'll end up revising or tweaking my manuscript. The point is to make it the best it can be and strengthening it will help me to get it there.

Inspiration is Everywhere!

Inspiration is everywhere and as with everything in life it's what keeps us motivated. I read a wonderful piece in the New York Times this weekend about an author who sells his books in the subways. His goal is to sell thirty-five copies a day of his book "Street Talk" and most days he reaches that number.

But even more important than that, his writing has a message... he tells the story of his redemption from drugs on the street, to prison to turning his life around, and how to make it happen. He says that one of the main benefits to selling his story on the subway is making new friends while touching their lives and influencing them in ways too numerous to name.

Dream Literary Agent... Where are You?

Working full time and trying to find my dream literary agent (DLA) is definitely a challenge. But one that I'm up to and feeling great about. I've had such positive support and so many people have reached out to me and offered ideas and contacts that I couldn't give up even if I wanted to.

So thank you to everyone who is holding me up and rooting me on. As I send out one more and then another agent query letter, you're the ones who are helping to motivate me. And when my novel finally gets published we'll all celebrate together!

My Uncle Jack

My Uncle Jack (the beautiful young boy on the left in the picture above taken on Folly Beach in the early 30's) inspired one of the characters in my yet-to-be-published novel. While he's not pivotal to the telling to the story, his character is very important to Lucy, the main character. (The real Lucy, my mom is front right.)

Jack Lewis was my mother's little brother and they loved each other fiercely. That word applied to their relationship long before it became trendy, and it truly described how they felt for one another. My mom died in 1990 at the very young age of 74, her baby brother died yesterday at almost 88. He had been ill for several years, in and out of the hospital for quite some time, and unfortunately buried his oldest child just three months ago.

But as I told his wife last night, we (his nieces and nephews) always thought of him as the "cool" one. I sent her a note on her facebook page (you see she's cool too)! He had been a fighter pilot in WWII and was very cute and had this droll sense of humor that even though we didn't always get it at first we knew to act like we did because then maybe he'd think we were cool, too.

Uncle Jack's passing marks the end of a generation and leaves it up to the twelve children and many grandchildren and now many, many great grandchildren the three Lewis siblings left to carry on. I know my mom would still be so proud of her baby brother.

Every Day's a New Day

It's true that the quest for my DLA (dream literary agent) isn't the easiest process, but knowing that there will be a successful resolution keeps me going. The other thing that keeps me going is the "one day at a time" approach that is so successful with a lot of the 12-step and rehab programs. Not that I'm an addict... although I do find my self thinking constantly about my novel and getting it published!

Finding my DLA one day at a time allows me to start each day with a positive, fresh perspective and most importantly to NOT get discouraged. Right now I'm working on writing a "long" synopsis for an agent who has expressed interest in reading my manuscript (I know!). But pulling together this 3 to 5 page document is proving to be very challenging. What to include, what to leave out. How to evoke just the right amount of emotion to ensure agents "feel" the love story in "Lowcountry Love Story."